No harm in talking about it...but it does reek of the talk many had before the 2021 season...
This team certainly appears to be built differently, but again, that's the same thing many were saying on this board after the breakout 19 and 20 seasons.
So, obviously, lets just wait and see what we do the next few weeks before "playoffs" are any sort of real consideration. Otherwise, what should be celebrated as a miraculous turnaround 8-4 or 7-5 type season, will be stained with unrealistic expectations, that only grew because of a couple impressive early season wins.
Having said that...
The Big Ten Championship game will play a big role, I think. So, do we get in to that game? Do we win that game? More questions than just the records.
10-2...2 B10 regular season losses, miss the title game...don't think we get in.
11-1...somehow missing out on B10 title game...good chance we get in to playoff.
11-2...1 regular season loss, and loss in the B10 title game...don't think we get in.
12-1...regular season loss, win B10 title game, we're in.
12-1...undefeated regular season, loss in B10 title game, we're in.
So basically 1 loss I think we'd have a great chance to get in. 2 losses, very little chance.
It'll all be effected by the top teams in other conferences, obviously. But with likely 6 of the spots taken up by P4 champions, Group of 5 team, and then I do think Notre Dame will be ranked high enough... That leaves 6 spots. There would almost certainly be enough Alabama and USC, higher profile, type programs with similar records, to get in over IU, if IU ends with 2 losses. That would bring a program like say Tennessee, or Oklahoma, if they had even 3 losses, in to the discussion... And I think there would be enough teams like that with 2 or 3 losses, that would leap frog IU. I don't think there'd be enough if we only had 1 loss, though.
But I don't think a 1 loss season is very likely, logistically. That probably implies that we'd have to beat OSU at least once. And until I see a lot more out of this team, I can't envision that happening.