The Indiana Hoosiers had us all fooled. For a while, they were the talk of college football, riding a perfect 10-0 record and a top-5 ranking. But their undefeated streak turned out to be a mirage, shattered by a 38-15 drubbing at the hands of Ohio State. Was it all smoke and mirrors? Did the Hoosiers’ success mask underlying weaknesses that the Buckeyes ruthlessly exposed? As the dust settles, it’s clear that Indiana’s playoff hopes are now in serious jeopardy. Now, a Fox expert weighs in on the matter, and it’s looking like the Hoosiers’ road to the playoffs just got a lot bumpier.

On November 24th, Jason Fitz dropped by the “College Football Power Hour” podcast and didn’t hold back when he was asked, “The biggest storyline coming out of this game is, with a 38-15 loss, is that big enough loss for the College Football Playoff committee to deem Indiana undeserving of a playoff spot?” Following the defeat by Ohio State, the legitimacy of Indiana’s playoff aspirations was called into question. And Fitz didn’t mince words when he said, “Absolutely, I’ll be stunned if they don’t drop out of the top 12 after that loss.” It really does make sense if we look at the strength of their schedule.

If we look at things in depth, Indiana’s flawless record was built on a weak schedule. Now they feel exposed, and it became very obvious once they faced Ohio State. “Now it becomes a strength of schedule conversation,” Fitz continued. “They are gonna look at it and say, ‘Well, yeah, you’ve beat nobody.’” The Hoosiers have been known for their offense, but that went absolutely nowhere against the Buckeyes. Ohio State dominated in every aspect of the game, shutting down Curt Cignetti’s offense with ease. “By the eye test, by the metrics, by the stats, by every measurable category, Ohio State just whooped them,” Fitz made his case.

And whoa, what a whopping it was. It wasn’t just a loss—it was straight-up bullying on national television. This was the type of game Indiana absolutely could not afford, especially when playoffs were just around the corner. It’s tough to imagine how Indiana could recover. Sure, they’ve got talent, but when it comes to the CFP selection committee, the reality is that style points matter just as much as wins. So, what’s next for the Hoosiers?

Indiana Hoosiers’ playoff implications

With no Big 10 title on the horizon and no statement wins to fall back on, the Indiana Hoosiers’ playoff chances are hanging by a thread. The selection committee is now taking into consideration how teams win, not just how they win, and this loss sent a loud and clear message: Indiana’s schedule was paper thin! Their victory over ranked teams? ZERO. Their strength of schedule? Ranked 116th. For any team hoping to earn a playoff spot, those are some tough statistics to overcome, especially when you’ve just been embarrassed on national TV.

It’s not all over for Indiana yet. They could still hang on to a spot in the top 12, but that’s looking increasingly unlikely. Team like Tennessee. SMU and BYU, with way more tougher schedules and better resumes, are waiting to leapfrog them. If Hoosiers do get dropped from the top 12, it’ll be hard to argue that they deserved better.

In the end, Indiana’s loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes highlighted everything that was wrong with their playoff case. They lacked the marquee wins, and their strength of schedule was straight woeful. While Curt Cignetti’s squad had a solid season, this loss likely ends their playoff dreams. However, it’s college football, and you know how it goes. Anything is possible.