Indiana
Social media reacts to Indiana, SMU’s decisive losses in College Football Playoff
Matt Leinart on CFP, NFL draft prospects and the Heisman winner
Football legend Matt Leinart sits down to talk all things college football and reveals details about his partnership with Abbott and raising awareness about blood shortages in the U.S.
From the moment the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff bracket was revealed, a debate raged over who was and wasn’t included in the field.
Should SMU, despite a loss to Clemson in the ACC championship game, have earned the final at-large berth over Alabama? Was Indiana, even with a gaudy 11-1 record, worthy of a spot despite what ended up being a softer-than-expected schedule in the Big Ten?
The start of playoff games this week didn’t end those arguments. If anything, it only intensified them.
The Hoosiers and Mustangs both suffered double-digit, largely lopsided road losses in the first round of the playoff. On Friday night, No. 10 seed Indiana fell to No. 7 seed Notre Dame 27-17 in a game it trailed by 24 with two minutes remaining while No. 11 seed SMU was drubbed by No. 6 Penn State 38-10 Saturday afternoon.
People from across the country who follow the sport — broadcasters, writers, analysts and even coaches — reacted to the results, with some using them as a justification for their belief that the playoff selection committee made mistakes on who it allowed in the field. Many of the loudest complaints came from the SEC, which had the second-most teams in the field, with three, but had three three-loss teams — Alabama, Ole Miss and South Carolina — among the first teams left out of the playoff.
Here’s a sampling of the reaction to Indiana and SMU’s CFP losses:
Social media reacts to Indiana, SMU College Football Playoff losses
Indiana and SMU losing their College Football Playoff games by a combined 38 points in dominant fashion raised a variety of opinions, with some believing it to be an indictment of the playoff committee for selecting the Hoosiers and Mustangs for the final two at-large spots.
Others, though, countered with an argument that Indiana and SMU had pieced together playoff-worthy resumes and deserved to make the field, regardless of how they fared in their games this week.
Lane Kiffin trolls CFP committee
The loudest, or at least most prominent, voice piling on Indiana and SMU’s struggles was Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin, whose squad was the third team left out of the playoff.
Many, however, rightfully pointed out that Kiffin’s 9-3 Rebels team could have made the playoff had it simply won at home against a 4-8 Kentucky team that managed only one victory in SEC play this season.
Indiana
2025 College Football Rankings: Ohio State and Indiana Stay on Top, ACC Teams Slide
Nobody is good enough to win the national championship in the ACC, and no one looks good enough to win the national championship in the Big 12.
At this rate, we might get a 24-team College Football Playoff before a Group of 6 team makes a national title appearance.
And yet … six of the College Football Playoff selection committee’s top-25 teams suffered a loss this week, including two of the ACC’s top three. It was a good week to be idle — as were seven of the top 25 overall.
Meanwhile, Iowa, unranked by me, dropped its 12th straight to a ranked opponent: an Oregon team I’ve consistently ranked in the top seven, which has shown itself to be the Big Ten’s third-best team with a “big boy” win.
With that, here’s a look at my top 25 rankings following Week 11 of the college football season:
1. Ohio State (9-0), Previously Ranked: 1
Week 11 result: Defeated Purdue, 34-10
No Ohio State WR Carnell Tate, no problem. Buckeyes QB Julian Sayin passed for 303 yards with a touchdown and an interception, while Ohio State wideout Jeremiah Smith caught 10 passes for 137 yards and a touchdown.
2. Indiana (10-0), Previously Ranked: 2
Week 11 result: Defeated Penn State, 27-24
The Hoosiers squandered a 20-7 lead but rallied late, overcoming a 24-20 deficit to secure the win on an outstanding catch by wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr.
Penn State outgained Indiana in total yards, rushing yards, and passing yards, but could not make a stop when it mattered most.
Indiana became the first 10-win team in the sport this season, and the Hoosiers won at Penn State for the first time in program history.
3. Texas A&M (9-0), Previously Ranked: 3
Week 11 result: Defeated Missouri, 38-17
Texas A&M QB Marcel Reed completed 20 of 29 passes for 221 yards and two touchdowns, while running back Rueben Owens II added 102 yards and a pair of scores on the ground.
The Aggies are 9-0 for the first time since 1992 and 6-0 to start conference play for the first time since 1998. They are the only team in the country with three road wins vs. ranked opponents.
4. Alabama (8-1), Previously Ranked: 4
Week 11 result: Defeated LSU, 20-9
Alabama QB Ty Simpson completed 21 of 35 passes for 277 yards and a touchdown for the Crimson Tide, but the story of the game was Bama’s defense. The Crimson Tide allowed just 13 first downs and 232 yards while keeping LSU out of the end zone for the first time since the 2012 national championship game.
5. Oregon (8-1), Previously Ranked: 5
Week 11 result: Defeated Iowa, 18-16
Oregon running back Noah Whittington rushed for 118 yards as the Ducks extended their road winning streak to 11 games, which is the longest streak in the FBS. The victory keeps Oregon in position to claim the third CFP spot likely reserved for the Big Ten if current standings and rankings hold through the end of the season.
6. Georgia (8-1), Previously Ranked: 6
Week 11 result: Defeated Mississippi State, 41-21
Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton accounted for 295 total yards and four touchdowns to keep the Dawgs in third place in the SEC standings.
7. Ole Miss (9-1), Previously Ranked: 7
Week 11 result: Defeated The Citadel, 49-0
The Rebels put up 603 yards of offense and allowed just 103 against their FCS opponent. Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss completed 29 of 33 passes for 333 yards with three touchdowns.
8. Texas Tech (9-1), Previously Ranked: 9
Week 11 result: Defeated BYU, 29-7
Texas Tech QB Behren Morton completed 17 of 32 passes for 219 yards and a touchdown, while running back Cameron Dickey added 121 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
With the win, the Red Raiders snapped a 16-game losing streak against AP top-10 teams.
9. BYU (8-1), Previously Ranked: 8
Week 11 result: Lost to Texas Tech, 29-7
After being held scoreless in the opening half for the first time since Week 10 of 2023, the Cougars dropped their first game of the season, falling into second place in the Big 12 title race.
10. Texas (7-2), Previously Ranked: 10
Week 11 result: Idle
11. Oklahoma (7-2), Previously Ranked: 11
Week 11 result: Idle
12. Notre Dame (7-2), Previously Ranked: 12
Week 11 result: Defeated Navy, 49-10
Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr completed 13 of 16 passes for 218 yards and three touchdowns, while Jeremiyah Love rushed for 94 yards and two scores.
The Fighting Irish defense held Navy to just 228 yards of total offense in the win.
13. Vanderbilt (8-2), Previously Ranked: 13
Week 11 result: Defeated Auburn, 45-38
The Commodores survived an outstanding performance from Auburn QB Ashton Daniels (444 total yards with four touchdowns) and equally impressive efforts from wideouts Cam Coleman (10 catches, 143 yards, one TD) and Eric Singleton (11 catches, 102 yards, one TD) to remain in contention for a College Football Playoff spot.
Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia dueled with Daniels, totaling 489 yards and three touchdowns in a performance that could earn him an invitation to New York for the Heisman ceremony.
14. Georgia Tech (8-1), Previously Ranked: 14
Week 11 result: Idle
15. Michigan (7-2), Previously Ranked: 17
Week 11 result: Idle
16. Pitt (7-2), Previously Ranked: 20
Week 11 result: Idle
17. Utah (7-2), Previously Ranked: 21
Week 11 result: Idle
18. Virginia (8-2), Previously Ranked: 15
Week 11 result: Lost to Wake Forest, 16-9
Virginia starting QB Chandler Morris was forced to leave the game after taking a hit to the head while sliding. In relief, Daniel Kaelin completed 18 of 28 passes for 145 yards.
After jumping out to a 6-0 lead, the Cavaliers gave up 16 points to the Demon Deacons and managed only one score in the second half.
19. Louisville (7-2), Previously Ranked: 16
Week 11 result: Lost to Cal, 29-26
The Cardinals gave up 350 passing yards to Cal true freshman QB Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele in a game Louisville was favored to win by as many as 18.5 points before kickoff.
20. Miami (Fla.) (7-2), Previously Ranked: 23
Week 11 result: Defeated Syracuse, 38-10
The Hurricanes’ defense punished the Orangemen with seven sacks, two interceptions and three total takeaways.
Miami quarterback Carson Beck threw for 247 yards and a touchdown, while the Hurricanes put up 385 yards of total offense in the win.
21. USC (7-2), Previously Ranked: 24
Week 11 result: Defeated Northwestern, 38-17
USC quarterback Jayden Maiava completed 24 of 33 passes for 299 yards with two touchdowns and an interception — and forced a fumble in the win.
22. North Texas (8-1), Previously Ranked: 25
Week 11 result: Idle
23. Tennessee (6-3), Previously Ranked: NR
Week 11 result: Idle
24. James Madison (8-1), Previously Ranked: NR
Week 11 result: Defeated Marshall, 35-23
The Dukes’ only loss this season came against Louisville, and they are one of just two undefeated teams in conference play among the Group of 6, along with San Diego State.
25. Missouri (6-3), Previously Ranked: 18
Week 11 result: Lost to Texas A&M, 38-17
The Tigers’ defense struggled to stop Texas A&M both on the ground and through the air, giving up 464 total yards — including 243 rushing yards at an average of 6.2 yards per carry — as they dropped their third conference game of the season.
Offensively, running backs Jamal Roberts and Ahmad Hardy each surpassed 100 yards on the ground, combining for 210 yards on 30 carries with a touchdown apiece.
RJ Young is a national college football writer and analyst for FOX Sports. Follow him @RJ_Young.
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Indiana
Indiana vs. Penn State prediction: Odds, picks, best bet for Saturday’s Big Ten matchup
Saturday’s tilt between Penn State and Indiana in Happy Valley features the No. 2 team in the country trying to stay undefeated.
That team is a 14.5-point favorite against an underdog doing its best to play the role of spoiler.
If you’re just joining us, you may be surprised to learn that the two-score favorite in this game is actually Indiana, and it’s Penn State, which was ranked No. 2 in the AP’s preseason poll, that is relegated to spoiler.
We’re living in crazy times.
Indiana vs. Penn State odds, prediction
The Indiana Hoosiers are not your typical Cinderella.
This is the second year in a row that Indiana can claim to be one of the best teams in the country, and everything the Hoosiers have accomplished is backed up by a ridiculous statistical profile.
Indiana grades out as the nation’s best offense, per SP+, and ranks eighth in yards per play.
The Hoosiers have a star quarterback in Fernando Mendoza, but they’re far from one-dimensional. In fact, only eight teams run the ball more than Indiana this season. The effectiveness of Indiana’s rushing attack has allowed Mendoza to flourish under Curt Cignetti.
Indiana’s offense is good enough to win games on its own, but it is backed up by one of the stingiest defenses in the country.
According to SP+, only Ohio State has been better without the ball than the Hoosiers.
It’s no wonder that only one team (Iowa) has kept the Hoosiers to a single-digit margin of victory this season.
It’s hard to see Penn State joining that list.
While the Nittany Lions are still talented and should be motivated to win the biggest game left on their schedule at home, things have continued to trend in the wrong direction for Penn State.
Betting on College Football?
The Nittany Lions only mustered 14 points — all of which came in one quarter — against Ohio State, proving that the offense is rudderless without Drew Allar.
The defense grades out as No. 25 in the country per SP+, which is good, but you need to be better than that to slow down Indiana, especially when your offense can’t be relied upon to keep you fresh.
The numbers back up a bet on Indiana in this spot. The Hoosiers have proven, time and again, that they are one of the best teams in the country on both sides of the ball.
If you’re betting on Penn State, you’re just leaning into the narrative that this is their Super Bowl.
Didn’t we just try that angle last week at Ohio State?
The Play: Indiana -14.5 (-110, FanDuel)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
Indiana
2025 College Football Odds: Back Penn State to Cover Against Indiana
The Indiana Hoosiers are ranked No. 2 in the country and continue to make program history.
On Saturday, they will try to check off another box and do something they’ve never done before, and that’s win at Penn State.
Indiana comes into this game a 15.5-point road favorite, a spread that would have been hard to fathom before the season or really at any point in either of these programs’ histories.
But here we are.
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Bettors might be shy about going against the Hoosiers when looking at recent games. They are coming off wins of 56-6 and 55-10 in their last two games and have won all but one of their games by double digits. They’re undefeated and have won by an average of 31 points, the best margin of victory in the country.
But are these too many points on the road?
I actually like Penn State getting the points here, although it’s admittedly dangerous to bet against Indiana and their head coach Curt Cignetti.
Cignetti is not shy about running up the score on his opponents. But the Nittany Lions have the ground game to move the chains and keep the clock going — a great trait to have for an underdog catching a lot of points.
Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton were expected to spearhead a rushing attack that was going to have Penn State in the mix for a national title after coming just short in last year’s College Football Playoff semifinals. While that goal won’t be reached, the Nittany Lions can play spoiler to some extent here and at least try to disrupt Indiana’s bid for an undefeated season.
State’s quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer has taken over for the injured Drew Allar, and the results have been underwhelming through two starts. However, road games against Iowa and Ohio State are tough assignments for anyone, and now Grunkemeyer gets to finally start at home.
As difficult as it is to bet against Indiana right now, the Hoosiers do have a modest 20-15 win against Iowa on their ledger, and let’s hope — as Penn State backers — that this game can yield a similar score.
Let’s go with Penn State +15.5 and hope the running game does enough to shorten this contest and keep it within a pair of touchdowns.
PICK: Penn State (+15.5) to lose by fewer than 15.5 points
Will Hill, a contributor on the Bear Bets Podcast, has been betting on sports for over a decade. He is a betting analyst who has been a host on VSiN, as well as the Goldboys Network.
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