Whenever you reach the mountaintop, there are always people waiting to knock you back down. After going 16-0 and winning the National Championship last season, that's exactly where the Indiana Hoosiers find themselves as the new college football season gets underway.
Despite going 27-2 over the past two seasons, there are still people out there who aren't sold on Indiana football just yet. Crazy, right? The doubters aren't nearly as numerous as they once were, but they are still out there. The latest group to raise an eyebrow at the Hoosiers? The betting public.
Bettors don't expect Indiana to make the CFP in 2026
When it comes to college football betting, one of the most popular wagers out there is whether or not a specific team will qualify for the College Football Playoff. Sportsbooks make these odds available early in the offseason, sometimes as early as immediately following the National Championship Game. The odds then fluctuate throughout the season.
In most cases, you are likely to find longer odds earlier rather than later, and thus, receive a better payout if your team does in fact make the CFP. For bettors, those shifting odds can offer valuable insight into how the public and sportsbooks view a team’s chances as the season moves along.
Heading into the 2026 season, the betting public is banking on Indiana seeing some serious regression this season. According to reporting from BetMGM's John Ewing, betting on Indiana to miss the CFP ranks as the fourth-most popular team wager in the country for that market. Teams ahead of the Hoosiers who the public is also fading include Texas A&M, LSU, and Ohio State.
Ranking every Indiana Football position group from strongest to weakest
In the 12-team CFP era, missing the playoffs likely means that Indiana would have to lose three games during the regular season to be on the outside looking in. The schedule is fairly manageable, and while there are certainly some tough matchups and tricky spots, Cignetti has proven that he is capable of navigating the Hoosiers to new heights.
Being doubted is nothing new for Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers
The Hoosiers are used to the underdog role. The turnaround that Cignetti has led in Bloomington is among the best stories in the history of sports. Cignetti took over the program with the most losses in college football history, and nobody expected him to do what he's done.
Even after going 11-1 and taking the Hoosiers to the CFP in his first season, the doubters still viewed IU as a flash-in-the-pan. A feel good story that wouldn't last. Well, we all know how that went. All Cignetti did was lead Indiana to a perfect 16-0 season that produced a Big Ten title, a Heisman Trophy winner, and a historic National Championship.
Even with last year's eye-popping season, it's clear that the doubters still remain. Everyone keeps waiting for Cignetti and the Hoosiers to fall. But Indiana continues to thrive. Heading into the 2026 campaign, the Cream and Crimson have another opportunity to prove the skeptics wrong and show that last two seasons were anything but a fluke.
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