Indiana football was the central point of the college football world in Week 9, with ESPN’s “College GameDay” visiting Bloomington.

The 13th-ranked Hoosiers and coach Curt Cignetti did not disappoint despite on the big stage, even with starting quarterback Kurtis Rourke missing the game due to an injury. Indiana moved to 8-0 on the season to maintain its best start since 1967 with a 31-17 victory over Washington.

REQUIRED READING: Oh my! IU football is legit. Hoosiers remain unbeaten with 31-17 over Washington.

It was actually defensive back D’Angelo Ponds who got the scoring started for the Hoosiers with a 67-yard interception return for a touchdown in the first quarter. That woke up Indiana. Filling in for Rourke, Tayven Jackson hit Omar Cooper Jr. for a 42-yard touchdown to extend the lead to 14-0 in the second quarter. Jackson finished 11 of 19 passing for 124 yards with a touchdown and an interception in the start.

The Huskies cut the lead to 17-14 in the third quarter, but Justice Ellison strengthened his already big day with a 5-yard touchdown to effectively put the game away. Ellison rushed 29 times for 123 yards and the score.

So, now the question is this: Where will Indiana rise in the US LBM Coaches Poll and AP Top 25 rankings ahead of Week 10? Here’s a look at the possibilities:

Indiana football rankings: Will the Hoosiers rise in the top 25?

Coming off a 3-9 record last season and nine combined wins in the previous three seasons, the outside expectations for Cignetti, who was hired from James Madison, did not appear super high in Year. 1. Yet, the Hoosiers have opened the season with eight straight wins to open the season.

Indiana has already clinched its first bowl game since 2020, where it will also aim for its first bowl victory since the 1991 Copper Bowl. The Hoosiers have more in mind than a bowl, however: They’re also in contention to compete for the Big Ten championship game and make the 12-team College Football Playoff.

With games against Michigan State and Michigan the next two weeks before a bye week in Week 11, the Hoosiers have a realistic shot to be 10-0 ahead of the matchup vs. No. 4 Ohio State on Nov. 23 in Columbus.

However, the question of how high the Hoosiers can rise in the rankings is unclear. The two teams directly above them in the rankings, No. 11 Notre Dame and No. 12 BYU, picked up convincing wins against Navy and UCF, respectively. No. 8 Tennessee, No. 9 Clemson and No. 10 Iowa State were all on bye this week. The outcome of Saturday night’s LSU-Texas A&M game could be a path to move up for Indiana, as well.

Here’s how the rest of the top 25 fared in Week 9:

Rankings reflect Week 9 US LBM Coaches Poll

• No. 1 Oregon: 38-9 win over No. 21 Illinois
• No. 2 Georgia: BYE
• No. 3 Penn State: vs. Wisconsin
• No. 4 Ohio State: 21-17 win over Nebraska
• No. 5 Miami: vs. Florida State
• No. 6 Texas: 27-24 win over No. 25 Vanderbilt
• No. 7 LSU: vs. No. 14 Texas A&M
• No. 8 Tennessee: BYE
• No. 9 Clemson: BYE
• No. 10 Iowa State: BYE
• No. 11 Notre Dame: 51-14 win over No. 24 Navy
• No. 12 BYU: 37-24 win over UCF
• No. 13 Indiana: 31-17 win over Washington
• No. 14 Texas A&M: vs. No. 7 LSU
• No. 15 Alabama: 34-0 win over No. 17 Missouri

Final ranking prediction: Indiana climbs to No. 12