Sagarin . . .

[Sope Creek]

. . . has OSU at No. 1, head and shoulders above all others. IU dropped to No. 35 . . . U Miami seems to have jumped over us, I think. IU is the 8th highest rated BiG team, behind OSU, PSU, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota and Michigan State.

The rest of the BiG . . . Illinois (59), Nebraska (62), PU (69), Northwestern (82), Maryland (83) and Rutgers (138). IU's out of conference schedule . . . Ball State (106), Connecticut (173), and Eastern Illinois (226) out of 256 teams listed.

What's also interesting to me is the ratings of the schedule toughness for a lot of teams. Auburn has the No. 2 schedule in the country, and they still have UGA and BAMA to play. Wow.

Northwestern still has the toughest rated schedule, which includes IU. IU's schedule is rated at 96 so far, with two highly ranked teams left on the schedule. OSU's schedule to date is at 34 as compared to LSU (13), BAMA (54) and Clemson (71). PSU's is at 23, Wisconsin's 32, and Michigan's 22. Minny's is at 70, MSU's at 10. Interestingly, Maryland's schedule is rated at 18. PU's is 44.

 

[82hoosier]

I think Sagarin is pretty spot on.

 

[Sope Creek]

I think Sagarin is pretty spot on.

It's late enough in the season where Sagarin becomes pretty accurate. I agree with you.

 

[IUCol]

I can buy most of that, particularly our spot at #35...sounds right. We really havent beat anyone good yet, just a couple of names whose programs are way dowm. Not to our wins at all...for us they are great...for pollsters not so much. Beat PSU and watch the jump...lose and watch the fall...imo

 

[Sope Creek]

I can buy most of that, particularly our spot at #35...sounds right. We really havent beat anyone good yet, just a couple of names whose programs are way dowm. Not to our wins at all...for us they are great...for pollsters not so much. Beat PSU and watch the jump...lose and watch the fall...imo

The way IU's schedule is set up this year has been exceptionally favorable. We got Nebraska and Northwestern in down years. Maryland came along just as their wheels were falling off for the season. The only really bad luck in the schedule was getting MSU before IU was fully ready to play a decent program with an average team for that program.

If IU beats PSU next weekend one could say that we caught PSU in a trap game - looking forward to OSU the next weekend to salvage their playoff hopes - after having their season placed in a dramatically diminished position. If PSU beats IU, then how IU plays will determine how far IU falls.

The key game in this season, IMO, is Michigan. IU has them with a home field advantage, and with Michigan getting ready for OSU . . . but with Michigan finally playing to some measure of its considerable potential. If IU can win that game, it will be a major indication that IU is a quality team this year. Lose it, and we won't really know until the bowl game - if then.

Plus MrsSope is kinda interested in going to the Michigan game . . . .

 

[IUCol]

The way IU's schedule is set up this year has been exceptionally favorable. We got Nebraska and Northwestern in down years. Maryland came along just as their wheels were falling off for the season. The only really bad luck in the schedule was getting MSU before IU was fully ready to play a decent program with an average team for that program.

If IU beats PSU next weekend one could say that we caught PSU in a trap game - looking forward to OSU the next weekend to salvage their playoff hopes - after having their season placed in a dramatically diminished position. If PSU beats IU, then how IU plays will determine how far IU falls.

The key game in this season, IMO, is Michigan. IU has them with a home field advantage, and with Michigan getting ready for OSU . . . but with Michigan finally playing to some measure of its considerable potential. If IU can win that game, it will be a major indication that IU is a quality team this year. Lose it, and we won't really know until the bowl game - if then.

Plus MrsSope is kinda interested in going to the Michigan game . . . .

Good post and I agree. I dont want to diminish IU's wins...they are great to have, and I dont want to get embarrassed at PSU...just play them tough...but the UM game is the chance to make a statement against a decent team. An 8 win season topped by a PU win sure aint bad by any count...but it really wont say much about just how good we might be.or are not.

But any way you twist it, there is a whole bunch left to play for,, even if PSU is a dud...and a great season in IU FB terms is a reality.

 

[turney333]

. . . has OSU at No. 1, head and shoulders above all others. IU dropped to No. 35 . . . U Miami seems to have jumped over us, I think. IU is the 8th highest rated BiG team, behind OSU, PSU, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa, Minnesota and Michigan State.

The rest of the BiG . . . Illinois (59), Nebraska (62), PU (69), Northwestern (82), Maryland (83) and Rutgers (138). IU's out of conference schedule . . . Ball State (106), Connecticut (173), and Eastern Illinois (226) out of 256 teams listed.

What's also interesting to me is the ratings of the schedule toughness for a lot of teams. Auburn has the No. 2 schedule in the country, and they still have UGA and BAMA to play. Wow.

Northwestern still has the toughest rated schedule, which includes IU. IU's schedule is rated at 96 so far, with two highly ranked teams left on the schedule. OSU's schedule to date is at 34 as compared to LSU (13), BAMA (54) and Clemson (71). PSU's is at 23, Wisconsin's 32, and Michigan's 22. Minny's is at 70, MSU's at 10. Interestingly, Maryland's schedule is rated at 18. PU's is 44.

Sagarin is pretty good, but there do seem to be quite a few outliers this year, especially MSU at 30. Their 2 best performances on the year are beating IU and not getting murder killed by OSU.

Iowa at 16 seems really high given that Iowa St is the only team they have beaten with a pulse

 

[oldcougar77]

The way IU's schedule is set up this year has been exceptionally favorable. We got Nebraska and Northwestern in down years. Maryland came along just as their wheels were falling off for the season. The only really bad luck in the schedule was getting MSU before IU was fully ready to play a decent program with an average team for that program.

If IU beats PSU next weekend one could say that we caught PSU in a trap game - looking forward to OSU the next weekend to salvage their playoff hopes - after having their season placed in a dramatically diminished position. If PSU beats IU, then how IU plays will determine how far IU falls.

The key game in this season, IMO, is Michigan. IU has them with a home field advantage, and with Michigan getting ready for OSU . . . but with Michigan finally playing to some measure of its considerable potential. If IU can win that game, it will be a major indication that IU is a quality team this year. Lose it, and we won't really know until the bowl game - if then.

Plus MrsSope is kinda interested in going to the Michigan game . . . .

As long as we come out of the PSU game relatively healthy, I think we have Michigan in a perfect place. We play them at home sandwiched between their two biggest games of the year (from an emotional standpoint). Hopefully this works to our advantage. I'm not saying we should be favored in that game by any stretch, but if you're going to play them it seems like an ideal situation.