2025 IUFB Season

[Pagoda 6,897]

On 12/9/2025 at 10:16 AM, Pagoda said:

IU media/reporters are not allowed to talk about injuries unless IU announces something.  So, we won't get anything direct from them.  

They won't get to ask Cig until the next presser, which is December 22nd.

Two things:

1) Cig had a presser today, so I was wrong about the above date being the next one.  I was looking at what some IU media said was the next presser, but whatever, it wasn't right.  Sorry about dat.

2) Unfortunately, Cig just confirmed in his press conference this afternoon that Stephen Daley did suffer an injury following Saturdays game and he will be out for the rest of the season.

Anyways, I think we all saw this coming so now we can begin to accept it.  Hopefully Stephen makes a full recovery asap.

[Hoosier987 2,967]

Cig confirmed that Daley likely out for CFP. Hope he makes a speedy recovery. Enjoyed watching him play. Ndukwe will now get his opportunity. 

[IU5355 1,156]

Ndukwe made the massive hit during the wisconsin game. Definitely some potential there. 

[Magnanimous 5,616]

[RoadRage 3,683]

5 hours ago, Hoosier987 said:

Cig confirmed that Daley likely out for CFP. Hope he makes a speedy recovery. Enjoyed watching him play. Ndukwe will now get his opportunity. 

Time for Kamara to turn it up a notch, needs to play the best three games of his career!

[Brass Cannon 26,878]

I was already hoping to see Texas Tech and Georgia. A & M would be too much to ask. 
 

After this injury definitely don’t want to face a team we have already seen before 

[Bigred3588 1,561]

3 hours ago, Brass Cannon said:

I was already hoping to see Texas Tech and Georgia. A & M would be too much to ask. 
 

After this injury definitely don’t want to face a team we have already seen before 

My hope for a natty tanked when I saw the bracket. I’ve always felt it’s very difficult to beat the same team twice in a season, especially with college football. There’s a very real chance we’d have to do it twice in back-to-back games.

What really irritates me is that I don’t think it’s an accident. After what I’ve seen the past two years, I’m convinced the powers that be do NOT want to see IU win it all.

[Brass Cannon 26,878]

39 minutes ago, Bigred3588 said:

My hope for a natty tanked when I saw the bracket. I’ve always felt it’s very difficult to beat the same team twice in a season, especially with college football. There’s a very real chance we’d have to do it twice in back-to-back games.

What really irritates me is that I don’t think it’s an accident. After what I’ve seen the past two years, I’m convinced the powers that be do NOT want to see IU win it all.

What do you mean. Oregon was always going to be the 5th seed. They were always going to be on the same side of the bracket at the #1 seed.  
 

Only way we could have avoided Oregon was if we lost to OSU.  Then we could have avoided a rematch till the Finals. 
 

No great conspiracy and they were never going to drop OSU to 4 to potentially eliminate Oregon. 
 

Just gotta hope that Texas Tech and Georgia help us out.  I think odds are good one of them will lose 

[Bigred3588 1,561]

2 hours ago, Brass Cannon said:

What do you mean. Oregon was always going to be the 5th seed. They were always going to be on the same side of the bracket at the #1 seed.  
 

Only way we could have avoided Oregon was if we lost to OSU.  Then we could have avoided a rematch till the Finals. 
 

No great conspiracy and they were never going to drop OSU to 4 to potentially eliminate Oregon. 
 

Just gotta hope that Texas Tech and Georgia help us out.  I think odds are good one of them will lose 

I don’t take anything as a given with the way the committee determines the rankings. Just look at the situation with ND. I dislike ND to the point where I used to rip down ND flags when I’d see them hanging on houses around the IUB campus. That being said, there’s absolutely no justification for Bama getting in over them. 

The fact is that the first couple of spots are generally clear cut. Everything after that is at the committees discretion. Oregon didn’t make the conference championship, so there’s no reason to believe they couldn’t have dropped. The Bama decision proved the committee is going to do what they want when it comes to the “tier 2” teams. 

You’re welcome to disagree, but the only reason IU has the 1 seed is because there’s no argument against it. They’re the only undefeated team. I don’t believe for a second that we would’ve retained the 2 seed if we’d lost to OSU. At the very least, Georgia would’ve jumped us and probably A&M as well.

College football is big money, and we aren’t a brand in that arena. Last year is proof of that. They didn’t want us in the playoff after OSU and they used the ND loss to further their argument. We were written off as the team who shouldn’t have been there and they said “who’s this year’s Indiana?” They didn’t want us to win then and they don’t want us to win now. What’s the best way to do that with the teams chosen for the top 12? Put us in a situation where we’d potentially play two opponents who’ve been studying our film all year.

 

 

[Brass Cannon 26,878]

4 hours ago, Bigred3588 said:

I don’t take anything as a given with the way the committee determines the rankings. Just look at the situation with ND. I dislike ND to the point where I used to rip down ND flags when I’d see them hanging on houses around the IUB campus. That being said, there’s absolutely no justification for Bama getting in over them. 

The fact is that the first couple of spots are generally clear cut. Everything after that is at the committees discretion. Oregon didn’t make the conference championship, so there’s no reason to believe they couldn’t have dropped. The Bama decision proved the committee is going to do what they want when it comes to the “tier 2” teams. 

You’re welcome to disagree, but the only reason IU has the 1 seed is because there’s no argument against it. They’re the only undefeated team. I don’t believe for a second that we would’ve retained the 2 seed if we’d lost to OSU. At the very least, Georgia would’ve jumped us and probably A&M as well.

College football is big money, and we aren’t a brand in that arena. Last year is proof of that. They didn’t want us in the playoff after OSU and they used the ND loss to further their argument. We were written off as the team who shouldn’t have been there and they said “who’s this year’s Indiana?” They didn’t want us to win then and they don’t want us to win now. What’s the best way to do that with the teams chosen for the top 12? Put us in a situation where we’d potentially play two opponents who’ve been studying our film all year.

 

 

So I meant Oregon was always going to have the 5th seed in the sense after the games were played.  
 

Much like IU being the 1 seed there was no argument to make Oregon less than the 5th seed.  My point still stands there’s no great conspiracy putting them on same side of the bracket at us 

[Hoosierfan2017 25,498]

4 hours ago, Bigred3588 said:

I don’t take anything as a given with the way the committee determines the rankings. Just look at the situation with ND. I dislike ND to the point where I used to rip down ND flags when I’d see them hanging on houses around the IUB campus. That being said, there’s absolutely no justification for Bama getting in over them. 

 

How not? Alabama and ND both finished the regular season 10-2. Alabama’s road win at Georgia was far more impressive than anything ND did this year. Also had wins against Vanderbilt, Missouri, and Tennessee. There’s a counter argument in favor of ND (I.e., they didn’t lose to anyone nearly as bad as FSU), but to say there’s “absolutely no justification” for Alabama over ND is a huge exaggeration. 

[Pagoda 6,897]

I don't really follow these arguments the CFP committee doesn't want IU in or tries to position us to lose.

- We don't know where we would have dropped if we lost the BTCG.  But the committee was not penalizing teams who made the conference title games.  Maybe UGA would have jumped us, but that's it.  No way TTU or TAMU or Oregon would have.

- Last year didn't prove anything.  We were always in position to be the playoff in after the OSU loss -- they only dropped us to #10, which was clearly in the field.  End of story.

- If we want to win it all, it's very likely we have to beat OSU again.  I don't see how that's a conspiracy to meet them in the final.  Nor is perhaps playing Oregon again if they beat TTU, any semi-final game is going to be tough.  OSU could claim they were screwed because they may have to go to TAMU's backyard for the Cotton and then get a very good Georgia in the semis.  No path is easy.

The handwringing that the CFP is against IU is overblown.  Yes, we could face some discrimination on the margins vs big programs, but at this point I don't worry about it at all.  Here's why:

- We're in the B1G, one of the two conferences who controls the playoff.  This makes us a priority ahead of everyone not in the B1G and SEC.

- We are now significantly contributing to the B1G conference.  The conference values football, specifically how a program creates interest and attention that brings larger media deals.  IUFB is now doing that.  We're a serious program that draws legit TV ratings and attendance.  The BTCG was the highest rated ever and the get-in price was $600+.  We're likely going to deliver a Heisman to the conference.  Even if future years aren't this good, which of course is fairly likely, we're still compelling and interesting and therefore valuable to the conference. 

Our program has changed and we just aren't a screw over candidate anymore.  This is a big reason why getting decent at football was so important.  And again, we aren't gonna be OSU or UM or the mega moneymakers with tons of influence, but we are a legit contributor and now we have a voice in the conference.  And that is probably a very good thing for the new TV deal in 2030, which could have uneven revenue distribution, or when the conference grant of rights is up for negotiation again in for 2036.

[iu2win 254]

This entire season I've been at the mercy of the longsuffering IU Football fan PTSD;  fearing the Hawkeyes were going to grind out the W.  Then, Autzen stadium and their 18-game home winning streak; until Daley tipped the pass and IU came away with the pick (still, thought it was possible to piss it away).  Do I even need to mention the game at Penn St.?  Lastly, going into the B1G Championship I was all set to be satisfied with IU keeping the score close.  I'm CURED !!!  Coach Cig, this IU team, and THAT GAME have convinced me the IU football program has turned a corner that I would otherwise have thought impossible. I'm adopting the mindset of the Hoosiers; bring on the best!!! These Hoosiers are the undefeated Big Ten Champions and anything that happens from this point forward is icing on that championship cake.  I plan to enjoy every IU game moving forward minus any thoughts of "what if"; instead, it's now "what, when" because I'm thinking, "What will be my drink of choice When I celebrate" IU winning The National Championship.

[Lebowski 4,370]

@iu2win glad you hopped on buddy. Sounds like it took you a little awhile but ultimately, Coach Cig was able to change the way you think. 

[JSHoosier 22,402]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vl0ttkDlU7w&pp=ugUHEgVlbi1VUw%3D%3D

[Bigred3588 1,561]

13 hours ago, Hoosierfan2017 said:

How not? Alabama and ND both finished the regular season 10-2. Alabama’s road win at Georgia was far more impressive than anything ND did this year. Also had wins against Vanderbilt, Missouri, and Tennessee. There’s a counter argument in favor of ND (I.e., they didn’t lose to anyone nearly as bad as FSU), but to say there’s “absolutely no justification” for Alabama over ND is a huge exaggeration. 

Alabama hasn’t looked particularly good the last few games and just got steamrolled in the conference championship game. ND has been rolling. I know they say the conference champ games aren’t a factor, but that’s obviously BS because OSU would still be the 1 seed if it were true. 

I 100% believe ND is being punished for not playing in a conference champ game and I’d put a good deal of money on ND to beat Bama if they played each other on Saturday.

[Brass Cannon 26,878]

1 minute ago, Bigred3588 said:

Alabama hasn’t looked particularly good the last few games and just got steamrolled in the conference championship game. ND has been rolling. I know they say the conference champ games aren’t a factor, but that’s obviously BS because OSU would still be the 1 seed if it were true. 

I 100% believe ND is being punished for not playing in a conference champ game and I’d put a good deal of money on ND to beat Bama if they played each other on Saturday.

Notre Dame fell victim to the same thing we faced last year.  They didn’t beat anybody good.  Had we gone 10-2 last year we likely would have been left out. 
 

You have got to have a quality win preferably on the road.  If you want to be taken seriously.  Beating a flawed USC team at home is simply not a marquee win 

[Brass Cannon 26,878]

Just saw a buckeye fan point out something. That if we go 16-0. We would own the last undefeated season in football and basketball.  And quite possibly be the only school who could have ever claimed that 

[Magnanimous 5,616]

10 hours ago, Bigred3588 said:

Alabama hasn’t looked particularly good the last few games and just got steamrolled in the conference championship game. ND has been rolling. I know they say the conference champ games aren’t a factor, but that’s obviously BS because OSU would still be the 1 seed if it were true. 

I 100% believe ND is being punished for not playing in a conference champ game and I’d put a good deal of money on ND to beat Bama if they played each other on Saturday.

The problem is that they never should’ve been ranked ahead of Miami to begin win.

Miami, Alabama and Notre Dame were all 10-2 in the regular season. Miami beat Notre Dame, so that settles that comparison. Bama’s 10-2 resume was much better than Notre Dame’s, which included a win @Georgia. Bama tied for first in the SEC. Losing the SEC championship game logically makes them second in the SEC. Second place in the SEC, absent a flukey OOC record like Duke had this year, will always make the CFP. Unlike BYU, which needed the Big 12 championship to make the playoff, the SEC championship was a formality this year that Bama didn’t need to win. Bama’s win @Georgia is more impressive than Georgia’s win over Bama on a neutral field.

Bama could’ve played (much) better, and Miami should be ranked ahead of them, but Notre Dame winning 10 straight against marginal competition doesn’t jump 10-2(10-3) Alabama.

[Bigred3588 1,561]

4 hours ago, Magnanimous said:

The problem is that they never should’ve been ranked ahead of Miami to begin win.

Miami, Alabama and Notre Dame were all 10-2 in the regular season. Miami beat Notre Dame, so that settles that comparison. Bama’s 10-2 resume was much better than Notre Dame’s, which included a win @Georgia. Bama tied for first in the SEC. Losing the SEC championship game logically makes them second in the SEC. Second place in the SEC, absent a flukey OOC record like Duke had this year, will always make the CFP. Unlike BYU, which needed the Big 12 championship to make the playoff, the SEC championship was a formality this that Bama didn’t need to win. Bama’s win @Georgia is more impressive than Georgia’s win over Bama on a neutral field.

Bama could’ve played (much) better, and Miami should be ranked ahead of them, but Notre Dame winning 10 straight against marginal competition doesn’t jump 10-2(10-3) Alabama.

Annnnd we’re back to ignoring the conference championship game. I don’t care what they did in week 3. They got absolutely dog walked by the same team in week 13. And they looked like garbage against SC, Auburn, and LSU in the games leading up to that. Hell, if it weren’t for the officials in the SC game, they’d be a 4 loss team. 

ND, on the other hand, appeared to be peaking. Their two losses were for a combined 4 points against two CFP teams. Like I said before, I wouldn’t hesitate to put my $ on ND if those two teams played Saturday. Matter of fact, I’d probably take them by 14. And I don’t even like ND.