Heather Dinich, Rece Davis discuss College Football Playoff impact of Indiana vs. Ohio State matchup
It’s still a little more than two weeks away, but a Nov. 23 matchup between Indiana and Ohio State could have big College Football Playoff implications. The game is not one many would have circled on their calendar to start the season, but the Hoosiers have been the surprise of the season to force themselves into the CFP discussion.
Indiana is off to a 9-0 start under first-year coach Curt Cignetti and came in at No. 8 in the first edition of the 2024 College Football Playoff rankings. Ohio State was No. 2 despite having already lost a game, though that loss did come against No. 1 Oregon.
It seems that the Hoosiers strength of schedule may have played a factor in their low ranking, as they have yet to play a team ranked in the top 25. ESPN senior writer Heather Dinich wondered if a loss to the Buckeyes might be enough to knock them out of the top 12.
“I would say, based on Indiana having the 103rd worst schedule in the country, that Ohio State game is going to be pretty big,” she said on the CFP rankings reveal show Tuesday. “I’m curious to see what happens to Indiana if they lose that game.”
Rece Davis, the host of the show, followed that up by saying that the Hoosiers don’t necessarily have to walk into Ohio Stadium and win that game. If they simply manage to stay competitive, it could be enough to convince the committee that they’re deserving of an at-large bid.
“(CFP committee chair) Warde Manuel said something interesting, he talked about watching the way teams played, and when the conference championship games come how you lose if you lose if you’re right on the cutting edge,” Davis said. “Indiana? I mean it’s a lot to ask to expect them to go in there and win that game, but in order to keep their resume strong – and their positioning strong – just go in and play well.”
As for Ohio State, a loss here might not be as detrimental to its chances as it already has a quality win against Penn State. However, it would certainly their spot in the playoff a bit less clear as they would likely not get a chance to compete for the Big Ten Championship.
A win would certainly almost guarantee the Buckeyes a spot in the 12-team playoff. All this to say the stakes seem much higher for Indiana at the moment, but the Hoosiers have been outperforming expectations all year.
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