As much as I dont want to talk about Indiana....

[goboilers2]

I will. (Because, yes, I am a little envious of their football hire)

Interesting point made yesterday about the IU v OSU game. The point was that if OSU wins, IU should NOT be awarded a playoff slot.

The reasoning is the strength of schedule. The IU preseason is the weakest of the ranked teams. The second point that caught my eye is that IU has not played any Big Ten team in the upper half of the conference, although Washington cracked that ceiling at 4-3/6-5. Normally Michigan would be there, but not this year.

At this point Washington is their only foe with a winning record.

Are they better than Purdue? Absolutely, but that is not my point. We might have 4 wins with their schedule.

 

[pboiler18]

I will. (Because, yes, I am a little envious of their football hire)

Interesting point made yesterday about the IU v OSU game. The point was that if OSU wins, IU should NOT be awarded a playoff slot.

The reasoning is the strength of schedule. The IU preseason is the weakest of the ranked teams. The second point that caught my eye is that IU has not played any Big Ten team in the upper half of the conference, although Washington cracked that ceiling at 4-3/6-5. Normally Michigan would be there, but not this year.

At this point Washington is their only foe with a winning record.

Are they better than Purdue? Absolutely, but that is not my point. We might have 4 wins with their schedule.

They are a good team. Probably not deserving of a playoff spot though without a top 25 win.

A win over a 7-8 win P4 team in their OOC would have helped them immensely here.

 

[BBG]

I think it will depend on how they play against O$U. If they get curb stomped, then no.. no play off spot. But a close loss... maybe... still a pretty weak schedule though.

They are going to roll us which won't prove ... anything.

 

[qazplm]

Schedule has to matter. Beat OSU or play close then in. Get blown out then no.

 

[pboiler18]

Schedule has to matter. Beat OSU or play close then in. Get blown out then no.

Win and In. Lose and you’re out.

Can’t reward the intentional OOC avoidance of playing any semblance of a real program.

 

[TC4THREE]

Schedule should matter and they chose to schedule nobody out of conference. I can't say I know the schedules of all the others under consideration but I would certainly consider a two loss team with a stronger SOS or a quality wins over an IU team that lost to OSU, close or not.

Btw the same conversation should be had about Notre Dame but they did win at Texas A&M at least.

 

[Katscratch]

You guys should also discuss whether current one loss Texas should get in. Their best win is over…Michigan!

Or maybe discuss whether one loss Penn State should get in with a best win over Illinois.

 

[BNIBoiler]

At least they did not get Ju Ju Lewis. Just committed to Colorado to succeed Shedeur Sanders.

 

[TC4THREE]

You guys should also discuss whether current one loss Texas should get in. Their best win is over…Michigan!

Or maybe discuss whether one loss Penn State should get in with a best win over Illinois.

Probably not. But Penn State did play power conference opposition in the non conference . Texas too.

 

[Katscratch]

Probably not. But Penn State did play power conference opposition in the non conference . Texas too.

Penn State played a crap WV team, Kent State, and Bowling Green. And they nearly lost to Bowling Green. Is that better than WIU, FIU, and Charlotte? Sure. But not by much, and PSU is thought to be a lock with their loss to OSU on the books, and they haven't obliterated lesser teams.

I think the takeaway may be that their aren’t enough P4 one loss and two loss with big win teams to fill 12 spots.

The lowest a one loss P4 team has ever been ranked at the end of a season is 7th.

 

[TC4THREE]

Penn State played a crap WV team, Kent State, and Bowling Green. And they nearly lost to Bowling Green.

Can't predict how good or bad your non conference schedule will end up if you're scheduling it years in advance. No way for Penn State to project how playing AT WVU would end up. Or for Texas to know how bad winning AT Michigan would be as their top win. But they deserve credit for playing those games imo.

But you can project it being bad if you're buying out your only power conference opposition and replacing them with a cream puff.

Listen. IU pursued the bad schedule strategy to let their new coach ease into it. It worked. Kudos to them. But you shouldn't have it both ways imo. By doing so in a year you ended up playing almost nobody near the top of the conference it SHOULD severely hamper their ability to get into the playoffs.

Of course IU can still win their way in by simply beating Ohio State. Nobody would argue they should be out of they do that.

 

[Thordog]

They've come a long way from

 

[Bank Shot Podcast]

I will. (Because, yes, I am a little envious of their football hire)

Interesting point made yesterday about the IU v OSU game. The point was that if OSU wins, IU should NOT be awarded a playoff slot.

The reasoning is the strength of schedule. The IU preseason is the weakest of the ranked teams. The second point that caught my eye is that IU has not played any Big Ten team in the upper half of the conference, although Washington cracked that ceiling at 4-3/6-5. Normally Michigan would be there, but not this year.

At this point Washington is their only foe with a winning record.

Are they better than Purdue? Absolutely, but that is not my point. We might have 4 wins with their schedule.

Purdue would probably still have 1 win.

 

[BBG]

They've come a long way from

It's very likely still there, indinia fans are just used to wallowing in it so no longer care.

 

[BBG]

Purdue would probably still have 1 win.

And? See we know we're terrible. Your attempt to deflect however isn't going to cloud that the OOC was weak.

 

[Bank Shot Podcast]

Indiana doesn't HAVE to beat OSU. Just look like you belong. They have the eye test in their favor. Indiana is playing like how an elite team should play against mediocre teams by obliterating them in a way no one else in the country is. But you see nothing about Alabama losing to Vandy(a mediocre team), Ole Miss losing to Kentucky(a mediocre team), Tennessee losing to Arkansas(a mediocre team, Notre Dame losing to Northern Illinois(a mediocre team), BYU losing to Kansas.

 

[TC4THREE]

Indiana doesn't HAVE to beat OSU. Just look like you belong. They have the eye test in their favor. Indiana is playing like how an elite team should play against mediocre teams by obliterating them in a way no one else in the country is. But you see nothing about Alabama losing to Vandy(a mediocre team), Ole Miss losing to Kentucky(a mediocre team), Tennessee losing to Arkansas(a mediocre team, Notre Dame losing to Northern Illinois(a mediocre team), BYU losing to Kansas.

Just like you see nothing about IU beating a good team. But they can change that narrative this weekend.

 

[KentuckyBoiler]

They've come a long way from

Yeah, that is how our team is playing and playing next year too, if Walters is kept.

 

[Bank Shot Podcast]

Just like you see nothing about IU beating a good team. But they can change that narrative this weekend.

No I see them with good wins. But you any of those teams Indiana's schedule and they still wouldn't be 10-0. Give Oregon, Texas, OSU, OSU, Georgia Indiana's schedule and they #2 in the nation without any questions.

 

[Wolegib]

It appears as if 80% of the teams scheduled to play in the playoffs had a powder puff non conference schedule. Who did Texas play? Or Alabama? Or OSU or Penn st or IU. Or BYU?

It appears IU followed the same path that all of the other teams projected to play in the playoffs followed.

Should IU be criticized any more than Alabama or OSu for scheduling cream puffs?

 

[pboiler18]

Yeah, that is how our team is playing and playing next year too, if Walters is kept.

Our fan base and stadium staff will need to be on “Goose shit alert” if Walters is retained for 2025

 

[TC4THREE]

No I see them with good wins. But you any of those teams Indiana's schedule and they still wouldn't be 10-0. Give Oregon, Texas, OSU, OSU, Georgia Indiana's schedule and they #2 in the nation without any questions.

They would never schedule like Indiana did.

 

[TC4THREE]

It appears as if 80% of the teams scheduled to play in the playoffs had a powder puff non conference schedule. Who did Texas play? Or Alabama? Or OSU or Penn st or IU. Or BYU?

It appears IU followed the same path that all of the other teams projected to play in the playoffs followed.

Should IU be criticized any more than Alabama or OSu for scheduling cream puffs?

According to ESPN....

Texas 38th
Alabama 16th
OSU 28th
PSU 35th
BYU 53rd
IU 103rd

So let's quit pretending that IU's schedule has been close to any of the others. We will see what happens to this metric with the OSU game. Would also be interesting what it would look like if they hadn't bought out the Louisville game they probably had on the schedule.

 

[GB.com]

IU had a road game against Louisville on their schedule for this year and they bailed. That's soft. If they would have played that game, Saturday is meaningless for them as far as the playoff is concerned. 75% of their schedule is not their fault. 25% is. This is on them. I have not heard that mentioned by any college football pundits and they haven't done their homework. In hindsight they should have kept the Louisville game.

I firmly believe they go to Columbus and give Ohio State everything they can handle. I would be more shocked at a blow out by OSU than a IU win.

 

[Bank Shot Podcast]

IU had a road game against Louisville on their schedule for this year and they bailed. That's soft. If they would have played that game and won this weekends game, Saturday is meaningless for them as far as the playoff is concerned. 75% of their schedule is not their fault. 25% is. This is on them. I have not heard that mentioned by any college football pundits and they haven't done their homework. In hindsight they should have kept the Louisville gaem

I firmly believe they go to Columbus and give Ohio State everything they can handle. I would be more shocked at a blow out by OSU than a IU win.

They got rid of the Louisville game because no one expected to be in this kind of situation. Tom Allen was still around. Indiana was just searching for 6 wins somewhere and playing Louisville wasn't helping that. And even going into this season had UCLA, Northwestern, Maryland, Michigan, Washington who were all 8 win and better teams last year.

 

[Katscratch]

According to ESPN....

Texas 38th
Alabama 16th
OSU 28th
PSU 35th
BYU 53rd
IU 103rd

So let's quit pretending that IU's schedule has been close to any of the others. We will see what happens to this metric with the OSU game. Would also be interesting what it would look like if they hadn't bought out the Louisville game they probably had on the schedule.

ESPN is not necessarily the most accurate ranking service. Sagarin has IU at 77. Team Rankings has them at 62. Adding OSU to that calculation should help it considerably.

But, if you like to use ESPN's model, ESPN has IU as having a 96% chance of making the playoffs, second highest only to Oregon. That percentage incorporates IU as a two td underdog at OSU and a favorite at home against Purdue to most likely finish 11-1.

 

[KentuckyBoiler]

It appears as if 80% of the teams scheduled to play in the playoffs had a powder puff non conference schedule. Who did Texas play? Or Alabama? Or OSU or Penn st or IU. Or BYU?

It appears IU followed the same path that all of the other teams projected to play in the playoffs followed.

Should IU be criticized any more than Alabama or OSu for scheduling cream puffs?

IU has been playing a cream puff per BT schedule since the 1990s. This is nothing new for them.

 

[GB.com]

They got rid of the Louisville game because no one expected to be in this kind of situation. Tom Allen was still around. Indiana was just searching for 6 wins somewhere and playing Louisville wasn't helping that. And even going into this season had UCLA, Northwestern, Maryland, Michigan, Washington who were all 8 win and better teams last year.

I understand why they did it. Nobody can fault them for their big ten schedule. That's out of their control. They have handled teams. The stars have aligned for them.

But still was an opportunity that might have changed this whole deal.

 

[Katscratch]

IU has been playing a cream puff per BT schedule since the 1990s. This nothing new for them.

100% true. And before he got fired, Tom Allen made this year's pre-conference schedule even cream-puffier than usual.

 

[TC4THREE]

ESPN is not necessarily the most accurate ranking service. Sagarin has IU at 77. Team Rankings has them at 62. Adding OSU to that calculation should help it considerably.

But, if you like to use ESPN's model, ESPN has IU as having a 96% chance of making the playoffs, second highest only to Oregon. That percentage incorporates IU as a two td underdog at OSU and a favorite at home against Purdue to most likely finish 11-1.

Is IU ahead of anyone in the other SOS rankings?

I mean, I'm not cheering against IU because they are IU. Frankly, I think it would be cool for them to beat Ohio State and Oregon and go in as the top seed.

I just think the new playoff format sucks and this is a reason why. iU doesn't deserve to get in if they lose to OSU but frankly I'm not sure you can get to 12 teams with those who do. And I think it's dumb to have more than two teams from any conference. Number should have been 8 total. Don't care to watch a bunch of SEC or B1G games that should've been played during the season. Probably in the minority there but that's my opinion still.

Letting IU in will set a terrible precedent and in a few years nobody will schedule any game worth a damn outside of conference. That's just not what I want to see.

 

[Poprudy]

You guys should also discuss whether current one loss Texas should get in. Their best win is over…Michigan!

Or maybe discuss whether one loss Penn State should get in with a best win over Illinois.

You essentially are stating why many believe the SEC is just better.....it's not even close.

To have IU in the top 5 without playing anybody in the top half of the B1G is a joke. The SEC had like 7 teams with a higher SOS than our top B1G team. They are just a better football conference. I can finally see their argument.

 

[qazplm]

It appears as if 80% of the teams scheduled to play in the playoffs had a powder puff non conference schedule. Who did Texas play? Or Alabama? Or OSU or Penn st or IU. Or BYU?

It appears IU followed the same path that all of the other teams projected to play in the playoffs followed.

Should IU be criticized any more than Alabama or OSu for scheduling cream puffs?

As I've said before you SHOULD schedule OOC creampuffs in football.

There's zero upside to tough scheduling OOC now.

 

[Poprudy]

As I've said before you SHOULD schedule OOC creampuffs in football.

There's zero upside to tough scheduling OOC now.

Yep, it's not like basketball where it benefits in the end. Unless, you have a chance to make the CFP and this is potentially one of those years for IU.

 

[POTFHBTFU]

They are a good team. Probably not deserving of a playoff spot though without a top 25 win.

A win over a 7-8 win P4 team in their OOC would have helped them immensely here.

You mean like Louisville?

 

[RDUBoiler]

At least they did not get Ju Ju Lewis. Just committed to Colorado to succeed Shedeur Sanders.

Colorado has him for now. If Deion goes to FSU, he'll probably follow him there.

 

[TMA62]

I will. (Because, yes, I am a little envious of their football hire)

Interesting point made yesterday about the IU v OSU game. The point was that if OSU wins, IU should NOT be awarded a playoff slot.

The reasoning is the strength of schedule. The IU preseason is the weakest of the ranked teams. The second point that caught my eye is that IU has not played any Big Ten team in the upper half of the conference, although Washington cracked that ceiling at 4-3/6-5. Normally Michigan would be there, but not this year.

At this point Washington is their only foe with a winning record.

Are they better than Purdue? Absolutely, but that is not my point. We might have 4 wins with their schedule.

Overall, the B10 has been a big disappointment this season. Outside of the top 4 teams, there has been a big drop off. Teams that are typically good (Mich, MSU, Wisc, Nebr, Iowa, USC and Wash) are all having a down year. Purdue, NW and UCLA are all atrocious.

IU has had a very fortunate season in playing many of these teams and playing the worse of them on the road. This saturday will be the first time they will play a ranked team and in a very hostile environment.

I think there are teams from other conferences that will have a stronger resume to get into the playoffs.

 

[TC4THREE]

As I've said before you SHOULD schedule OOC creampuffs in football.

There's zero upside to tough scheduling OOC now.

Sure there is. Ticket sales. Getting better. Increased attention. Recruiting.

 

[pboiler18]

Sure there is. Ticket sales. Getting better. Increased attention. Recruiting.

I agree for a team like Purdue…but if you’re a Texas, UGA, Ohio State, etc. and they’ll let you in with 1-2 losses and a meh OOC schedule every year…why wouldn’t you just do that?

If IU loses say by 10 and still gets in…why wouldn’t they continue to schedule the sisters of the blind forever? No consequences for scheduling 3 auto wins. I’d immediately do the same.

 

[TC4THREE]

I agree for a team like Purdue…but if you’re a Texas, UGA, Ohio State, etc. and they’ll let you in with 1-2 losses and a meh OOC schedule every year…why wouldn’t you just do that?

If IU loses say by 10 and still gets in…why wouldn’t they continue to schedule the sisters of the blind forever? No consequences for scheduling 3 auto wins. I’d immediately do the same.

If 11-1 IU gets in over a two loss SEC traditional power this year I bet you things will change though. Follow the money and the networks aren't going to like a lack of marquee non conference matchups that this would lead to.

But I agree in terms of making the playoffs this season it appears to be a better route if the current speculation holds true.

If we had scheduled that same way this season all it would've led to is a significant loss in ticket revenue.