Indiana's most underrated superstar is Curt Cignetti's secret CFP weapon

As the Indiana Hoosiers and head coach Curt Cignetti prepare for their first-ever appearance in the College Football Playoff (much less their first time as the No. 1 seed), they will undoubtedly rely on their usual stars like Heisman-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

However's Cignetti's most reliable player might be a secret weapon who has flown under the radar through the first 13 games of the season.

Even as the Hoosiers stormed to a 13-0 record, including a Big Ten Championship win, not many people paid attention to the dominant offensive line, led by Carter Smith, who is the highest-rated offensive lineman in the entire College Football Playoff.

Carter Smith can set up Fernando Mendoza for a CFP win

No, Smith isn't the Hoosiers' starting center; that would be Pat Coogan. However, Smith's consistency and unflappable strong-arming throughout the season were large parts of why Indiana's O-Line was named as a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award.

Smith came to Indiana as a true freshman in 2022, but only appeared in two games, making his collegiate debut against the Ohio State Buckeyes. One season later, he started all 12 games for the Hoosiers and hasn't looked back since.

The veteran offensive lineman has started in 38 games throughout his collegiate career and is a massive weapon for Mendoza, who has only been sacked 18 times in 13 games (1.38 sacks per game).

This week, Smith and the No. 1 Hoosiers have to take on the Alabama Crimson Tide, a team that, while ranked No. 9 in the country, is one of the most experienced programs when it comes to the College Football Playoff.

On New Year's Day, No. 9 Alabama and No. 1 Indiana are scheduled to kick off their College Football Playoff quarterfinal matchup at the Rose Bowl at 4 p.m. ET, and the game will be broadcast on ESPN. With three days until kick off, the Hoosiers are still favored (by 7.5 points) to win.