It took a while for Indiana football to pop up in Tuesday evening’s College Football Playoff rankings reveal, with the 8-1 Hoosiers sitting at No. 4 and in solid position to earn a bye.
Indiana, like several top teams in 2026, is flawed. There are no perfect football teams and that’s as true this year as it’s ever been. Bill Connelly, a college football writer for ESPN and the mastermind behind the SP+ ratings system, took a look at each ranked team’s biggest flaw that could keep it from hoisting
the national championship trophy this winter.
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For No. 1 Miami? A defense that doesn’t reach the highs of last year’s unit. No. 2 Georgia? A persistent turnover issue. No. 3 Utah? A lack of explosive plays on offense while allowing multiple on defense.
Indiana’s flaw? Quarterback play. Josh Hoover has struggled mightily in recent weeks, failing to complete over 50% of his passing attempts in each of the Hoosiers’ last three matchups.
Connelly is careful to note that this isn’t all on Hoover, who he mentions is playing through injury. That play led Indiana to turn to second-string quarterback Grant Wilson against Minnesota, who did enough for the Hoosiers to pull off an improbable comeback in overtime.
Indiana has cleared 30+ points on offense just once in its past six games, scoring 47 points at Rutgers the first week of October. If Indiana can’t stay productive enough through the air to help out its otherworldly defense it’ll spell the Hoosiers doom just as it did against Ohio State.
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