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Indiana’s Run is Unprecedented
Posted on 1/1/26 at 7:03 pm
Posted on 1/1/26 at 7:03 pm
It gets discussed a lot how bad Indiana is historically, but what doesn’t get discussed a lot is how poorly rated all of Indiana’s players were coming out of high school.
Indiana is 72nd nationally and dead last in the B1G in 247’s team talent rankings.
For comparison, Tulane, who tons of people say shouldn’t even compete in the same playoff, is 4 spots better at 68th.
Indiana has 7 blue chips (4 star or higher) compared to Alabama’s 64, and they made Alabama look non competitive.
No team has won a national title with a roster under 50% blue chips, and Indiana has a very good chance to do it with less than 10% blue chips.
Should an Indiana national title change long held beliefs regarding how recruits are rated or how important recruiting is (the “stars matter” talk”)? And/or is Cignetti on his way to the greatest coaching accomplishment in modern CFB history or maybe even sports history?
This run is approaching Miracle on Ice territory.
Indiana is 72nd nationally and dead last in the B1G in 247’s team talent rankings.
For comparison, Tulane, who tons of people say shouldn’t even compete in the same playoff, is 4 spots better at 68th.
Indiana has 7 blue chips (4 star or higher) compared to Alabama’s 64, and they made Alabama look non competitive.
No team has won a national title with a roster under 50% blue chips, and Indiana has a very good chance to do it with less than 10% blue chips.
Should an Indiana national title change long held beliefs regarding how recruits are rated or how important recruiting is (the “stars matter” talk”)? And/or is Cignetti on his way to the greatest coaching accomplishment in modern CFB history or maybe even sports history?
This run is approaching Miracle on Ice territory.
10
Posted on 1/1/26 at 7:10 pm to TomRollTideRitter
It's pretty wild how casually they just absolutely rinsed the two biggest brands in college football in back to back games.
Posted on 1/1/26 at 7:11 pm to TomRollTideRitter
quote:
And/or is Cignetti on his way to the greatest coaching accomplishment in modern CFB history
I'd argue he's already done this even if they lose next round. He went 11-1 last year and made the playoffs, and people wrote it off as a product of lucky Big 10 scheduling coupled with actual improvement considering IU's status, but they weren't legit contenders in the end. This year however they're even better than last year so it wasn't some one year wonder. Went to Eugene and won by double digits even though they spotted Oregon a pick six and beat Ohio State's best roster money can buy to win the conference, and now gave Bama their worst loss since America was still preoccupied with the Lewinsky scandal. They legit have earned and deserved the #1 ranking they have and are the only team this year that have looked dominant wire to wire so far.
Doing that at a program like Indiana, even if they lost next round I can't remember a coaching job this impressive. If they do win the title, it's immortalized. Build the dude a statue at the CFB HOF
This post was edited on 1/1/26 at 7:12 pm
Posted on 1/1/26 at 7:11 pm to TomRollTideRitter
Impressive what Cignetti has been able to accomplish in just two years there. I don't know if this success will interest potential recruits or persuade them to go there instead of a traditional power, but a shift in the conversation of top teams would be refreshing for college ball.
Posted on 1/1/26 at 7:13 pm to TomRollTideRitter
Plus they beat a 4 loss Alabama team
Posted on 1/1/26 at 7:19 pm to TomRollTideRitter
quote:
This run is approaching Miracle on Ice territory.
That would be more like if this years JMU or Tulane made a run. Indiana was a playoff team last year & they are the Big Ten Champs and #1 team in the nation
Posted on 1/1/26 at 7:21 pm to TomRollTideRitter
Indiana has guys that want it more than anyone and a coach that wants it more than anyone — and they all enjoy the process with which they make it happen.
Posted on 1/1/26 at 7:25 pm to JimTiger72
He means in terms of the full package since he took over.
Posted on 1/1/26 at 7:29 pm to JimTiger72
quote:
That would be more like if this years JMU or Tulane made a run. Indiana was a playoff team last year & they are the Big Ten Champs and #1 team in the nation
I’m considering Indiana’s run as starting last year.
Certainly, the one game USA-USSR Miracle on Ice is a much bigger upset than any single game Indiana has won.
But the two season run of Indiana with a G5 level roster in terms of high school talent is arguably more shocking than the 1980 Lakers Placid tournament as a whole.
Posted on 1/1/26 at 7:34 pm to TomRollTideRitter
quote:
But the two season run of Indiana with a G5 level roster in terms of high school talent
I’m not sure that is true. I don’t know their full roster, but they took some stars in this year that made them elite.
This guy was a 3 star out of high school, played at ND, & just got the MVP in Rose Bowl
Loading Twitter/X Embed...
If tweet fails to load, click here.This post was edited on 1/1/26 at 7:37 pm
Posted on 1/1/26 at 7:35 pm to JimTiger72
quote:
Indiana was a playoff team last year & they are the Big Ten Champs and #1 team in the nation
Talent composite and Indiana's historical status as a football program is what makes the story what it is. They honestly, by any talent metric other than coaching, should NOT be the Big Ten champs and #1 team in the nation and shouldn't have been last year. The fact that they are, and as dominant as they are doing it is just not comparable to anything we've seen in the sport.
Posted on 1/1/26 at 7:37 pm to WaterLink
Yeah they’re counting guys like Coogan & Mendoza as a 3-star out of high school
Posted on 1/1/26 at 7:39 pm to JimTiger72
Don't sit here and act like everyone thought Mendoza coming out of Cal last year was going to be leading a NC run.
The fact of the matter is Indiana develops and elevates the talent they get and has an eye for indetifying those diamonds in the rough. That's coaching.
The fact of the matter is Indiana develops and elevates the talent they get and has an eye for indetifying those diamonds in the rough. That's coaching.
This post was edited on 1/1/26 at 7:43 pm
Posted on 1/1/26 at 7:40 pm to JimTiger72
quote:
I’m not sure that is true. I don’t know their full roster, but they took some stars in this year that made them elite. This guy was a 3 star out of high school, played at ND, & just got the MVP in Rose Bowl
Definitely these guys are more talented than their high school ratings, but it’s unprecedented to see this much success from a team full of former 2 and 3 stars. Quite a few of their contributors are former James Madison players.
For Indiana to have hit on so many of them indicates Cignetti and staff are either incredible developers/scouters or both.
This post was edited on 1/1/26 at 7:42 pm
Posted on 1/1/26 at 7:41 pm to WaterLink
Well no, but he was the #4 QB in the portal. Not just a 3 star
Posted on 1/1/26 at 7:43 pm to TomRollTideRitter
Posted on 1/1/26 at 7:47 pm to JimTiger72
I would be interested in portal kids getting stars, do they do that? Like maybe a 5* out of HS hasn't lived up to it becomes a 3* when he enters the portal. And vice versa for a 3* that kills it out of HS and enters the portal, maybe he gets re-rated as a 5*
Still, either way you cut it Indiana has identified talent and developed them into a team that's the most formidable in the country. It's seriously commendable no matter how you slice it.
Still, either way you cut it Indiana has identified talent and developed them into a team that's the most formidable in the country. It's seriously commendable no matter how you slice it.
This post was edited on 1/1/26 at 7:48 pm
Posted on 1/1/26 at 7:51 pm to WaterLink
Yes 247 shows ratings as a transfer.
IU brought in three “4 stars as transfers” last year
IU brought in three “4 stars as transfers” last year
Posted on 1/1/26 at 7:53 pm to TomRollTideRitter
It really is. It's definitely impressive.
They are obviously exploiting a glitch that will hopefully be fixed.
They are obviously exploiting a glitch that will hopefully be fixed.
Posted on 1/1/26 at 8:01 pm to TomRollTideRitter
The only real threat I see towards IU winning the title is Smart. You know damn well that cocksucker will pull out every trick in the book, short of outright cheating, to win that game. Smart is a slimy, emotional douchebag who has no ethics when it comes to winning. He was Saban’s golden boy for a reason.
I seriously hope that IU curb stomps the frick out of UGA.
I seriously hope that IU curb stomps the frick out of UGA.
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