The Indiana football team wrapped up their regular season with a win against Purdue. The final game will be a much-anticipated bowl game, but the destination is still unknown.
The Hoosiers are fresh off a thrilling double-overtime victory against their hated rival Boilermakers on Saturday to wrap up their first eight-win season since 1993. The Hoosiers shook off a disappointing two games against Penn State and Michigan to beat Purdue in a rain-soaked game.
While the Hoosiers should be extremely happy with the way the season has gone and made it to 8-4, they aren’t done yet. They are bowl eligible for the first time in three years. If they can win the bowl game it would be their first nine season since 1967 and only the third in the history of the program.
Tom Allen has done wonders for the Hoosiers in his three years and his LEO, ‘Love Each Other’, slogan is paying off. The excitement shown when they won the Old Oaken Bucket was great and it just shows how much this team has bought in and is trying to start something special in Bloomington.
The Hoosiers must wait until Sunday to find out their bowl destination, but looking at expert picks it will more than likely be the Redbox Bowl on December 30 in Santa Clara, California or the Gator Bowl on January 2 in Jacksonville, Florida.
If they play in the Redox Bowl they would get a Pac 12 opponent, probably Washington or USC. The Gator Bowl would be against an SEC opponent, likely Kentucky or Mississippi State.
Both bowls would be great for the Hoosiers to go to, but there is something about making it to a bowl in Florida, which has been a huge recruiting pipeline for the Hoosiers, that would be especially exciting for Indiana, who has never played a bowl in the Sunshine State. Playing an SEC opponent would also be a little bit more prestigious as the Pac 12 has struggled as of late,
At the end of the day, though, the Hoosiers are going to be happy with whatever bowl game they are selected to play in, but it is still fun to wish for the Gator Bowl and a trip to Florida.
This season has been great for the Indiana football program and finishing it off with a bowl win would be the icing on the cake. It’s time for the Hoosiers to make a little history of their own.