IU Men's Soccer News and Notes

[Aaron 4,665]

This team has two versions of itself. One that plays at home and outside of conference play that looks like a national contender, and one that plays on the road in the Big Ten that looks totally inept. 

With all the top wins in the preconference, RPI only fell to 8. The team is going to the NCAA Tournament as a seeded team, and if they can hold on to the top 8, that would be key for the second guaranteed home game. 2014 has struck again in every way; league play is a mess, but non-conference is elite for a good NCAA seed. 

Tonight may have been the Hoosiers' worst effort this season across the board. You still have no goalie who is halfway decent or a competent defense. The normally elite offense had a Michigan State night.

Team needs a win and UCLA loss or tie just to make the Big Ten Tourney, but given the Bruins are playing at Washington, who will be going for a conference title, and the Hoosiers are back at home against mediocre Rutgers, where they thrive, this is well within reach.

Ironically, a top-four NCAA seed is not completely out of the question if you can qualify for the Big Ten Tourney and beat Maryland or Washington in a rematch in the first conference tourney game. Quite frankly, despite the atmosphere, I'd rather rematch Maryland and their much better RPI without the cross-country trip. Terps clinch Big Ten with a win or tie, or Huskie loss or tie.

The goal right now, though, is to make the Big Ten Tourney and hold on to the top-eight spot for the NCAA's. 

[Aaron 4,665]

17 minutes ago, BtownStrength said:

At the time, it was absolutely deserved. I think we got lucky that most of our big time noncon matches were at Bill Armstrong. Defense travels, and we ain't got it. 

Not really. They beat a top-flight Kentucky and Notre Dame squad on the road, also. For whatever reason, conference road games have been a bugaboo much more than road games overall.

If you can hold on to a top-8 NCAA seed (RPI is exactly 8), the team will play at least two NCAA Tournament games at home against non-Big Ten squads, which has been the sweet spot this fall, and the team has no. 1 non-conference RPI in the nation.

Can't wait to get out of conference play and try their luck against other opponents at home, where the team has been best. As I said, offense could take the team to a College Cup or the defense could end their season in the first round, and both are equally likely given positioning.

Team is 4-3-1 in Quad one, 1-1 in Quad two, 4-1 in Quad three, and 1-0 in Quad four. The resume is actually quite strong, and the committee doesn't look at conference record:

https://rpiupdatemenssoccer.blogspot.com/2025/07/indiana.html

[BtownStrength 1,764]

5 minutes ago, Aaron said:

Not really. They beat a top-flight Kentucky squad on the road, also. For whatever reason, conference road games have been a bugaboo much more than road games overall.

If you can hold on to a top-8 NCAA seed (RPI is exactly 8), the team will play at least two NCAA Tournament games at home against non-Big Ten squads, which has been the sweet spot this fall, and the team has no. 1 non-conference RPI in the nation.

Can't wait to get out of conference play and try their luck against other opponents at home, where the team has been best. As I said, offense could take the team to a College Cup or the defense could end their season in the first round, and both are equally likely given positioning.

Agree that road win at Kentucky was very good. Notre Dame also on the road but they are slightly worse than they have been historically. I am grateful we are looking at another seeded year and hope we can get several at Bill Armstrong. Just beyond frustrated at the Jekyll and Hyde in conference.