Well, it's official. The College Football Playoff and ESPN have agreed to a five-year deal that will expand the playoff field to 24 teams. The $1.7 media rights bill is slated to go into effect next season.
The ripple effects of the playoff expanding yet again are already being felt. Conference championship games are no longer, and the importance and urgency surrounding the regular season has been significantly watered down. Furthermore, future schedules could look a bit different.
According to Brett McMurphy, all Power 4 teams will be required to play 10 Power 4 opponents during the regular season. McMurphy threw a not-so-subtle jab at Indiana in his reporting, bringing more attention to Indiana's upcoming non-conference schedules. Indiana does not have a Power 4 team on any of their upcoming schedules, but that is about to change under the new rules of the 24-team playoff.
Indiana's non-conference schedules will look different in the 24-team playoff era
A lot has been made about Indiana's non-conference schedules under Curt Cignetti. The Hoosiers have scheduled non-Power 4 teams in every non-conference slate during Cignetti's tenure. Those matchups have included games against Florida International, Western Illinois, Charlotte, Old Dominion, Kennesaw State, Indiana State, North Texas, Howard, and Western Kentucky.
Cignetti hasn't tried to hide his strategy, and it's clear that his system has worked out extremely well so far. But with all Power 4 teams being required to play at least 10 Power 4 opponents in the looming 24-team playoff era, Cignetti and the Hoosiers will have to change up their strategy.
Here is a look at Indiana's non-conference opponents for upcoming schedules:
2027:
Jacksonville State
Kennesaw State
Indiana State
2028:
Miami (OH)
Austin Peay
Eastern Michigan
2029:
Ball State
Eastern Illinois
Western Kentucky
2030:
Miami (OH)
Indiana State
Delaware
As you can see, not a single Power 4 opponent is on the docket for the next four seasons. But that will have to change moving forward. The Big Ten now plays nine conference games, meaning that Indiana needs to replace one of these opponents with a Power 4 team. That makes scheduling tougher, as Indiana will need to find a balance between maintaining manageable nonconference matchups and adding quality opponents.
In fact, per The Athletic, Indiana is already looking to add a Power 4 opponent to its 2027 non-conference schedule. Athletic Director Scott Dolson is reportedly already in talks with other programs about getting added to Indiana's upcoming football schedules. It will be interesting to see who gets added to the schedule, and when.
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Scheduling a Power 4 program would not only strengthen the Hoosiers' CFP résumé, but also provide a more meaningful test before conference play begins. In the Cignetti era, especially this season, it's clear that the Hoosiers have had vulnerabilities that weren't worked through in non-conference play. That has put them on serious upset alert on multiple occasions this season. The Hoosiers struggled mightily against Northwestern, Nebraska, Michigan, and Minnesota. The Cream and Crimson have been able to get by for the most part, but it's not a sustainable strategy.
The Hoosiers are back in action this weekend against USC. Kick-off is slated for 3:30 p.m. ET.
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