College football is starting to take notice of IU football. And it should.

Indiana football in the College Football Playoff? OK, we know it’s early. Really early. But after a 3-0 start to the 2024 season and a statement of intention against UCLA in the Rose Bowl on Saturday, the Hoosiers are starting to catch people’s attention.

IU is No. 19 in ESPN’s updated FPI, with a projected 9-3 record and 23.4% chance to make the playoff. Remove preseason projections, and IU is No. 8, per ESPN’s Bill Connelly.

Doyel: IU just made statement at Rose Bowl — Hoosiers are legit under Curt Cignetti

Insider: IU fans should clear their holiday calendars. This is a bowl team.

Because I know you jerks want to ask (and because I was REALLY curious where Indiana would be)…

SP+ TOP 10 IF ALL PRESEASON PROJECTIONS WERE REMOVED:

1. Ohio State
2. Tennessee
3. Ole Miss
4. Alabama
5. Louisville
6. Miami
7. Texas
8. Indiana!
9. Rutgers!
10. Mizzou

— Bill Connelly (@ESPN_BillC) September 15, 2024

None of which is quite as crazy as it seems.

For the moment, anyway, Indiana is roughly what the optimistic (but hardly outlandish) preseason projection looked like: A well-coached team rebuilt around veteran transfers, with a strong defensive identity and an equally effective quarterback, chewing up a favorable schedule.

IU landed at No. 40 nationally in Connelly’s full updated SP+ ranking Sunday. That’s up from No. 81 in the preseason, a remarkable jump that speaks to just how efficiently the Hoosiers are washing out the lingering effects of last year.

There are more remaining opponents presently ranked behind the Hoosiers (5) than ahead of them (4) in the SP+ (although Maryland sits just three spots down). Punt John Punt, the IU football-centric analytics account, used those numbers to create a distribution of likely record outcomes, and Indiana fans will enjoy the results.

Which brings us to early Week 3 bowl projections.

CBS has Indiana…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/college-football-starting-notice-iu-083211686.html

Author : Indianapolis Star

Publish date : 2024-09-16 08:32:11

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