IU Men's Soccer News and Notes

[OliviaPope40]

Does anybody know why for the men's tournament they take the top four? The women's tournament had the top twelve. 

[Brass Cannon]

Fingers crossed this team can channel some 2013 magic 

[Aaron]

On 11/8/2025 at 9:24 AM, Brass Cannon said:

Fingers crossed this team can channel some 2013 magic 

Totally different. In 2013, IU had to win the Big Ten Tournament to make the NCAA Tournament and was the only time finishing below .500 overall since going varsity in 1973. They then lost in the first round on the road and one of only three times they were not seeded in the last couple of decades and only time since 2001 without at least one home game in the postseason. 

This time, they will absolutely be seeded with a top-10 RPI and undefeated in non-conference. The only question is if they can get a top-8 seed and get that second home game for the Sweet 16. The round of 32 is a locked-in home game.

The year you should compare not to 2013 but one year later, in 2014. In 2014, they ran the table in the non-conference and were mid-pack in the Big Ten, but got a very high NCAA seed off the non-conference games, which will happen again. However, don't want to repeat the NCAA results as the Hoosiers were upset by Xavier in the round of 32, and this is the last time they didn't win a postseason game and make at least the Sweet 16.

Could literally see the squad use their scoring to get to the college cup, or the struggling backline and goalie knock them out in the first game. Both outcomes are equally likely for this iteration of the team. 

You may have also meant 2012 when the team struggled down the stretch, but won their last national title by getting hot in the postseason. That team was the final one earning a seed at no. 16. I expect them to be inside the top-10 this time, if not top-8, for that second home game to be guaranteed.

[Aaron]

On 11/8/2025 at 9:03 AM, OliviaPope40 said:

Does anybody know why for the men's tournament they take the top four? The women's tournament had the top twelve. 

11 teams in men vs. all 18 in women. Both exclude about same number of teams for this year. Men was top-eight till now but was condensed down to four for some reason this fall.

[8bucks]

On 11/7/2025 at 10:37 PM, Aaron said:

See everyone for the NCAA Tournament. IU will still host at least one game and maybe two, as they are right on the fringe of the top eight. The Big Ten Tourney has zero to do with NCAA seeding.

In general, though, college soccer is not fun to watch right now. The talent drain and basically no defense across the board feels like watching the FIFA Video game instead of real soccer, with the amount of scoring and easy shots. While I love cheering for IU, watching the sport at the college level is painful.

Either the sport needs to listen to the USA Soccer Federation and work with them to take their recommendations to get the top talent again, or fold up shop. Right now product is unbearable, and this is no fault of Indiana. They get the top talent of those making it to college, but that starts pretty far down the rankings. 

If the talent pool,is thin wouldn’t that help schools like IU and allow a few top schools to separate from the rest?

[Aaron]

1 hour ago, 8bucks said:

If the talent pool,is thin wouldn’t that help schools like IU and allow a few top schools to separate from the rest?

Not really. Especially with all the second-tier international players infiltrating college soccer. It's why random mid-majors have suddenly become elite.

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

34,680

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

 

 

 

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

While we were on the outside looking in, #4 seed UCLA defeated #3 seed Michigan 5-0 to win the B1G Tournament.  

During the regular season we defeated UCLA 4-2 and Michigan beat us 3-2 both matches played in Bloomington. 

[Aaron]

Selection Show 1pm today on NCAA.com

Expect IU to be the 8-10 seed. RPI is ten.

Top seven based on metrics will likely be in some order:

1. Princeton

2. Vermont

3. Virginia

4. SMU

5. San Diego

6. Maryland

7. Georgetown 

These seven have top nine RPI's and metrics in the top 40 with their SOS and OSS and all but Virginia and Maryland won their conference tourney. 

The eight, nine and ten Seeds will almost certainly come down to:

8. Portland, IU, and Bryant

That coveted eight seed and second guaranteed home game will likely come down to Bryant's six RPI but 38 SOS and 83 OSS, vs. Portland's eight RPI but 50 SOS and nine OSS, and IU's 10 RPI but four SOS and 13 OSS. None won their conference tournaments. 

Objectively, if I had to predict Portland's metrics are the most balanced but its close so I would go:  

8. Portland 

9. IU 

10. Bryant (Note they could fall a couple spots lower even but only other team who has case for top eight)

Note they may flip Portland and Georgetown for geography with Georgetown having RPI one spot higher. 

Rest of top 16 will likely be based on metrics:

11. Akron

12. UConn

13. Stanford

14. Seton Hall

15. NC State

16. Marshall

Furman and High Point despite being Top 16 in RPI will likely be bumped and replaced at 17 and 18 by Seton Hall and Marshall due to much better metrics.

We will see soon if I am right:

https://rpiupdatemenssoccer.blogspot.com/

[Hoosierfan1901]

#6 seed!

we will play winner of SLU/UK

[Aaron]

I was pretty close on my predictions but not perfect. Great draw and first game will be a rematch with a team IU has already beaten. When I saw San Diego announced at the nine seed early, I was fairly confident Hoosiers would get that Top-8 as I knew Bryant was falling beyond 10 with their poor metrics despite elite RPI.

With tournament regionalized and them announcing UK and SLU above IU first as the feed in game, I was very confident that IU was being put at 6 before the official announcement. 

Also, having mid-majors powers all the way through or a home game in Elite Eight is ideal. That first game with rematch is almost certainly toughest game of the tourney until College Cup if IU makes it.

Taking on the aforementioned paper tiger Bryant in Sweet 16 is ideal if they make it that far but could be upset by Seton Hall who is probably a better and more tested squad (doubt Sienna is good enough to go anywhere if they beat Seton Hall).

Elite Eight in worst case scenario a trip to a mid-major power in Princeton (who is a legit mid-major unlike Bryant but still rather play them then an ACC, Sunbelt, Big East or Big Ten squad again which are the power conferences in soccer). However, an upset by Akron which is possible, or one of the unseeded squads (Duke, Notre Dame, FDU Duke) allows Hoosiers to host if they make it that far as Tigers draw is brutal compared to IU.   

One thing to note is if IU gets this far and gets to host the Elite Eight, fitting a game in between volleyball's likely NCAA hosting, and IU's games against Ohio State and Louisville in football and basketball on that Friday or Saturday will be quite the juggling act for Indiana but one no one would complain. 

While anything can happen, this is first time since 2022 when they lost in national title game where I can easily see a path to College Cup without anything crazy happening. Having that guaranteed second home game with victory for the first time since 2019 is also huge.

As I have said, I could see offense winning IU a title or the lack of goalie or defensive play causing a loss to UK or SLU which I will continue to believe is toughest game until the College Cup given the familiarity and draw.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

 As for how it was seeded compared to what I thought I was close but not perfect with Top 16 (parenthesis is actual seed):

1. Princeton (3)

2. Vermont (1)

3. Virginia (2)

4. SMU (5)

5. San Diego (9)

6. Maryland (4)

7. Georgetown (7)

8. Portland (8)

9. IU (6)

10. Bryant (11)

11. Akron (14)

12. UConn (13)

13. Stanford (12)

14. Seton Hall (No Seed, Highpoint was 10)

15. NC State (15)

16. Marshall (No Seed, Furman)

They used Top 16 to a tee for seeds which is rare and was wrong about the bumping of Highpoint and Furman out which were the big misses by me. Biggest other miss was over seeding San Diego by four spots. Thought their metrics were excellent and they won their conference tourney so surprised they fell.  

Everything else is within a couple of seed lines or so and pretty much what I thought.

[Hoosierfan1901]

Starting to look like will be playing UK again, up 1-0 and had a goal called back 

[Hoosierfan1901]

1-0 UK over SLU at the half

[Hoosierfan1901]

Looks like a mud bowl at SLU

[Hoosierfan1901]

Notre Dame also shut out Michigan 1-0 at Ann Arbor

[Hoosierfan1901]

1-0 UK over SLU 67’

[Brass Cannon]

28 minutes ago, Hoosierfan1901 said:

1-0 UK over SLU 67’

Tie game in the 85th minute

[Hoosierfan1901]

3 minutes ago, Brass Cannon said:

Tie game in the 85th minute

Was about to post it

[Hoosierfan1901]

Free soccer for UK and SLU!