There’s an Indiana Hoosiers college football team in Bloomington too? Yes, there actually is. They even make 5th tier bowl games sometimes. We have a whole lot of mid-majors, ACC and basketball schools ranked in the 60s and 70s every year. Indiana is usually down here in the 77 in 77 dregs with Syracuse, Kentucky, Boston College, Duke, and Virgina. It’s often b-ball schools and ACC; or both. Yet I still see IU getting a bowl bid in 2013.
One of the dumbest story-lines ever in college football history emerged surrounding the Indiana Hoosiers last year. It was the week leading into Saturday November 10th, 2012. Even Chicago Tribune writer Teddy Greenstein propagated this worthless narrative. The “Indiana Hoosiers control their own Rose Bowl Destiny” was a headline repeated by Greenstein (who should really be above such nonsense) and many other writers. Technically, they were all correct. IU could win their way to Pasadena entering that exact game versus Wisconsin.
However, why would you even bother reporting that possibility?
This is IU we’re talking about. Indiana Hoosiers and Rose Bowl don’t ever go together (a whopping two Big Ten titles in school history: 1945 and 1967). Why did the Big Ten media waste our time with such a stupid notion? Unless they did it simply to drive home the point that the Big Ten was really having a down year? (especially so with Ohio State and Penn State on sanctions) Ok, I could get behind that.
Anyways, the Hoosiers got DESTROYED 62-14 by the Badgers in that “Battle for the Rose Bowl” game; which was even more lopsided than it sounds. Joe Paterno State killed them 45-22 the next week, then Purdue obliterated Indiana 56-35 the following Saturday, yet was still unimpressed enough to fire their coach. So again, Big Ten media corps, thanks for dumbing us all down with that storyline.
Indiana Hoosiers last season: See above. 4-8, 3-5 in conference. IU was an example of just how truly terrible the Big Ten was last season.
Indiana Hoosiers reasons to get EXCITED! ALL CAPS! Look on one side of the ball! In one dimension! Exclamation points! The #1 passing offense in the Big Ten. Then again, the Big Ten was pretty awful at passing the football. Sixteen teams in the nation were still better than IU at throwing it. The Hoosiers will be fun to watch again because they probably won’t be able to defend the pass this year; much last year. However, you’ll probably see an improvement. IU Coach Kevin Wilson just recruited the highest rated recruiting class in school history. Ten starters return on offense, which is great. Seven starters also return on defense, although who really wants them to? Will the offense be enough to carry IU to the BW3 Bowl or Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl or something comparable?
Indiana Hoosiers reasons to get worried :( I loved this quote from the first Big Ten Media Day featuring Kevin Wilson. “We’re ready to take this ship and get this thing exploded?” WTF does that mean?
The offense needs to learn how to run the ball and manage clock to keep that horrific run defense off the field. The Hoosiers surrendered the worst yards per game rushing, total yardage per game and points allowed in the Big Ten. You can’t even beat FCS teams playing D like that. IU gave up 30 ppg last year.
That’s good!…if you’re a Branch McCracken era college basketball team. And the punt return game was really terrible last year.
Key games: Sept 21 vs. Mizzou. They should be 3-0 heading into that. Then they host Jerry Sandusky State in week five. So IU could very easily be 5-0 when heading to Michigan State; who might take a step back this year. However, is Indiana truly stepping up?
Indiana Hoosiers bottom line: With their pillow top mattress schedule, 6-6 is very doable. A bowl bid is really fringe here. No matter how it goes, they’ll still be a pretty mediocre team. They lost #1 national QB recruit Gunner Kiel, which was quite a blow. Then again just about every other college football team in the nation lost out on Gunner Kiel after he committed to them too. He’s changed his mind a lot; before even throwing a pass at this level!
Key & Peele East/West College Bowl Roster: WR Cody Latimer, but only because his name is LATTIMER! FROM “THE PROGRAM!” “PLACE AT THE TABLE!!!!”, WR Nick Stoner, WR Duwyce Wilson
For the 2013 College Football rankings 1-77
#76 Kansas Jayhawks
#70 Minnesota Golden Gophers
Paul M. Banks is the owner of The Sports Bank.net. (“Quasi-endorsed” by Philadelphia Eagles Coach Chip Kelly) He’s also an author who also contributes regularly to MSN, Fox Sports , Chicago Now, Walter Football.com and Yardbarker
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