BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana is ranked No. 23 in the AP Top 25 poll, which came out Sunday afternoon.

With its first 5-0 start since 1967, the Hoosiers joined the national rankings for the first time since 2021 preseaon poll, when they were ranked No. 17. Indiana lost 34-6 at Iowa in the 2021 season opener, dropped out of the top 25 and never returned during the 2021, 2022 and 2023 seasons.

Indiana moved on from coach Tom Allen following the 2023 season and hired coach Curt Cignetti, who became the first coach to begin his Indiana tenure with four straight wins. He extended that streak to five games on Saturday with a 42-28 win over Maryland.

The Hoosiers are one of five undefeated Big Ten teams and one of two teams with a 2-0 record in conference play, along with Michigan. Indiana leads the Big Ten with 244 points scored, and Ohio State is next with 195 points.

According to the ESPN Football Power Index (FPI), Indiana is ranked No. 16 in the nation with a projected record of 9.9-2.3. Two ESPN analysts, Bill Connelly and Harry Lyles Jr., predict Indiana will make the College Football Playoffs.

The FPI gives Indiana a 39.6% chance to make the 12-team College Football Playoffs, an 8.3% chance to win the Big Ten, a 100% chance to win six games, a 2.9% chance to make the national championship game, a 1.9% chance to win out and a 0.8% chance to win the national championship.

Next up, Indiana travels to Northwestern for a 3:30 p.m. ET kickoff on Saturday at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium in Evanston, Ill., a temporary stadium on the lakefront that seats approximately 12,000 fans. Northwestern is 2-2 in its second season under coach David Braun following 24-5 loss at Washington on Sept. 21. The Wildcats have a bye week to prepare for the Hoosiers.

Other ranked Big Ten teams include No. 3 Ohio State, No. 6 Oregon, No. 7 Penn State, No. 10 Michigan, No. 11 USC and No. 24 Illinois. Indiana only plays two of those six teams, with a home game against Michigan on Nov. 9 and a trip to Ohio State on Nov. 23.

Here’s the full AP Top 25 college football poll.

1. Alabama (4-0)

2. Texas (5-0)

3. Ohio State (4-0)

4. Tennessee (4-0)

5. Georgia (3-1)

6. Oregon (4-0)

7. Penn State (4-0)

8. Miami (FL) (5-0)

9. Missouri (4-0)

10. Michigan (4-1)

11. USC (3-1)

12. Ole Miss (4-1)

13. LSU (4-1)

14. Notre Dame (4-1)

15. Clemson (3-1)

16. Iowa State (4-0)

17. BYU (5-0)

18. Utah (4-1)

19. Oklahoma (4-1)

20. Kansas State (4-1)

21. Boise State (3-1)

22. Louisville (3-1)

23. Indiana (5-0)

24. Illinois (4-1)

25. UNLV (4-0)

Others receiving votes: Arizona 106, Pittsburgh 42, Nebraska 30, Boston College 18, Iowa 17, James Madison 13, Oklahoma St. 8, South Carolina 8, Rutgers 7, Kentucky 6, Navy 6, SMU 4, Army 2, Colorado 1.

A former Detroit Pistons center is back in the Central Division for the time being.

Jahlil Okafor reportedly signed a deal with the Indiana Pacers on Saturday. The veteran big man will get an opportunity to crack a roster and re-insert himself into the league that hasn’t seen him in action in quite some time.

The 2020-2021 NBA season was the last time Okafor showed face beyond the G League. At the time, the veteran center was suiting up for the Pistons. He spent 27 games on the court, averaging 13 minutes of playing time.

Okafor accounted for five points and two rebounds per game. He made 62 percent of his shots from the field during his short stint with the Pistons. Eventually, the Pistons moved Okafor to the Brooklyn Nets. He was a part of Brooklyn’s roster for less than a week before he was waived. While Okafor was expected to get another shot with the Atlanta Hawks, he was waived before the 2021-2022 season.

Since his Pistons stint, Okafor played in China, Mexico City, Spain, and Puerto Rico.

Earlier this week, Okafor’s G League rights were dealt to the Indiana Pacers’ affiliate. While all signs were pointing to Okafor possibly suiting up for the Indiana Mad Ants, it turned out the Pacers were willing to give him a shot.

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Pacers officials “came away impressed” with Okafor’s health and conditioning after seeing him in private workouts. While the 28-year-old veteran hasn’t been competing at the NBA level recently, he’s stayed in shape since he was last seen on the Pistons.

A spot on the Pacers’ roster won’t be guaranteed for Okafor, but he’ll earn another shot.

Back in 2015, Okafor was a notable name coming out of Duke. He was the Philadelphia 76ers’ third-overall selection that year. After three seasons with the Sixers, Okafor was moved to the Brooklyn Nets. In 2018, he ended up on the New Orleans Pelicans before landing in Detroit.

Most NBA teams begin training camp ahead of the 2024 NBA season next week, and while this time of year isn’t usually one that features transactions, movement can happen just before media day. Last year, the Milwaukee Bucks agreed to acquire Damian Lillard in late September. This year, the New York Knicks are reportedly close to dealing for Karl-Anthony Towns.

If the time is right for a transaction, then the time is right. In that spirit, Bleacher Report suggested a few trades involving the Indiana Pacers recently. They deserve a closer look.

Indiana Pacers receive: Wendell Carter Jr., Orlando Magic receive: Dorian Finney-Smith and Isaiah Jackson, Brooklyn Nets receive: Jarace Walker, Caleb Houstan

For this trade, which was created by author Eric Pincus, the Nets need to send something to Indiana for it to be legal. But the general framework is the important part here.

The gist, Pincus writes, is that the Pacers would get an effective and cost-controller backup center behind Myles Turner in Carter Jr. The current Orlando big man has two more years left on his contract at a more than fair value, and the blue and gold have some questions to answer at the center position thanks to Jackson and Turner having expiring contracts.

Thus, the theory could be that Carter Jr. would be a backup in the coming season and then possibly a starter in the following year. The problem is that the Pacers front office already shared that they hope to keep Turner, and giving up Walker after just one season for a reserve doesn’t make much sense.

Walker was the eighth overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. While there hasn’t been much time for him to play for the blue and gold yet, his potential and size at an important position make him a player worth investing in. That player archetype isn’t one that should be passed on for a backup big man.

While the theory of the Pacers acquiring Carter Jr. to get stability at the center spot going forward makes sense, doing so at the cost of Walker and Jackson (another young player who will be the backup this year) isn’t worth it for the blue and gold.

The Indiana Pacers should keep Myles Turner, Bennedict Mathurin, and Andrew Nembhard

A piece written by author Greg Swartz opines what every team in the league, including the Pacers, should do with their best trade assets. For Indiana, said assets are listed as Bennedict Mathurin, Andrew Nembhard, and Myles Turner.

Swartz believes that the Pacers should hold on to Nembhard since he is on a contract that will age nicely. The young guard signed a three-year, $58.7 million extension this summer, and including the upcoming season, he is now playing on (effectively) a four-year, $60.7 million deal. That’s a steal for a starter who can impact the game on both ends, and the tax-conscious Pacers would be smart to keep him.

Mathurin could be a valuable trade chip, but if he grows into the player that his peaks suggest he could be, he would be immensely valuable. The young guard is a terrific scorer heading into his third season, and he had many important realizations about what the next steps are for his career last season. Indiana shouldn’t give up on him early, and Swartz says the Pacers should listen to trade calls for the young guard yet have no reason to move him.

Turner is in a contract year, which could force the Pacers to at least think about his future. Swartz says the Pacers should hear offers if contract talks hit a gap. But the front office already expressed their desire to keep Turner, and he’s a perfect fit next to Indiana’s current stars in Pascal Siakam and Tyrese Haliburton. iIndiana should look to keep him.

All three players would be valuable in any deals, and for the right price any player could be moved. But without more information about the team’s direction and the quality of their young talent, Indiana shouldn’t make any trades involving these three.

The article from Pincus can be found here, and Swartz’s piece is here.