Indiana and the Five Best Potential Sleeper Squads in 2025
Every college football season in the last decade has brought its own surprises, much like the surprises in the NCAA basketball tournament. In 2024, Indiana had its breakout season, reaching the College Football Playoff in a way no one saw coming. Now, with just a few months til the 2025 season kicks off, who can be the Cinderella story for this season, potentially spoiling the 12-team Playoff field down the road?
If you somehow didn’t pay attention to Indiana in the 2024 season, they went 11-2 and very nearly made the Big Ten title game, narrowly missing out between B10 newcomers Washington and Oregon, who’d square off instead. It was the Hoosiers’ first-ever 10-win season, and they did it with a 1st year head coach, OC, and DC. That’s right- this was a completely fresh starting team that made it all the way to college football’s postseason. Now then- who can replicate the Hoosiers’ success in 2025?
South Carolina
The Gamecocks may now have the best QB in the country with LaNorris Sellers under center. Sellers, a 6’3″ 242-pound signal caller, threw for over 2500 yards and 18 TDs last season as SC went 9-4 in head coach Shane Beemer’s 4th year at the helm, falling to #21 Illinois in the Citrus Bowl as the 14th-ranked team in the nation. The Gamecocks had the 51st best points per game (28.3), and 54th best yards per game (391.1), while their defense was the real star of the show, holding the 11th best opponents points per game (18.6) and 16th best opp yards per game (322.5).
On the running portions of the game, SC ranked 35th in rush yards/game (177.7) while racking up the 11th most rush attempts (42.1). Their rush defense was 24th in opp rush yards/game (119.3) and 66th in opp carries/game (35.5). It makes sense SC’s defense was strong last season, seeing as they will have 5-star edge Dylan Stewart returning, where he had 23 total tackles and 6.5 sacks on the 2024 season, as well as 3 forced fumbles, 2 of which he recovered.
Nebraska
Indiana put the revamped Big 10 on notice last season, so why not the next program to finally silence its doubters? Nebraska has always been that one team that has high expectations, only to fall flat on its face when the season reaches crunch time. But last season may have been the final year that happened, with QB Dylan Raiola under center. The Hawaiian signal caller threw over 2800 passing yards and 18 touchdowns last season, and even with 11 interceptions, he’s still got the talent as a former 5-star recruit, kind of like Stewart.
Nebraska also carries some added momentum by snapping a 7-season bowlless streak in 2024, appearing in the Pinstripe Bowl and defeating Boston College 20-15 in a tightly contested game. The Huskers were also ranked highly in the preseason back then, making their first AP poll appearance in 5 years, just like Indiana’s future high ranks later on.
Texas Tech
Another program in a revamped conference, just like Indiana, the Red Raiders may be trying to vividly impress former QB Patrick Mahomes this season. QB Behren Morton returns under center, the offensive line retains 3 of its 5 starters, and TTU went crazy on defense in the transfer portal. Additionally, their new DC in Shiel Wood, alongside a new OC in Mack Leftwich, might have many wondering if this rather complete team is following the Indiana blueprint from last season.
And Texas Tech still has much to prove, seeing as they had the 2nd worst passing defense in the country last season, allowing over 305 opposing passing yards/game, worst in the Big 12 and only behind Tulsa in the country. Texas Tech added 21 total players from the transfer portal during the 2024 offseason, ahead of bigger programs like Ole Miss, Oregon, and Miami. The even crazier part? 31 players left! This team is looking more and more like Indiana by the second!
Georgia Tech
There’s more than just South Carolina that has a QB not enough people are talking about. Even more, the Yellow Jackets have a significant tandem threat in Haynes King and Aaron Philo. King was in Heisman conversations a little last season en route to throwing for over 2100 passing yards and 14 touchdowns with just a pair of interceptions. It was a slight dip from his 2023 production of 2800+ yards, with 28 TDs and 17 INTs, but don’t let a fluke year fool you. The Ramblin’ Wreck tied for 4th in the ACC standings last season, and this season, if they go even higher, they’ll act like they just don’t care.
It’s worth mentioning Tech head coach Brent Key needs more credit, turning a once mid-level program into the top ACC contender he has overnight, just like Curt Cegnetti may do with Indiana this season. Just like the Hoosiers, Tech has turned itself into a solid team while still having that same young coaching staff that Indiana rose to fame for in 2024.
Florida
A return to glory seems fitting for the Gators, like South Carolina, and they have the tools to do it. A five-star QB in DJ Lagway, plus other offensive weapons in a wide receiver duo of Vernell Brown III and Dallas Wilson. This is a scary-looking offense, and they might be this season’s Indiana replicants in an always tough-fought SEC. And of course, they have their challenges, facing off against archrivals Georgia, who’s as good as ever.
Furthermore, head coach Billy Napier has long been seen as a can’t quite do it coach, and this might be the year he proves everyone wrong in his 4th season. At least the rest of the Gators’ coaching staff is still learning the ropes after their debut campaigns in 2024, with OC Russ Callaway and DC Ron Roberts running the primary attack.
Finally, here’s a little more on the Gators’ signal caller in DJ Lagway. With a double rhyming name to match, Lagway’s first season in Gainesville was solid, throwing for over 1900 passing yards and 12 TDs as the starter. With at least a couple of years left to do even more, Lagway and his new offense may be cooking up something special in the Swamp.
So there’s your 5 teams most likely to replicate Indiana’s Cinderella success from 2024. Of course, there’s no reason why Indiana itself can’t do the same, seeing as they have the same coaching staff that got them to unprecedented heights. The 2025 college football season may end up needing more popcorn than you might think!
Related: What Does Vanderbilt Bring to the Table After Knocking Off #1 Alabama?
