INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana football team continued to climb up the College Football Playoff rankings on Tuesday evening. The College Football Playoff committee ranked Indiana fifth in its second poll of the year.
This year marks the first time the College Football Playoff will feature 12 teams. And though the Hoosiers are ranked No. 5 this week, they would be seeded seventh in the 12-team bracket if the season ended today.
The 12-team format gives the four top-ranked conference champions byes in the first round of the playoff. No. 2 Ohio State, No. 4 Penn State and No. 1 Oregon are all ahead of Indiana in the rankings.
For that reason, Indiana is expected to be seeded outside the top four because they are not projected to win the Big Ten Conference. If the Hoosiers do not win the Big Ten, teams ranked lower than them by the College Football Playoff Committee can earn higher seeds in the playoff bracket. For example, the ninth-ranked Miami Hurricanes would be seeded ahead of No. 5 IU if they win the ACC this year.
With No. 6 BYU and No. 9 Miami expected to be seeded inside the top four as projected conference champions, fifth-ranked and seventh-seeded IU would face 10th-seeded Alabama if the season ended today.
Coach Curt Cignetti’s group defeated reigning national champion Michigan, 20-15, in Bloomington on Saturday. The victory was the Hoosiers’ 10th of the season. This year marks the first time IU has won 10 games in a single season.
Senior quarterback Kurtis Rourke threw for two touchdowns in the Hoosiers’ win over the Wolverines. Indiana’s defense held Michigan to just 69 rushing yards.
IU’s next game is on the road at Ohio State on Nov. 23. You can watch the Hoosiers take on the Buckeyes next Saturday at noon on FOX59.
