Indiana Football has turned heads this season in ways very few thought possible. The Hoosiers are 10-0 for the first time ever, with each win becoming more and more impressive under new head coach Curt Cignetti. Not only is this undefeated record a historic achievement for the program, but it’s a bit shocking considering preseason rankings picked the Hoosiers to finish 17th in the expanded 18-team Big Ten.
When Cignetti took over, Indiana was barely a blip on the Big Ten or national radar, with preseason odds set at +15000 to win the National Championship. Fast forward to now, and Indiana has smashed all preseason predictions. A clean 7-0 mark in Big Ten play not only shatters the program's previous conference records but also solidifies its best-ever start to Big Ten play.
While Indiana’s early season non-conference schedule was relatively light, they’ve maintained consistency against Big Ten competition, showcasing a balanced offensive attack and a defense that’s allowing just under 20 points per game. This week, they have a bye before a potential season-defining matchup against Ohio State. That game against the Buckeyes will be their toughest test yet, marking Indiana’s first matchup against a top-10 team. The look-ahead line has Ohio State as an 11.5-point favorite, making the Hoosiers significant underdogs despite their perfect record.
BetMGM has Indiana at -500 odds to make the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff, but confidence in their chances of winning the Big Ten or the national title remains low. Indiana sits at +1100 to take the Big Ten and +3000 for the CFP.
Surprisingly, though, Indiana has drawn a significant betting interest, becoming BetMGM’s biggest liability in the championship race with 6.5% of the handle, which is well ahead of the second-closest team, Alabama at 5.8%.
With the stakes higher than ever, Indiana has a chance to keep making history, but their path could narrow if they can’t compete with Ohio State’s high-powered offense. That game will be a true litmus test to see if the Hoosiers are playoff-ready or if their soft schedule is the main driver behind their Cinderella season.
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