Indiana is 6-0. It's Time to Talk about Big Ten Title Game and CFP Scenarios. [335]

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
What's up IU fans. Your Hoosiers are six to zero.
They're Bowl eligible. They win at home, they win on
the road. They make it look generally easy. It's a
little bump against Maryland here and there, a little bump
a bit against Northwestern here and there, but Indiana's flying

(00:28):
up the ap top twenty five. And look, we gotta
buye week, all right, Matt and I look ahead to
Nebraska before the game happens next week, Matt and I
are gonna We're gonna talk a little bit about Big
Ten championship game. We're gonna be talking a little bit
about college football playoffs. We're gonna be talking a little

(00:48):
bit about scenarios, what Indiana's looking for, what Indiana wants
to avoid, how realistic is any of this. We're gonna
be diving into what we've loved about this team so far,
and what to look forward to the rest of the year,
and so much more here on episode three three five
of The Hoosier Sound, where we are the official podcast
of Indiana HQ. We're recording this edition of The Hoosier

(01:11):
Sound on Wednesday, October ninth, twenty twenty four. Where I
am your host, Nathan Christian here with me is my
normal co host Matt Lukens. Matt, you're going through some technical,
you know things on your end. I'm a little bit
under the weather and life is crazy. But you know,
Kurt Signety would want us to keep pushing, keep fighting,

(01:34):
keep bringing our best effort to the table, even if
there's a little bit of adversity. That's what we're doing here.
What impressed you the most about Indiana's last couple of wins.
Of course, the Northwestern won freshest in our minds, knocking
off the Wildcats with a big push at the end
of the game. What have you seen as far as
growth from this team over the last couple of weeks.

Speaker 2 (01:55):
Through the first four games, I you steamrolled everybody. It
was not close outside of like for five seconds in
the FAU game to start the year. The games really
have noth been close. Like the UCLA game we jumped
out to a fourteen nothing start. I mean we've beat
Western Illinois by seventy something points. That game was also

(02:15):
just never closed. And then forgetting what the other game
was Surelotte Charlotte Charlotte also just was not was never uncomfortable.
We actually had some uncomfory games. On the last two games,
particularly the Northwestern game, I think was more uncomfy than

(02:36):
the Maryland game was for me because we were on
the road, right in a in a soccer stadium, playing.

Speaker 3 (02:43):
On the banks of the good old right Legs there Wow,
which was honestly like, it looked fun like on TV
they kept showing the shots of the whole stadium from
from the lake shore. It was.

Speaker 2 (03:00):
It looked like a pretty sweet environment to be to
be at for a football game.

Speaker 4 (03:04):
But I will say what stuck out.

Speaker 2 (03:07):
For me though, is in both games we were tied
and we haven't been I haven't really faced real adversity
yet because people are some people are gonna hate that
I said that, but we really haven't shown what this
team does when they're trailing.

Speaker 1 (03:21):
Because they've beat the crap out of everyone right Like.

Speaker 2 (03:24):
Also, they're what one of three teams this year that
trailed trailed not once.

Speaker 1 (03:31):
They clinched Bowl eligibility without trailing.

Speaker 4 (03:35):
Yeah, it's so impressive.

Speaker 2 (03:36):
It's unbelievably impressive, really, and that that's that is just
all all down to one of the players obviously, because
they have to go out there it actually execute. But
I think more so for me that you can be
credited to the staffs, you know, ability to manage a game,
game plan for a game and then execute that plan.

(04:00):
I clearly this staff is superior not only to just
all the all six steffs of the teams that we played,
but like superior to a majority of the other staffs
in all of college football. I mean, you looked around
this weekend, this past weekend, India took care of business.
You go and look at Alabama did not take care
of business. You go look at Tennessee did not take

(04:22):
care of business. You go and look up into usc
did not take care. But you look up and down
the top twenty five from last week and it was
just a absolute Michigan did not take care of the
absolute bloodbad.

Speaker 1 (04:38):
By the way, by the way, sorry if this offend
some people. Penn State struggled with a team that Indiana
absolutely blitz the doors off of Penn State. Yeah, halftime
was what fourteen to three against UCLA, and then they
sort of come, you know, cleared it to the finish

(04:58):
line twenty seven to eleven one by sixteen. Last time,
I recall, Indiana absolutely dominated Ucla on the road, just
saying just saying.

Speaker 2 (05:08):
Yeah, we were beating them by more than sixteen about
midway through the second quarter of Yeah.

Speaker 4 (05:15):
So and that was not at home either.

Speaker 2 (05:19):
So yeah, And Indiana continues to be the only Big
Ten team that has done the three hour fine different
road trip either way and one again away from home.
I believe Indiana is the only team to do that.
USC is like I think oh and two. I think
Michigan is oh and one. Everybody that UCLA obviously went

(05:43):
to Penn State lost. There's not a single team that
has made the road trip. Washington went to Rutgers and lost.
There's not a single team that's made that road trip
that those couple of time zones over and one, except
for our Indiana Hoosiers. And I will get to when
we talk about my Big Ten picks of the Week,
I will I will talk about that. I actually think
it's a bigger deal than people are are are because

(06:07):
they're not talking about it. I think it's a huge deal,
and it's a bigger dealers actually think.

Speaker 1 (06:11):
They don't like to talk about They don't like to
talk about that. They don't like to talk about the
fact that every single opponent Indiana has faced Big Ten
opponent is coming off of bye except for Maryland, who
played Villanova the week before they played Indiana. Like, no
one wants to talk about any of that because you
know that doesn't help the narrative.

Speaker 2 (06:28):
Yeah, and it also doesn't help the narrative that I
think Northwestern is better than what people actually think they are.
I've seen power rankings to the Big Ten. Everybody has
them second to last, in front of Purdue, which I
hope they would be in front of Purdue given how
bad Purdue is by the way we last.

Speaker 4 (06:46):
They're so bad.

Speaker 2 (06:47):
But I think Northwestern actually is better than a lot
of teams ahead of them. I think Northwestern is probably
better than Michigan State. I haven't seen anything from Michigan
State to actually, you know, Beasts even somewhat impressed with them.
I think they're better than Minnesota. I think they're better
than a couple of Wisconsin. I think they're better than

(07:08):
a couple of these Big Ten teams. And I think
if you look at anurth QUESTIONN schedule, they're going to
knock off a team or maybe even two down the
stretch here where people are going to like stretch their
heads and be like where did this team come from
And I just want to be the person to say,
I'm saying that it's coming from here.

Speaker 4 (07:25):
This Northwestern team is not bad. They have an annoying QB.

Speaker 2 (07:28):
They have an annoyingly decent running game even though they
only got nine yards on Indiana, and their defense is legit,
like that team isparticually on a windy, yucky day in
like November on the lake there and it's cold as
balls outside and somebody comes into that stadium thinking that

(07:50):
they can run the place and they are going going
to be in a fight for their life. Okay, So this,
this win is going to look better for Indiana as
it goes on. And I've seen people just disgusting. I've
seen people online talking about how we struggled with them.
Did we not win by more than three scores? Did
we not win by seventeen points?

Speaker 1 (08:11):
Indiana's win probability never dropped below sixty five percent throughout
that game. Indiana was in firm control the whole game.
Never mind like Alabama Vanderbilt, where Alabama lost to Vanderbilt,
but or Tennessee lost to Arkansas, or Notre Dame lost
to Northern Illinois. Indiana was got absolutely curbed. Yeah, just

(08:34):
blasted Indiana had I if you look, if you deep
dive into the win probability charts, Indian had at least
a sixty five percent chance of winning that game throughout,
even when they were up by three in the fourth
quarter because of how much they were crushing Northwestern. Statistically,
Northwestern had one or two fluky plays in there that
helped their cause. And the same way you feel about Northwestern,

(08:57):
I feel about Maryland. And I'm sitting here and I'm like,
this is a Maryland passing attack that I think is
going to cause some problems for opponents in the weeks
to come. They're gonna Maryland as we look down the road,
is gonna host USC, They're gonna go to Oregon, They're
gonna go to Penn State. I think there are gonna
be some tricky score lines for those opponents against the
terms as we move ahead the rest of the year.

(09:20):
But again, that doesn't help those detractors of Indiana who
want to point out, oh, I use got a week schedule,
I use got weak brand recognition. Indiana is not gonna Indiana.
You know, the clock's gonna strike midnight and turn into
a pumpkin for this Indiana team. The fact is they
are one of the best teams in the country at
almost everything.

Speaker 2 (09:40):
I understand because that's not because we haven't played anybody,
it's because we execute.

Speaker 4 (09:45):
There are teams look.

Speaker 2 (09:46):
At a lot of state schedule like they haven't played
anybody either, and yeah, they've looked good, but our statistics
are even better than their.

Speaker 1 (09:54):
And again, I think Ohio State's really good because of
how they've played. I think Texas is X because of
how they've played. And I just think Indiana's in the
same class as those teams instead of two tiers behind
at number eighteen in the country. But because Indiana came
off a three and nine season and their preseason baseline

(10:14):
was number eighty in the country or whatever, they've got
a lot more work to do. And so that's just
that's just how things have to be. But what that
tells me is that, as Kurt Signety would like to say,
there are no self imposed limitations with this football program.
If you're a fan, if you're even a even a

(10:36):
casual who roots for Indiana and whatever, and you're starting
to catch on to this football team, do not put
your own caveats on what this team is capable of doing.
Do not hold yourself back. This is what SEC programs
do when their team start seasons four and oh five
and oh six and oh seven. You know, like, guys,

(10:59):
I don't know if you've ever encountered Tennessee fans. I
don't know if you've ever encountered Arkansas fans or Ole
Miss fans, but like you don't want to when. But
what's great about their fan bases are when they're great,
when their teams are doing well, they go to bat
for their programs as if you know, without any hesitation.

(11:20):
And this Indiana team deserves that kind of passion really
fueling them. That's why Kurt Signetti was gaining so much
attention preseason with his language. That's what his motivation was,
because he needed to get Indiana on the map before
Indiana even played a game, and he understood that this

(11:42):
is a team that was that should have been preseason
top twenty five because James Madison was in the AP
Top twenty five at the end of the year last year.
And I you upgraded, They upgraded at quarterback, they upgraded
at offensive line. Right, you took a top James Madison
team and added Carter Smith and Mike Kaddick and Bray

(12:05):
Lynch and Bob bos daed to that team. Yeah, So
Kurtzignetti is out there saying, guys, if I start talking
in November, it's gonna be too late. That's why he
took the mic at assembly all. That's why he was
so outspoken in at media days and during fall camp,

(12:27):
because he knows that in college football it's subjective, it's arbitrary.
The narratives control who gets into the CFP, and that's
how you really raise and garner attention for your program
because then when the games begin, Indiana goes out there
and they throttle folks, and they're throttling teams like we've

(12:50):
seen so far. And if you ask me, and I
think about the growth that this team has made, like
Curtis Work is where it starts. Curtis Worked has been
absolutely sensational. He, if you ask me, is the best
passer in college football. Now ham Word does dual threat stuff.

(13:10):
You know you got other you know, Ashton Gent is
amazing as far as running back is concerned. Oh, he's
if he wins. I have no you know, no complaints
reservations against it. Travis Hunter is unbelievable as a two
way player. If he wins, I don't have I'm not
going to dispute that. But from what I'm seeing, you
know someone who can hit receivers at all three levels

(13:34):
of the field short, medium, deep. I absolutely love where
Curtis Rourke has brought to the table. He's so clinical,
he's so experienced. Third downs don't face him. He's getting better.
Is we talk about growth. I think he's doing better
at avoiding sacks in the pocket, evading pressure, buying some
extra time to either scramble or hit receivers down the field.

(13:55):
I mean, nowadays we look at a three hundred yard
performance by Curtis Rourke and we're just like, all right,
you know cool, you know it is what it is
onto the next one. Two time Big Ten Offensive Player
of the Week. Of course, he shared the order to
make a Buka this past week and that game on
Saturday was very, very tough to throw the ball. I've
heard it from folks who were at the game. Our

(14:16):
good friend Rob was at the game. I've heard I've
heard it from people who just you know, observe things.
Twenty twenty five miles an hour, as far as Winds
are concerned it was not easy to throw the football,
and he goes out there and puts up three point
fifty and it's just as I look ahead met Personally,

(14:38):
I feel like Indiana has the quarterback advantage in every
game they play against a Big Ten opponent. Is that
crazy to say? Because I once you get to the CFP,
you know, we'll talk about that later. But Curtis work,
to me, gives Indiana a quarterback advantage every single week,
even if it's against Ohio State, even if against if
it's against Nebraska or Washington or whoever we play in

(15:01):
the Big Ten championship game, if Indiana gainst there, is
that crazy to say.

Speaker 2 (15:05):
No, I think he's better than Will Howard. Will Howard's
like he's like a game manager of like a little
bit of steroids. Like he's he's not a guy that's
gonna lose you a football game necessarily, even though he does.

Speaker 4 (15:21):
He just throws some bonehead and passes with Howard.

Speaker 2 (15:23):
I mean watching Bill Howard throws one pass every single
game where I.

Speaker 4 (15:27):
Just shake my head and go, do you know how
to play quarterback?

Speaker 2 (15:33):
And Curtis Rourke, obviously against Maryland, he kind of did
that twice, but the other five games have.

Speaker 4 (15:40):
Been damn near perfect. So I'm gonna give the benefit
of the doubt on that one.

Speaker 2 (15:45):
Yeah, we don't play Uh, we don't play Oregon, so
you and and I think Dylan Gabriel is worse than him,
and we don't play Fenn State. I think Drowler is
probably the only q B I think that right now
is better than Curtis Rourke. I think I think Drew
Aller had Curtis Rourke's weapons, if he had his receivers
and offense that he was running, he looked just as

(16:08):
good as Rourke does.

Speaker 4 (16:09):
It's not better.

Speaker 2 (16:10):
I think he's like ours that level of talent, But.

Speaker 4 (16:16):
We don't have to worry about that.

Speaker 2 (16:17):
Because Rourke's our guy and he's rocketed I you know,
speaking of of of you know, potential.

Speaker 4 (16:25):
Talents and all that kind of stuff.

Speaker 2 (16:26):
I don't I haven't seen Roke anywhere in any of
these NFL mock drafts, and it's kissing me off.

Speaker 4 (16:33):
Uh, he's an NFL guy.

Speaker 2 (16:35):
I mean, you just have to show them the one
clip of that, the Keshawn Williams touchdown catch like that.
That's all you really need to show them. That was
a Mike Pennix level throw from last year like that,
That's that's what Mike was doing last year at Washington
and we saw obviously obviously do it for a couple

(16:56):
of years from foo years. But that's what Mike was
doing last year. Brothers for Washington and people were like,
this guy could go number one, and we're all like,
we told you he was really good.

Speaker 1 (17:06):
Yeah, Instead, it's going to be you know, insaid, someone's
gonna take you know, Carson Beck and they're gonna agree it.
That's what's gonna happen. That's gonna.

Speaker 4 (17:14):
Beck is a fraud person.

Speaker 1 (17:15):
That's gonna happen.

Speaker 2 (17:17):
That that but inspire the Georgia football program into the
goddamn sun.

Speaker 4 (17:23):
I'm sorry, I just cursed a little bit. I don't care.

Speaker 2 (17:28):
I mean, they just have another wide receiver arrested allegedly
for endangering an unborn child? Are trying to assault an
unborn child?

Speaker 1 (17:39):
No?

Speaker 4 (17:40):
Uh, this is not two thousand and seven Florida Gators.
This is worse.

Speaker 1 (17:44):
There's no consequences there. It's the worst. It's the absences.

Speaker 2 (17:48):
No that that program, I mean I did I never
like I grew up a Gators man. So obviously I
have eternal hatred for anything from Athens Georgia, but I
can't imagine being a Georgia fan and finding any sort
of solace in winning football games.

Speaker 4 (18:09):
Knowing you have a bunch of criminals.

Speaker 2 (18:13):
It's a terrible addictsctions bunch of noise, but knowing that
you have a you have a football program that doesn't
uh doesn't account or doesn't account, doesn't it doesn't have
any accountability at all whatsoever. Like I'm sorry, but like
you know, at a certain point, after like what ninety

(18:36):
guys have been arrested for like reckless driving and now
endangering an unborn child.

Speaker 4 (18:46):
Something something has to happen.

Speaker 2 (18:48):
I mean, we had what three four guys arrested on
I used basketball team, and we damn near ran karing
out of town. Kirby should be on the chopping block
for Georgia.

Speaker 4 (19:02):
And I mean, if he loses another.

Speaker 2 (19:04):
Couple of games with this game, which is entirely possible
to give the fact that they do go to Texas
and they also play Ole Miss and they played Tennessee
on their schedule, I mean it does sound a little
bit blasphemous, but there could be a.

Speaker 4 (19:18):
Coach opening in uh captains Georgia.

Speaker 2 (19:21):
Which hopefully they don't look at other teams that were
red in different times because uh, that would be would
be stupid.

Speaker 1 (19:31):
They should they should focus on other colors, you know, other.

Speaker 2 (19:34):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, they should focus on another Yeah.

Speaker 1 (19:38):
More like SEC. I just like look around the SEC.
That's all I asked, you know, just you know, poach
somewhere from Alabama bor to Georgia.

Speaker 4 (19:48):
Different. Yeah, ole Miss fans would lose their mind.

Speaker 5 (19:54):
If he left for Lincoln, right, I'm saying, is Lincoln Riley? No,
No he has I should have even said that. No,
no he has, he has not. No, we're not even
gonna go there. But again, that's another team. And you
talked about them a minute, it like a you know
for a minute earlier. Again you can't, you can't. Indiana
would have gone to Minnesota and won by three touchdowns.

(20:16):
They would have like if that's sorry, if that defense, sorry,
if that defense people, it doesn't man, they could have
played in prime time at the TCF Bank Stadium.

Speaker 1 (20:23):
They would have won my three touchdowns. And if you
don't realize that, you are aren't. Just you gotta know
ball better.

Speaker 4 (20:30):
More Minnesota's defense is really not that good.

Speaker 2 (20:34):
And uh, they have looked like a good team against Michigan,
who is bad and USC bad.

Speaker 4 (20:45):
Minnesota's not good.

Speaker 1 (20:46):
I went there, Iowa went there one by three scores.
But the Indian owner done the same thing. Indiana the
same same thing.

Speaker 4 (20:52):
Indiana is better than Iowa.

Speaker 1 (20:55):
Ye. Anyway, we're gonna talk a little bit about Indiana
in the Big Ten Championship game in the CFP and
what we're or period or exclamation point, We're gonna be
talking about all of those things here in just a second.
What scenarios could potentially play out here? What could you

(21:15):
be rooting for during the bye week? Indiana six and
zero Bowl eligible and we didn't even talk about that.
Maybe we'll touch on in a second, But first it's
time for who on the Week this past week? And
I use sports a lot of candidates to pick from.
How about Kyle Schwarber getting to the getting to the
MLB playoffs with the Phillies. He had a monstrous home

(21:36):
run I believe, to start the series against the Mets,
and then you have khalil Ware just absolutely crushing it.
As far as preseason is concerned, He's gonna thrive with
the Miami Heat. We just we just know that's going
to be an outstanding fit forum. I love seeing Tray Shackson, Davis,
Jalen Hoodshaffino start getting going as far as their preseason

(21:58):
work is concerned. Of towards Jalen Hood Shaffino. You know,
one of the real success stories from Mike Woodson at
Indiana and then he suffered some injury difficulties and bad
luck last year. So I can't wait to see Jalen
Hood Shafino healthy, hopefully playing fifty sixty seventy eighty games
with the Lakers this season and easily cruising past Brownie

(22:22):
James on any kind of depth chart that the Lakers
have out there. So looking forward to seeing Jalen Hood
Shaffino doing big things. Of course, men's soccer, women's soccer, volleyball.
Make sure you head out and you go watch these
teams if you can. If you're on campus, you know,
lots of lots of fun student, lots of lots of
fun sports going on at iye you outside of football

(22:44):
and basketball. So if you're able to and the weather's nice,
go out there. Check out. Their teams are competitive, they're intense.
I think Indiana volleyball is on a home win streak
right now, and they had a very successful weekend. They're
on a bit of a eater and a very very
very tough Big Ten and so you know, men's soccer
trying to you know, getting turn things around a little bit,
to come from behind to went over Kentucky. So let's go,

(23:06):
I mean, let's go Hoosiers. Keep this heat these vibes going, Folks.
A reminder, if you enjoy our show, leave us a review,
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such as yourself. You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube,
at Indiana HQ, or at the Hoosier Sound. Well, Matt,

(23:29):
there's a four way tie really across among the top
of the Big Ten. It feels like Tier one has
kind of separated itself. Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, and
Indiana are the only four teams without a loss in
Big Ten play. And you can say, yeah, Illinois, Michigan, Nebraska,

(23:49):
Washington or sort of next man up, next tier up.
But it really does feel like the top four here
are going to be fighting for the Big Ten title
in the weeks to come. Indiana's got a bye week
this week before hosting Nebraska and Washington, and I went
and did some homework, and the truth of the matter is,
I think the number one seed in the Big Ten

(24:14):
Championship game, in other words, the outright Big Ten regular
season champ I think that team is gonna have a
loss because a lot of teams here have competitive games
coming up. We know IU has to go to Columbus,
But folks, when Indiana's on a bye week, you're gonna
be watching Penn State go to usc You're gonna be

(24:34):
watching Ohio State go to Oregon. There are a lot
of big ticket games between now and the end of
the season. As you sort of zoom out and look
at this Big Ten, Matt, how does Indiana stack up
against other teams here in this top tier? And do
you think the Big Ten Championship game? Making that game
is a realistic possibility for this team.

Speaker 4 (24:54):
I love this Indiana team.

Speaker 2 (24:56):
I think there's a higher possibility that they've make the
College Football Playoffs and they make the Big Ten Championship
because they will drop the Ohio State game. We are
not winning that game. I understand you don't put limitations
on this team.

Speaker 4 (25:15):
But I'm just saying he.

Speaker 2 (25:19):
Is a bad It's just a bad matchup, like Ohio
State is a bad matchup for this team.

Speaker 4 (25:25):
They have an offense that's electric.

Speaker 2 (25:29):
Our secondary is probably the weakest part of our entire team.
And they have Jeremiah Smith and a Mecca Abuka on
their team, not to mention you know, their tight ends
and on other receivers, and then.

Speaker 4 (25:45):
They're running backs. And I I don't agree with you.

Speaker 2 (25:51):
You said previously on this podcast you thought Indiana was
in the same tier with Texas in Ohio State. I
disagree with you. I think Texas and Ohio State are
in their own tier. I think those two teams are very,
very very very clearly the crem delate prem of the sport.

Speaker 4 (26:11):
I think Indiana is a tier below that.

Speaker 2 (26:13):
I think they're in the next like six to eight
teams right there, which includes you.

Speaker 4 (26:19):
Being in the same tier as like Alabama and Georgia.

Speaker 1 (26:23):
And sure it's like it's not like you know, devastating.

Speaker 2 (26:27):
Criticis no, this is not definitely I'm just estimate how
good that I think these teams are. And I think
Ohio State's team is this is the most complete higho
State team I've seen since.

Speaker 4 (26:38):
Urban Meyer were there. I think they're good on both
sides of the ball. They're there.

Speaker 2 (26:43):
I think the defense actually legit might be the best
defense in the country just from a player's perspective. So
I I just I with that being said, I don't
think Indiana really has much of a chance against the
Ohio State team.

Speaker 4 (26:58):
And then especially it's in Columbus.

Speaker 2 (27:00):
So like, just if we're gonna break a streak against
winning against Ohio State, it will be in Bloomington.

Speaker 4 (27:05):
It will not be in Columbus.

Speaker 2 (27:06):
That's it's too hard of a task and too much
of too much boomdoo surrounding the game.

Speaker 1 (27:12):
What if it's an Indian happens.

Speaker 2 (27:16):
Well, that's the thing is because if you if you
look up and down this Big Ten schedule, you grew
you're right, teams are gonna drop games, and and you
listed out the top four teams. Well, Ohio State plays
all three of those teams right in the Big Ten.
That's the top four teams again, will list them out
with Ohio State, Oregon, Penn.

Speaker 4 (27:35):
State, NUS, Indiana.

Speaker 2 (27:38):
Ohio State plays the other three right, Indiana doesn't play Oregon,
Indiana doesn't play Penn State. Penn State does not play Indiana,
they don't play Oregon, right, and obviously Oregon doesn't play
Indiana or Penney because I just listed up they both
didn't play each other.

Speaker 1 (27:52):
And State hosts Ohio State too, you know, something to
think about it.

Speaker 4 (27:55):
They also hosts Ohio State, which is why I believe.

Speaker 2 (28:01):
That the national tie or national title the Big Ten
title game will be Ohio Steams versus whichever team they
don't beat by a significant margin. And so what I
mean by that is of the three remaining teams below them,

(28:21):
they will beat Indiana, they'll probably beat Oregon.

Speaker 4 (28:24):
And they'll probably beat Penn State. I think there's a
world in which they lose one of.

Speaker 2 (28:29):
The Penn State or the Oregon game.

Speaker 4 (28:31):
But that's besides the point that just complicates things more.
I think Ohio State won the.

Speaker 2 (28:36):
Season undefeated, and whichever team between Oregon or Penn State
loses by less, Ohio State will probably make it an
I see. I see Penn State running the table here,
and I think the same thing with Oregon outside of
the game that they play this weekend.

Speaker 4 (28:57):
And so I think India is going to get left
out as the fourth team. But I don't think that's
necessarily a bad thing for the Hoosiers.

Speaker 1 (29:04):
And here's why.

Speaker 2 (29:05):
And an eleven and one Indiana team that misses out
on this conference championship because they had to play the
Buck guys and their only team of those Oregon Penn
State in Indiana to play the Buck guys in.

Speaker 4 (29:18):
Columbus, right.

Speaker 2 (29:22):
And lose, but beat the rest of their schedule, they
will be in the college football playoffs and then you
will probably lose one of Oregon or Penn State two.

Speaker 4 (29:40):
To leaving the college football payoff. Will probably lose after
losing Ohio.

Speaker 2 (29:44):
State twice and having two losses on their record, including
a loss for a conference championship in an automatic by
I think there's a chance you could see them or
they will at least drop below Indiana will right because
they have to go play Ohio State again, and Indiana
at eleven and one will be sitting above them and
it will be a short It's sad for whichever team

(30:05):
plays Ohio State twice, right, because not only will they
get beat twice, but they're going to lose spots in
the rankings.

Speaker 1 (30:13):
Beyond that, it's just it sucks, or whoever loses the
Big Ten championship game, right, because even if it's Ohio
State or whoever, you know, I'm assuming it's a good
team against a good team, which is going to happen
because it's the Big Ten. You're gonna wear a loss,
which might make a big difference in the grand scheme
of things.

Speaker 2 (30:33):
Yeah, and speaking of wearing a lot of us if
you look at it the entire context of this college
football race, and this is why I'm so confident in
Indiana getting in it. Obviously, they need to win all
of their games. But if they win all the games
that Indiana is favored in, which is every game remaining
but the Ohio State game, if they remain, if they
win the remaining games that they are favored in and

(30:55):
continue to play the way that they have been playing,
they will not only make it in the college football playoff,
but they will be probably the seven or eight seed
hosting a home playoff game. Let me repeat that again,
they will probably be the seventh or eighth seed hosting
a home college football playoff game in Bloomington.

Speaker 6 (31:18):
And what they play in December, yeah I get the
dates later, but yeah, right after I mean perdue games
on the twenty ninth to the thirtieth and so Big
Ten Championship Game is first weekend of December, and I
think they get going right after that.

Speaker 1 (31:30):
But yeah, no, it's a totally realistic outcome. Just for
folks reference the tie breakers for Big Ten Championship Game appearance.
They're seeding or whatever you want to call it, versus
head to head. So you know, if Indiana beats Ohio State,
they'll have a head to head advantage over Ohio State.
If they lose Ohio State, the buck Geys will be
holding that same tiebreaker there. And then it's common opponents.

(31:55):
So you know, if Indiana and Oregon are tied, they
face each other, they both play Ohio State. I believe
they both play Michigan, so they'll sum up the record
against shared opponents and then see where things go from there.
And then as you go down, you know there are
three tybreaker three, four, five, six. You can google those later.
But in a nutshell, it doesn't matter where you play

(32:21):
these teams as far as the head to head tiebreaker
or the common opponent tiebreaker. So it doesn't matter that
Indiana has to go to Ohio State, Ohio State goes
to Oregon. It doesn't matter in an Indiana Oregon tiebreaker scenario.
You know, you just you know, Indiana Penn State tiebreaker scenario.
It's just, you know, the shared opponent is all that
matters as far as that's concerned. I think Indiana is

(32:43):
a realistic player as far as the Big Ten Championship
game is concerned. I know you didn't like the fact
that I'm saying I'm saying here that Indiana is on
the same tier as Texas and Ohio State. I think
you'll find out as this year goes on, especially coming
out of the by when I think Indiana is going
to comfortably handled Nebraska, comfortably handle Washington, other teams drop games,

(33:06):
you know, I think you're gonna find out. Like I
don't like where I disagree with you. I don't know
if Ohio State is the same you know, is the
most complete team they've been since Urban Meyer, right, Like
I think you know, there have been a lot of
powerhouse Ohio State teams over the last ten to fifteen
twenty years that would have easily dispatched Marshall, unlike what

(33:32):
Ohio State did a couple of weeks ago. Ohio State
had a very difficult time against Iowa early in that
game this past weekend before pulling away in the third
and fourth quarter. I'm splitting hairs here. I think Ohio
State is excellent. I think they deserve to be one
of the top one or two teams in the country
along with Texas right now. I don't think Ohio State

(33:56):
would go to Vanderbilt or Arkansas and lose. And what
this gets me to say is that the Big Ten
to me is to this point, at the top of
the Big Ten is better than the top of the
SCC Like, I'm sorry, I don't know if this I
think this is going to be the primary conversation the

(34:16):
CFP Committee has with Indiana as we get there, because yeah,
you're right, the most likely outcome is Indiana wins ten
or eleven games, misses out on the Big Ten championship game,
and now it's fighting for that large spot. And so
if you're gonna sit here and if you're going to
actually end up, because I can already see it happen, right,
you can already look ahead to the CFP committee deliberations

(34:37):
and discussions. If you're gonna sit here and tell me
a two loss LSU team deserves a CFP spot over
a one lost Indiana team like you just don't know ball,
same thing as far as a two lost Texas, A
and M or a two lost Tennessee or a two
loss Ole miss or two loss or three loss Georgia,
Like Alabama and Georgia will be in the CFP conversation

(34:59):
even they lose three games.

Speaker 4 (35:02):
Hey, yeah they will. But I don't think there's a
problem there for Indiana. I really don't. I think as
long as Indiana take care of it.

Speaker 2 (35:09):
Takes care of business, and then they only lose to
Ohio State and the other games and they only lose
Ohio State, they really should be feeling pretty secure.

Speaker 4 (35:19):
Because if you if you look at it, okay, two
best I hope, I hope you are.

Speaker 2 (35:26):
I will be right because the two best conferences by
far are the Big Ten and the SEC.

Speaker 4 (35:31):
It's not close. The ACC is a joke, we know this.
The Big twelve is even worse.

Speaker 1 (35:38):
But look at Miami. Is the ACC a joke because
Miami is the number six team in the country. And
if they lose the a SEC title game, what happens
to them?

Speaker 2 (35:47):
Uh? Well, I think they're going to probably the way
they've been going, They're gonna lose one of the games
they they I think if you're if you're in Indiana fan,
you're rooting for Miami or Clemston to lose one more game. Yeah,
the ACC only gets one team in and that's the
automatic qualifier, and I think the Big twelve automatically will

(36:07):
only get one team, and I think the winner of
Iowa State versus b YU will get in and the
loser will probably not make the playoffs. So that means
of the four Power five conferences, I can't believe I
just said that of the four Power four conference, two.

Speaker 4 (36:25):
Of them are only going to get one team in,
which means the remaining.

Speaker 2 (36:30):
Nine seeds, including two automatic buys, are going to be
from the Big ten in the SEC, which means they
probably take five SEC teams and four Big ten teams.
And if Indiana is one of the four eleven and
one Big ten teams, they will make it in. And well,
there won't be four eleven one Big ten teams, right,

(36:52):
eleven and two teams.

Speaker 4 (36:54):
But yeah, of the four teams have eleven.

Speaker 2 (36:56):
Wins or more, Indiana could be a among them, and
they were probably not. Probably they would automatically make it in.
Like they're not going to keep out an eleven and
one team from the Big Ten.

Speaker 1 (37:09):
But I don't know.

Speaker 2 (37:10):
Obviously, I think they're deserving to be there. But they
will have one against Michigan, They would have one at
Michigan State. They will have beaten the defending runner ups
in Washington, they would have beaten the Nebraska team that
they rated highly in the preseason. And as long as
you don't go and get absolutely embarrassed in Columbus, and
let's say you make it a game and yeah, and.

Speaker 4 (37:33):
You used by two scores, you will be in.

Speaker 1 (37:36):
You just can't keep it competitive.

Speaker 4 (37:38):
You need to keep it competitive.

Speaker 2 (37:40):
You know that's going to be the only game that
Indiana lose all year, which very quite possible.

Speaker 4 (37:44):
You need to keep that game competitive, just.

Speaker 2 (37:47):
Like I think the perfect version of the game is
like that twenty twenty Ohio State game where we went
in and scared the living crap of Ohio State with
Michael Pennock throwing all around the yard.

Speaker 4 (37:59):
It was a close game. We up, I believe in
the fourth quarter, and.

Speaker 2 (38:01):
A Columbus, which was something that I was about. Yeah,
maybe tied, yeah, either tied with a lat of State
in Columbus and the fourth quarter is in saying.

Speaker 4 (38:12):
Like, if we can have a repeat.

Speaker 2 (38:14):
Similar performance from that game from this team, then I
think we are comfortably and I I think we're.

Speaker 1 (38:22):
Hosting Okay, hey, hey, there you go.

Speaker 4 (38:25):
Look, I think we're hosting a game.

Speaker 2 (38:27):
Because again, I'll go back to look at the rest
of the college football. You look at the SEC. You
see Texas A and M one loss. You see Georgia
one loss, Alabama have one loss, the Zoo has one loss,
bull Miss has one loss. L s U has one
loss at all.

Speaker 1 (38:44):
I know you're right, man, but like, does a one
loss Alabama get in over one loss Indiana?

Speaker 4 (38:51):
Yes?

Speaker 1 (38:52):
What what about a one loss? Because what about a
one loss Notre Dame?

Speaker 4 (38:55):
Right?

Speaker 1 (38:56):
What if Notre Dame wins out?

Speaker 4 (38:58):
They won't.

Speaker 1 (38:59):
That's that's's assume they do. Let's assume they do. Like,
let's assume for this.

Speaker 4 (39:03):
If I assume they do, I don't think.

Speaker 1 (39:05):
So Indiana has the advantage because Indiana's one losses that
Ohio State.

Speaker 2 (39:10):
And I think also, if I'm gonna be honest with you,
I think.

Speaker 4 (39:15):
There's a little bit the playoff committee is gonna have
a little.

Speaker 2 (39:18):
Bit of a bias towards teams that are actually in
the major conferences. No Name is to play uh uh
you know an unaffiliated schedule.

Speaker 4 (39:28):
They don't. They play an independent schedule.

Speaker 2 (39:31):
They don't get to they don't have to, even though
they do have an agreement obviously with the ACC, but
they don't have to play within their conference, right whereas
the Indiana.

Speaker 4 (39:42):
Has to play against the Washington's and.

Speaker 2 (39:45):
The Nebraskas and Michigan's and Ohio States and the teams
that they play every single year.

Speaker 4 (39:50):
But by the way, I don't think the Name is
going to win every single game for the.

Speaker 1 (39:53):
Rest of the Yeah, I mean ring against them too,
for sure.

Speaker 2 (39:58):
Yeah, you run against are rooting against Miami, Clemson and
Notre Dame and Notre Dame. I don't think you have
to for against very hard because they played both Army
and Davy.

Speaker 1 (40:08):
And I would also include I would also include b
YU and Iowa. Stay in there. You want one of
those teams to take take an out because because the
Big Twelve, we don't want the Big Twelve to get
two teams either. We want that to be a one
bid auto bid situation.

Speaker 2 (40:22):
Okay, Well, I said, is they're going to lose one
of the Baby or Army games that they will lose
that game.

Speaker 4 (40:27):
They those those two teams.

Speaker 2 (40:29):
But you haven't noticed Army and Navy are both undefeated
in the same season and will be playing each other,
possibly twice. I don't one one for a conference championship American.
They're they're both in the American because of course they're
the Armed Forces American helice. They're both in the American

(40:51):
and probably run the table outside of maybe losing the
Notre Dame, and then they will play each other for
a conference title game for a trip to the college
football playoffs, most likely if they're both undefeated at that point,
being the best from the power the group of five. Sorry,
and then they'll play the next week. But but it's

(41:14):
not really a regular season matchup because it no longer
matters because the team that won the conference championship gets
probably gets into the playoffs, and then they have to
play each other again. And what happens if the team
that won the previous game loses?

Speaker 4 (41:31):
That's it?

Speaker 1 (41:32):
You throw it?

Speaker 4 (41:33):
Throw it? What do we do? What do just send
that both of them lose?

Speaker 2 (41:38):
We say, we say, uh, you know, f the troops
and send Boise State instead.

Speaker 4 (41:42):
And you could see ashle Gent play against the five seeds.
I I, I really don't know what happens there, but yeah,
you're right, But like I don't believe I alway stay
team at all. I also I actually BOI US pretty good.

Speaker 2 (41:55):
I think there's a very good chance they're one of
the four automatic bias. I'm again not worried about their
dame dropping another game. I'm not worried about Iowa State
dropping another game. I'm not worried about Miami dropping another game. Yeah,
all these things will happen. We are in I talked
about that in two thousand and seven Florida.

Speaker 6 (42:14):
Team, right, yeah, right, great t Bow and Jeff Yeah.

Speaker 2 (42:19):
I think this season is going to look back on
very similarly to how that two thousand and seventh season
was looked back onto by everybody in college football media,
where just the most random things happen.

Speaker 1 (42:36):
Yeah, you know what's not randomly happening. Indiana is blowing
the doors off of everyone they face so far, and
I can't wait for them. No, I can't wait for
that to keep going through the Nebraska, Washington, and Michigan
State games in the weeks to come here, and then frankly,
the Michigan game too. If Indiana's run defense, you know,
sort of locks down and hopefully you know your guys

(42:57):
like C. J. Weston, James Carpenter, are Tyreek Tucker are
available to go that that that afternoon.

Speaker 2 (43:05):
I know some of you just listen to me ramble
about college football players.

Speaker 1 (43:09):
That's the point we want. We want to know what
to watch this weekend.

Speaker 4 (43:11):
Yeah, I know, I know you just heard it. But here,
here's here is the TLDR.

Speaker 2 (43:18):
Indiana gets in if they win every other game and
don't absolutely get blown out at Ohio State, and uh,
the Big Ten title is a little bit of a
long shot, just because I think, uh, Penn State has
a very favorable schedule, and maybe the winner of this
Oregon Ohio State game this weekend probably gets in over Indiana,
especially since you know, this is also me saying that

(43:41):
in the beginning it was probably gonna end up with
one loss against Owao State. But the chances of Indiana
hosting a college football playoff game is higher than it
has ever been in the history of this program, which
I don't think I have to jump out on it.

Speaker 1 (43:57):
And it's because of how they've played, not because of
whom they played.

Speaker 4 (44:03):
That's the biggest Yeah.

Speaker 2 (44:06):
Yeah, and uh they're getting national recognition for it, as
they should.

Speaker 4 (44:10):
I'm just sitting here having a little bit of a
day dream.

Speaker 2 (44:12):
About how awesome it would be, you know, for the
whole festivities surrounding a home college football game, college football
playoff game in Bloomington in the Rock in Worrims Stadium.

Speaker 4 (44:25):
It would be sick.

Speaker 2 (44:27):
I tweeted about it this weekend. But Harry Lyles Junior
and uh Bill Connelly of course and People plus Guy
had their college football playoff bracket projections this weekend. Both
of them had Indiana playing Alabama at home uh in
their college football playoff productions, which I found hilarious for

(44:51):
many reasons, from the we want Bama chance that would
actually come true, h you know obviously came with the
Boar and the rest of that staff coming home and
coming back to Bloomington to I think the funniest part,
which would be watching all the Alabama fans have an

(45:12):
absolute mental breakdown when they realized they're.

Speaker 4 (45:14):
Playing outside in December north of the Mason Dixon line.
That would be fun.

Speaker 1 (45:21):
Yep, Indiana Indiana plus ten and a half Indiana money
line let's go uh. I think Indiana's Indiana is very
very live and beating Alabama in a potential playoff game
or or you know, beating beating uh Clemson in a
potential playoff game. Can't wait to see that. What I

(45:44):
would like to avoid is some sort of Big ten
versus Big ten matchup in the CFP. Hopefully Indiana can
can get out of that. But the good news is, yeah,
Indiana can you know, control controls their schedule. You know,
in addition to what you said, I would say, hey,
keep that game close against Ohio State, if not win it,
of course, but you know, keep it competitive, keep it interesting,
keep people's attention. Of course, I'm under the impression, and

(46:06):
if I'm wrong on this, I apologize, But I'm under
the impression that you can get Big ten primetime games
coming up here at the end of the season. There
used to be an old timey rule where the Big
Ten typically did not play November games at night. But
I do believe that it's in play here, you know,
as far as Indiana's schedule the rest of the season.

(46:28):
So no, you might have, yeah, I believe so. Because
of the peacocking and that Pacific Pacific time games and
all that sort of business.

Speaker 4 (46:37):
So yeah, I mean not even just that. I thought
that the Big Ten owns that time slot on on NBC.

Speaker 1 (46:44):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (46:45):
Yeah, And you have an NBC game or NBC levels at.

Speaker 1 (46:49):
Seven thirty, you will be eastern.

Speaker 2 (46:51):
You will be playing at seven thirty Eastern, so you
will be playing in that third window.

Speaker 1 (46:55):
So that home game against Michigan, the road game against
Ohio State. And what's serious to me is what happens
the final week of the season. Do they put all
the Big ten contenders on at the same time slot
to avoid giving an advantage to the team that plays
at three thirty or at seven thirty at night? You know,
that's another thing like sometimes in soccer tournaments you see

(47:16):
all the teams in the same group play at the
same time, so that they don't know what result they
need in order to achieve what they want to achieve.
So you've got that wrinkle as well. Matt and I
are going to keep talking CFP previous some games coming
up this weekend here in just a second, But first
just a quick social media shout out folks for listening
to what we've had to say so far, and you
like what you hear or you dislike what you had

(47:38):
to hear, let us know, get a reply to our stuff. Comment.
We're a DM. We're open to all ears, all messages.
You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, or YouTube at
Indiana HQ or at the Hoosier Sound on Instagram. We
are at Indiana dot HQ, so you can go out
there find us there again, like tweet, share, comment to

(48:01):
comment on our stuff. You know, we look at them
and you know, as we'll we'll we'll take all your
words and pay attention to them and try to make
sure that we do the best that we can do
here on the Hoosier Sound. And so, you know, as
it comes down to the CFP, A lots to consider here.

(48:22):
Big Ten Championship Game lost to consider. It would be fun,
if you ask me, it would be fun to see
Indiana play with something on the line at Lucas Oil
Stadium in December. Of course, I think the easiest path
to a CFP spot is Indiana taking care of business
outside of the Ohio State game. Go love it at

(48:43):
one and you know, take care of business there and
then you know you sort of just tune in to
the Big Ten title game. But of course Indiana. I
think could potentially, given how other games go in Big
Ten play, if Ohio State drops games to Oregon and
Penn State, if Penn State stubs their toe a couple
of times on the road here, whether it's usc this

(49:04):
weekend in the Coliseum or Camp Randall in early in
late October. Of course, Penn State does get a bit
of a weird one at home to Washington. They go
to Minnesota on November twenty third. I talked to you
about how Maryland is going to I think give some
teams some problems down the road, and Maryland goes to
Penn State to end the year. You know, Maryland could

(49:26):
be fighting for boy eligibility that game, and all of
a sudden they have a lot to play for against
Penn State in the season finale. So you know, if
other teams stub their toe, of course, Oregon, you know,
we'll see how it goes. Matt and I were talking earlier.
I think is a big As an Indiana fan. We've
talked to you about some teams you should be rooting against.
I think you should be rooting for Ohio State. I

(49:46):
think Indiana wants to Yeah, yeah, I know, I know, right,
But you know, if there's a Big Ten team yet
sort of hold your nose and really get behind. I
think it is Ohio State because what Indiana wants to
tell the CFP committee is that, hey, we beat everyone
on our schedule. We crush them by one score, two scores,
three scores, or Western Illinois by seventy and Ohio State

(50:11):
is the number one team in the country, right, Like,
that's the narrative, that's the story you want to sell.
Ohio State went undefeated, they won the Big Ten title game,
They're going to be the number one overall seed. Don't
hold that against us. So since Indiana doesn't play Oregon,
Indiana doesn't play Penn State, Indiana doesn't play Illinois. I
mean it doesn't matter. But like as far as the

(50:32):
top tier, if teams are concerned in the Big Ten,
Indiana HOOI plays one of them, it's Ohio State. You
want them to be as good as possible as we
look ahead to the rest of the season, which means, Matt,
we're rooting for Ohio State this weekend to beat Oregon,
and Ohio State is a three and a half point
favorite in that one. Matt and Now a preview Nebraska's

(50:52):
game against IU next week once the dust settles from
this action, this weekend's action in the Big Ten. But Matt,
as you look around the different Big Ten games this week,
I think you and I are going to be paying
closest attention to Penn State USC at three thirty, Ohio
State Oregon at seven thirty. As you look around before
we do our predictions for this week, like, you know,

(51:14):
what are you going to be paying attention to in
those two games?

Speaker 4 (51:18):
Uh?

Speaker 1 (51:18):
You know, you know Penn State USC. Like, let's talk
about that one first. That's gonna be a that's gonna
be one of those cross country road trips, right.

Speaker 2 (51:26):
Yeah, again, I was gonna mention this obviously, I I
I talked about Yeah, I was gonna mention this when
we brought this up. Yeah, but Indiana is the only
Big Ten team to do the three time zone travel
either way, Yeah, to go west to east, east to west,
the west coast.

Speaker 4 (51:47):
Or west to east to win their away game.

Speaker 2 (51:51):
Because the USC is zero and two I believe are
the Minnesota doesn't count because they're central, but anyways, they're
own one.

Speaker 4 (51:59):
The Michigan lost.

Speaker 1 (52:02):
But also just to be clear, just to be clear,
USC lost to Minnesota. I can't let that get away
quite yet.

Speaker 4 (52:10):
Yeah, you can even talking about it. They're the only
Big Ten team to go.

Speaker 2 (52:13):
Two time zones over yeah and lose, and also three
time zones over and lose. Nebraska hasn't hasn't, no, Vrasca
hasn't had a true road game yet.

Speaker 4 (52:24):
I don't think so.

Speaker 2 (52:27):
They haven't gone on the road and beaten anybody yet.
And they Illinois, but they still that's not two time
zones over, no, because they're not. They're so yeah one, Yeah,
they're not on mountain time, so yeah, they're they're either
way to go for the East coast to west coast
is hard in general, and I use the only team

(52:48):
to do that successfully. That's why when you look at
the slate UH this weekend and you look at Penn
State and Ohio State both traveling out west play teams
out west, one of those teams could lose.

Speaker 4 (53:01):
I think both of those teams are.

Speaker 2 (53:03):
Good enough to join Indiana in the we're legit category.

Speaker 4 (53:07):
We can travel and not lose. Yeah, that far over.

Speaker 2 (53:11):
You look at Michigan States traveled over lost, Washington's traveled
to Rutgers.

Speaker 1 (53:17):
Lost, YEP. So it's tricky.

Speaker 4 (53:21):
You know, it's hard to do.

Speaker 1 (53:23):
That's a very good point, and I mean we were
curious to see how that was going to play out.
And I do think there is something to that. Like
you and I probably watch more college football than other
people who have podcasts, and at the end of the day,
like even the big big time folks guys like CBS
or yes, like whatever you listen to do, Matt and

(53:43):
I probably watch more than they do, all right, like nine,
like you know, like like you know, Ohio State is good,
this guy is blue. Matt and I watch more college
football than those guys. But in a nutshell, I'm city nutshell.

Speaker 4 (53:57):
I thank you, Edgar Allan Pope.

Speaker 1 (53:59):
Yeah, right exactly. I mean I would say, you know,
the team that made it look okay was frankly UCLA
going to Penn State, and they started that game pretty well.
I mean, you see, LA got off to a good
start in Happy Valley in the first thirty minutes of
that game before just the talent disadvantage took over. But like,
I don't know how good Washington is. Michigan went there

(54:20):
and it was just uphill, man, it was just uphill
the whole game for Michigan, and like you know, Washington
now gained them by one hundred and fifty yards, beat
them first downs, beat them throwing just you know, didn't
commit as many penalties.

Speaker 4 (54:34):
You know.

Speaker 1 (54:34):
It was just one of those things where Washington hosted
a team that traveled and it was a little bit tricky,
and you saw that really get effected in the final
in the final score for a game that this books
had basically as a pick them if not, you know,
one of those teams favored by one or two points
in either direction, like you could really see, you know.

(54:56):
And the reason I picked out that game is because
it was projected to be close, and Washington ended up
controlling it. Really for the most part. Wisconsin got oft
an okay start at USC, and then USC sort of
pulled away a couple of weeks ago. We saw that happen,
and so yeah, to Matt's point, you know, this is
kind of a tricky, tricky trip. And then by the way,

(55:17):
when us he went to Michigan, I mean, that was
the easiest set of circumstances you could have asked for
Lincoln Riley. That was clean. Man. It was eighty degrees
in ann Arbor, sunny conditions, perfectly curated field, you know,
no crap. It was as you could have imagined, as
perfect as you could have imagined for USC road trip

(55:38):
to ann Arbor. And of course Michigan took care of
business in that one, and then of course US he
stubbed their togainst Minnesota too, So they are pretty unserious
until this weekend. And so Matt and I, as we
normally like to do here, we like to look through
the different Big Ten games give you one or two
Big Ten picks of the week that we like across
the slate, whether it's a spread, whether it's an over under,

(56:00):
whether it's just a straight up upset on the money line. Matt,
as you look at the different games coming up this weekend,
the action starts Friday night with Northwestern going to Maryland
and Saturday late night with Minnesota going to u C.
L A, are there any spreads, over unders or upsets
that stand out to you.

Speaker 2 (56:19):
I just look at this Oregon Ohio State game, which
obviously it's the biggest game this year, maybe outside of.

Speaker 4 (56:28):
The Alabama Georgia game. I mean, it's the biggest game
so far.

Speaker 2 (56:32):
I think as far as matchup numbers, I think Ohio
State wins this game, and.

Speaker 4 (56:41):
I think they cover by whatever the margin is.

Speaker 2 (56:43):
I really I think Oregon's Yeah, I think I think
Oregon has been really good this year, but they've also
been They've looked mortal. This Ohio State team really, outside
of a few moments and a few games, I've looked immortal. Yes, So,
and I do think that Dylan I just don't believe

(57:07):
Dylan Gabriel.

Speaker 4 (57:08):
He just looked so bad this year.

Speaker 2 (57:11):
And I believe more and Will Howard not to lose
the game than Dylan Gabriel. So give me the buck, guys.
Bust the points.

Speaker 1 (57:18):
There minus the points. Ohio State is a three and
a half point favorite. Just so you're aware, you're still
okay with that Ohio State's favored, you.

Speaker 2 (57:26):
Know, I mean, I mean I'm taking I'm taking three
and a half.

Speaker 4 (57:30):
Super I think they probably win by like ten points
or whatever.

Speaker 1 (57:34):
There you go.

Speaker 2 (57:35):
And then I also like Penn State to travel to
USC and just run it down their throats in the coliseum.

Speaker 4 (57:45):
So give me Penn State to win. But I don't
think they cover that, right because I think Penn State's favored.

Speaker 1 (57:49):
Right, Yeah, Penn State by five and a half.

Speaker 4 (57:52):
Yeah, I think they probably win by a field goal
to give me Penn State.

Speaker 1 (57:55):
Okay, yeah, you like Penn State to win, but USC
to cover out there in that one. As far as uh,
as far as other games that I've I've noticed, as
far as the Big Ten slate is concerned, my upsite
is gonna be u c l A. I think U
c l A is gonna beat Minnesota straight up. I
think U c l A is is is not you know,

(58:17):
they're obviously rebuilding, they're developing, YadA, YadA, YadA, But this
is Minnesota travel Okay, cross to Hollywood in uh our
Pasadena in uh you know, Saturday, where I think Minnesota
is overrated right Like, if this game was a week ago,
Minnesota is not a five and a half point favorite.

(58:39):
And because they went out and to beat USC, who's
an unserious team. Right now, Minnesota is now giving five
and a half points to u c l A, which
to me is absolutely ridiculous for a Central time to
Pacific time road trip where U c l A again,
like Indiana man handled them better than any other team

(59:04):
has man handled them to this point, and UCLA like
they're due, They're they're going to get someone and and
I think they're gonna get Minnesota here and uh and
just straight up knockoff, straight up knockoff Minnesota. I'm gonna
take Illinois minus nineteen and a half against Purdue. Illinois
is in that tier two Big ten sort of Big

(59:26):
Ten hierarchy. And it's a home game, it's a it's
a it's a traditional Big Ten matchup Illinois Purdue, and
you know, I think Illinois is going to just they're
gonna do their thing right, They're gonna take care of business.
They're gonna wait for one of these teams, whether it's
Indiana or Oregon or Penn State or whatever, to stub
their toe.

Speaker 4 (59:45):
Red b.

Speaker 1 (59:45):
Lama has been around, he knows, he knows how to
coach ball. You don't have to put him in the
top tier of coach if you don't want to. But
he's been around, he's coached, he knows the game. And
it's a massive advantage over Ryan Walters, who is you know,
it's a revenge game for Ryan Walters. And I think
Illinois is going to be ready to go to show
their former coach what exactly, their former defensive coordinator, what

(01:00:06):
exactly he's missing out on in Champagne, So I would
I would take Illinois and then just to wrap up here,
I don't know. Right now, it's at forty two the
over under for Washington Iowa on Big Noon on Saturday,
and if that gets out the forty two and a half,
I'm taking the under. Maybe maybe hold off when it's
forty two. But any sort of Washington Iowa game, Washington's

(01:00:28):
got to travel Iowa good defense, whether it's starting to
turn a little bit. I don't know if the forecast
is in Iowa City, but I think, you know, I
was a team that you know, it is just forty
two points in that game seems like tough slant. That's
too much for for anybody. I mean it's like, you know,
could there, could we just go the whole game without

(01:00:49):
a touchdown? Like yeah, it's like it's.

Speaker 4 (01:00:50):
In that game screams thirteen to seven.

Speaker 1 (01:00:53):
Yeah, just you know, yeah, And I mean, look, I
think it'll be a good game again. I'll I'll definitely
sit three and a half hours and watch a ten
to six game. I'm a Bears fan, folks like that
is in my blood. But but but look, you know, hey,
you know, if you give me sixty three fifty six.

Speaker 4 (01:01:12):
You know that.

Speaker 1 (01:01:13):
To me, that's just that's just watching glorified practice. I
like to see some tackling. I'll see some nosebleeds. I'll
see some you know, some, you know some some some,
you know a little bit of a little bit of
a physical conditioning test, you know, over the course of
three and a half hours, so I'll be tuning into Washington,
I well, Wiscons kind of Wisconsin, Bama, Georgia. Come on,

(01:01:34):
neither of these teams could stop by you. Let's go,
come on, you kidding me? Offense, offense everywhere? What is
this all?

Speaker 4 (01:01:40):
Right?

Speaker 1 (01:01:41):
Is you wind down here, Matt on this Wednesday? Your
final thoughts out of Indiana football love right now? Six
to no Bowl eligible, number eighteen in the country. Nebraska
coming up here in a week and a half. Your
thoughts on this football team here in early October.

Speaker 2 (01:01:58):
I have seen some interest, seeing level of hate for
IU football on Twitter. I don't particularly understand what we
have done to deserve this. It's mostly from Kansas and Texas,
Kansas State fans and Texas Tech fans. I think they
should deserve to be ranked above us somehow. One FU two,

(01:02:20):
What did we do to you, because you can be
mad all you want and say we haven't beaten anybody,
but it's not like you guys have beaten anybody either.
And by the way, text Tech damn near lost to
Abilene Christian at home in double overtime, So they are
lucky to be ranked, let alone be a team with us.
But besides that point, are we not the most routable team,

(01:02:45):
like most easily routable four team in the history of
college of college football?

Speaker 4 (01:02:52):
I mean we have the most losses of anybody else.
I mean, we're the lovable.

Speaker 2 (01:02:57):
Losers, and like it's to the point where I've seen
the hate online. I really don't know what to do
with it because I don't know. You know, we've obviously
never really been here before, and even twenty twenty, there's
a lot more important things going on than our Indiana
football for reachers, as much as we enjoyed watching them,

(01:03:17):
So you know, all that being said, there really wasn't a.

Speaker 4 (01:03:21):
Lot of hate for us at that time.

Speaker 1 (01:03:24):
And now with the you know, an absolutely.

Speaker 4 (01:03:26):
Viable chance of actually making the playoffs now, so there's
some people coming out of the woodwards.

Speaker 2 (01:03:30):
So yeah, you know, I think I think you need
to have that little thing that's that's shoved up there
taking out and that's all I'm saying.

Speaker 1 (01:03:39):
Okay, yeah, I know that's a lot. I love that.
Hell yeah, I couldn't agree more. No, as far as
I'm concerned, I talked earlier about how I think Indiana
has the quarterback advantage and a lot of games coming
up here. I think they had the quarterback advantage in
every Big Ten game coming up here. Honestly, you know,
up even even in a Big Ten championship game. But

(01:03:59):
you know what, I also think Indiana has in every game,
Like this coaching staff is so good. This coaching staff
is so good. And I don't know if I would
necessarily say they're better than Brian Day or or or
the Dan Lanning or James Franklin or Tom Allen, you
know that combo at Penn State. But Indiana can go
pound for pound with anyone. I mean they really can.

(01:04:19):
I mean either way, these team get these guys game
plan across Brian Haynes and Mike Shanahan and Tino SENCEI
And I know I'm missing a lot of the other
guys there, but everyone on the team is just ready
to go. I mean, e j. Williams. You know, take him,
for example, right wide receiver. He's been here for a while,
hasn't played much this season, comes in two minute drill,
catches the beautiful pass down the left sideline as if

(01:04:41):
he's a season pro. It is easy for him. Easy.
You know, let me do a little pierrout one one,
you know, keep my feet and bounce, you know, catch
the ball, go out of bounce, gain yardage, get us
closer to field go range. If not in field goal range,
let's go. I mean, you know we saw Sam West
earlier this year, step in a tight and just catch
a thirty yard ball down the sideline. Easy enough. Donovan McCully,

(01:05:03):
before he put his name into portal, went into the
game as the fourth or fifth string receiver. He was committed.
He bought into this team, he was invested in this team.
He did his job. It's just, you know, like's a
little tricky when you're when you're a college football player
with eligibility winding down and you want to go and
really showcase your talents elsewhere. But you know, go go
watch Indiana those first few weeks. Donald mccully's pumping his fists,

(01:05:25):
he's supporting his team. He did everything correctly off the
field and on the field, and is in his limited
playing time, and this is what we're seeing. You know, CJ.
West against UCLA gets thrown out of the game for targeting.
Tyree Tucker comes in as a as a rotational defensive lineman,
basically gets starters reps the rest of the way in
the second half, completely controls his own He's he's focused,

(01:05:48):
he's disciplined, he plays his game, he's impactful. Every player
is bought in, every every one of these coaches have
done the hard work to get Indiana to this point,
and now is really where the fun begins, right if
you've done a lot of the hard work. Other teams
have worn a couple of losses, two or three losses,
or they've eaten a bad one like Alabama did to

(01:06:09):
Vanderbilt and Notre Dame did to Northern Illinois at home.
You know, now Indiana's in a position where they, you know,
continue that attention to detail, discipline, focused, professionalism, anything is achievable.
And they've gotten them to this point coming off of
three and nine last year. It's crazy. They come off
of that three and nine season and now we're here

(01:06:31):
talking about Big Ten Championship game. I love their game planning,
I love their preparation, I love their in game adjustments.
You saw Keyshawn Williams become a bigger factor in the
second half against Northwestern, even though maybe he didn't start
the game at wide receiver Deshann Williams became a bigger
factor as the game went on. Zach Horton has been
outstanding a tight end. You saw him really get involved

(01:06:52):
a little bit more in the offense there at the end,
So not only just the pregame stuff, but in game adjustments,
overcoming that injury to Jaylan Walker, making sure the next
man up is ready to go. Uh and Isaiah Jones
in that case. Indiana doing a great job across all
facets from a coaching standpoint. But folks, that abo wraps
it up for a three hundred and thirty fifth show
of the Who's Your Sound? Thank you so much for

(01:07:12):
joining us. Really appreciate your support to hear more fantastic
episodes like the one you heard today. Be sure to
follow us at Indiana HQ or at the Who's Your
Sound to make sure you don't miss any in the future.
You know, alt's go to our website indianahq dot com.
Find it all in one place, but as always, thank
you for listening.

Speaker 4 (01:07:30):
Who's your nation.

Speaker 2 (01:07:31):
You'll see you next time you

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