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This was the game where Indiana was going to prove to the world that it was worthy enough to be a College football Playoff team. A chance against Ohio State to silence the doubters turned into a missed opportunity for the Hoosiers, as the Buckeyes rolled 38-15 in Columbus. 

The buildup to this game centered around whether Curt Cignetti’s squad was as good as their record indicated, with the Buckeyes already being tested this season. Sure, the Hoosiers offense hadn’t missed a beat this season, but the argument centered around who they actually had played to this point that presented a true challenge. 

The fact is that Indiana’s biggest win this season came against Washington, the only team with a winning record heading into Saturday. So, while we heard all the hoopla this week about how our attention should be on Penn State’s strength of schedule, this was obviously not going to be the case if the Hoosiers sustained a big loss in Columbus. 

I came into this matchup thinking that the Hoosiers needed to either win, or lose by only 10 or so points. Keep this thing close for all four quarters, and walk away with an argument that they were still worthy. 

Losing 28-7 at the end of the third quarter was not going to help the argument of Indiana fans lobbying for a spot in the college football playoff. The fact is that Ohio State was just the better football team, and proved it on both sides of the ball, along with special teams. 

Indiana had 89 total yards of offense through three quarters, which is obviously not very impressive against this Buckeyes defense. Quarterback Kurtis Rourke looked pedestrian with 50-yards passing through three quarters, and it felt as though the Hoosiers were just playing a team outside of their league. 

Sorry Indiana, But You Don’t Deserve The CFP Top-12 Spot Right Now

Even though I loved the Hoosiers story this season, Saturday was a measuring stick game that they obviously failed. Other fan bases across the country were wondering how battle-tested this Indiana team actually was. 

At the end of the day, the playoff committee was hopefully watching the entire football game, and not just relying on some highlight tape that was put together for them as they prepared to vote over the next few days. 

If they were watching the entire game, they would’ve notice that the Indiana offense looked like a unit that was over-matched from mid-way through the first quarter. Also, they would notice that Indiana’s defense struggled to stop Ohio State on third down, giving up a number of key possessions in the process.

I know that there are going to be folks that think Indiana is worthy of playing in the 12-team playoffs, and I respect their opinion. But what did you see on Saturday against Ohio State that made you think Indiana could go up against some of these other teams ranked in the previous CFB Top-12? 

COLUMBUS, OHIO – NOVEMBER 23: Ke’Shawn Williams #5 of the Indiana Hoosiers runs with the ball while being tackled by Sonny Styles #6 of the Ohio State Buckeyes in the second quarter at Ohio Stadium on November 23, 2024 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Mowry/Getty Images)

The problem is that the question is hard to answer, because we all witnessed the Hoosiers look as though they crumbled under the pressure against the Buckeyes. This was certainly the biggest game in Indiana football history, and they not only loss, but were embarrassed on the biggest stage possible. 

Honestly, I’m curious as to what kind of argument Indiana fans can make about being included in the playoffs, if other teams behind them don’t lose. Sure, they will not drop far enough that will keep them out of the conversation, but if you had to compare resumes with other teams just on the outside looking in, I think a 2-loss SEC team had the better argument.

Obviously, Ohio State is sitting pretty right now, with a game against Michigan coming next weekend. 

Today is Columbus, the Buckeyes humbled Indiana, which now forces the Hoosiers fan base to start worrying about their spot in the postseason. 

If there was anything learned today at Ohio State, it’s that strength of schedule might actually be a pretty good indicator of how a team should be ranked.