This Saturday, the college football slate will feature three ranked matchups with massive CFP aspirations. The one-loss Ohio State football program will host the undefeated Indiana Hoosiers in a top-five clash in the early window. Despite owning a blemish-free record, Indiana will enter as the fifth-ranked team. At the same time, Ohio State sits just behind 11-0 Oregon for the top spot in the latest rendition of the College Football Playoff rankings. Amid a program-defining season, the Hoosiers have sidestepped Big Ten juggernaut Ohio State until the second to last weekend of November while avoiding Oregon, Penn State, and Illinois altogether.
It is not the fault of the Indiana Hoosiers. Still, with conference expansion, the undefeated team has had a more manageable schedule than most, mainly due to the conference housing 18 teams for a nine-game Big Ten schedule. Nevertheless, SEC talking head Paul Finebaum believes that Indiana could miss out on the 12-team College Football Playoff with a blowout loss to Ohio State on Saturday, regardless of their production in the season finale against lowly Purdue.
Finebaum Needs More From Indiana Hoosiers
According to Paul Finebaum through On3:
“If it is respectable, then Indiana can start punching tickets to the CFP. But, if it’s a blowout… I would recommend getting rid of Indiana.”
“The game is all about how Indiana plays,” stated Finebaum. “The line is at -13.5. Can they keep it respectable?” As for Finebaum, he believes Ohio State will win “convincingly.” A 13-point favorite, Ohio State football is 28-2 at home across the past five seasons. Meanwhile, Indiana is 9-80-4 all-time against OSU. Excluding the COVID-19-impacted 2020 season, the Hoosiers have not beaten a ranked foe on the road since 2014.
Following a 3-9 season, Indiana football poached head coach Curt Cignetti from James Madison. Offensively, Ohio Bobcats transfer Kurtis Rourke has played fantastic, throwing for 2,410 yards, 21 touchdowns, and four picks in nine games. Conversely, Ohio State again entered this season with postseason aspirations, with their lone loss coming on the road 32-31 against top-ranked Oregon. Like the Hoosiers, the Buckeyes have leaned on a transfer quarterback. Will Howard, formerly of Kansas State, has thrown a conference-best 24 touchdowns this season.
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