Indiana is clearly scared of competition, as they have now cancelled the only Power-4 conference team on their schedule (outside of the Big Ten) for the next five years. That's right, the next five years, Indiana will play only cupcakes in their non-conference scheduling. You know which school is not shying away from tough non-conference opponents? Wisconsin. The Big Ten should be ashamed of Curt Cignetti's Hoosiers and reward the Badgers for sticking out two years of absolutely brutal schedules.
Indiana now has ZERO Power 4 non-con games scheduled over the next five years
— Pick Six Previews (@PickSixPreviews) July 15, 2025
9 vs. non-AQ
4 vs. FCS https://t.co/cue8ymPf2m
Wisconsin and Indiana have opposite stances on non-conference scheduling
There really is a clear path that Indiana is trying to schedule to the playoff. Cignetti and the Hoosiers are playing the odds here, with losses counting worse for your College Football Playoff resume than strength of schedule. The hard part for the Hoosiers is that it's embarrassing to avoid high-level competition all season just to get a ticket punched.
They also ruined themselves last year with this same strategy, so when they faced the toughest Big Ten opponents, they got punched in the mouth. They weren't quite ready for the test, which means that even if they fanagle their way into the playoffs with their cupcake schedule, they could get smashed as soon as they arrive.
Their toughest opponents this season are Oregon and Penn State. The drop off after that to Illinois is big enough that maybe they are hedging their bets on a two-loss playoff team from the Big Ten. That should bring shame to the Big Ten.
Wisconsin, on the other hand, is playing Alabama back-to-back years and staring down a gauntlet in the Big Ten. The Big Ten should be proud of the Badgers for not being scared of competition. In fact, Luke Fickell has said that his team embraces it and is staring it down as an opportunity to climb the mountain and do the impossible. That's how football should be, tough, not weak. Wanting the giants, not cancelling even the low-level power-4 schools like Virginia.
The Big Ten should be proud of Wisconsin and ashamed of Indiana.