karmew32

That's what really sucks about that loss. It felt like Rams fans were rewarded for the indifference while we were punished for our passion.

Like Indiana’s turnaround under Cignetti, Kansas State was the worst D-I football program before Snyder arrived. 1998 was the apex with a Heisman-level QB in Bishop, 8 All-Americans, and 25 future NFLers. From what I’ve read, they were the favorite to win the national title, particularly after their closest equal that season in Ohio State got upset by a Saban-helmed Michigan State team.

Every neutral seems to have rallied around this Indiana team in a way I’ve never seen. It’s a rare overlap of the best story also being the best team. Did 1998 Kansas State garner similar national support among neutrals?

I think bowl game rematches in particular favor the losing team.

I think the only hope against Indiana is to turn the game into a track meet. If the game is a street fight, Indiana wins.

Even more surreal to say that since normally successful seasons by non-traditional powers are associated with speed & Air Raid offenses, not by winning mainly at the line of scrimmage. Indiana is one of the best LOS-first teams I've ever seen.

Bama was the most hated underdog in recent memory and Indiana is simultaneously a great story and a bonafide juggernaut. If you don't like them and aren't a Purdue fan, you don't like college football.

If you think about it, Iowa State set the realignment/NIL arms race into motion way back in 2011.

The only reason the spread is as small as it is is because of the names of the 2 programs. IU is realistically 2 TDs better. This is coming from someone who expects Bama to fall backwards into a win.

I never said Indiana was overperforming. I think they're just like 1998 KSU/2010 Boise. They're absolutely legit but also a feel-good story. Those two things aren't mutually exclusive.

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Did you actually watch the game? Oklahoma lost that game way more than Bama won.

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Exactly, just like the Jays lost that World Series more than the Dodgers won it. Bama has historically thrived on voodoo magic.

Indiana is simultaneously the best team in the country and the best story in college football. That combination hasn't been seen since 1998 Kansas State. So naturally, a meh unlikable Bama team would ruin that story. I feel like they'll have a 2025 World Series-esque win where they're outplayed everywhere but the scoreboard.

This is a rare situation where the entire country will be rooting for the #1-ranked team to win.