Despite losing to Ohio State in Week 13, Indiana still saw a small part of their College Football Playoff stock rise. The loss was the Hoosiers’ first of 2024, dropping them to 10-1 on the year.
The 38-15 defeat will not look good on Indiana’s resume, but the game increased their strength of schedule from 106th to 51st in the eyes of ESPN. Given the Hoosiers’ record and lack of big wins, the statistical increase will play a big part in their pursuit of the school’s first College Football Playoff berth.
The game against Ohio State marked Indiana’s first of the year against a ranked opponent. They own wins over Michigan and Washington — the two teams who played in the 2024 National Championship game — though neither team was ranked at the time of their meeting. Both the Wolverines and Huskies lost their respective head coaches and starting quarterbacks from a year ago.
Through 11 games, Indiana’s strength of schedule has been the biggest criticism of their previously undefeated season. Of their 10 wins, only three teams have a winning record on the year. The Hoosiers’ best win is up for debate between a 20-15 win over a 6-5 Michigan team, a 31-17 victory over 6-5 Washington, or a 56-7 win over the 6-5 Nebraska Cornhuskers.