Hoosier Huddle's Season Prediction Roundtable
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Image: Indiana athletics
Written by: TJ Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)
The college football is upon us, and the Hoosier Huddle staff is more than ready for kickoff. Each of the writers was presented with several questions concerning the 2023 college football season. Many of those questions focus on the Indiana Hoosiers with a few pertaining to the larger college football landscape. The results are as follows:
Who Leads IU in Rushing Yards?
Josh Henderson was the choice for all but one respondent. The only other answer was Jaylin Lucas. Henderson averaged 4.42 yards per carry in 2022 but only received 90 opportunities. He is expected to be the lead back for the Hoosiers in 2023.
Who Leads IU in Rushing TDs?
There was more divergence on this question. Two went with Henderson, two went with Jaylin Lucas and one answered Christian Turner. The transfer from Wake Forest is expected to factor into the running game and could very well carve out a short-yardage role.
Who Leads IU in Receiving TDs?
Perhaps affirmation of the depth at wide receiver for the Indiana Hoosiers, this question had three different answers as well: Cam Camper (1), E.J. Williams (2) and Donaven McCulley (2). IU only had 16 receiving touchdowns in 2022, a number that must increase this season. It was Josh Henderson’s four receiving touchdowns that led the way last season.
Who Leads IU in Receiving Yards?
The 2022 receiving leader was Cam Camper. He caught 46 passes for 569 yards, more than 150 yards more than the next receiver. The most impressive part? He did this despite playing in only seven games. After losing the rest of his season to an injury, Cam Camper is now healthy and Tom Allen declared him without limitations heading into the season opener. He was the unanimous choice to this question.
Who Leads IU in Passing Yards?
Is it a good thing or a bad thing that this question had three different responses and that all three are plausible choices? I’ll leave that for each reader to decide for themselves how they feel about that depth but two people chose Brendan Sorsby, two chose Tayven Jackson and one chose Dexter Williams.
Who Leads IU in Tackles?
Aaron Casey led Indiana in tackles in 2023 with 86 total tackles, a dozen more than Bryant Fitzgerald. In fact, of the top ten tacklers on the team in 2022, only Aaron Casey is on the roster in 2023. He was the answer for three respondents while HUSKY Noah Pierre was the choice of one and Stanford transfer Jacob Mangum-Farrar the choice of another.
Who Leads IU in Sacks?
Indiana only had 20 sacks as a team in 2022. That number simply must increase if the Hoosiers want to have a chance on defense. The team leaders were Dasan McCullough and Alfred Bryant, both with four. Noah Pierre is the top returning leader with three sacks. The answers to this question were both incoming transfers: Andre Carter got three votes while Lanell Carr got a pair.
Who Leads IU in Interceptions?
Again, the impact of IU’s transfer class is apparent in this answer as Jamier Johnson (1), JoJo Johnson (1) and Nic Toomer (2) all got votes. Phillip Dunnam, a sophomore from Florida that played as a freshman and is expected to take a leap forward this season, was the final player to receive a vote.
Who is IU’s Best Newcomer?
There are so many choices for this question. Newcomer could mean transfer and it could mean incoming freshman. As long as a player was not on IU’s roster in 2022, they qualify. Western Michigan transfer Andre Carter was the choice for four respondents. The All-MAC defensive linemen is considered by many to have been IU’s best defensive player during the spring and fall camp. Clemson transfer wideout E.J. Williams was the other choice.
IU’s Record in 2023?
The win total over/under for Indiana is 3.5 at most sportsbooks. The Hoosier Huddle staff is unanimously taking the over with everyone picking IU to win four or more games. Two respondents chose IU to finish 4-8 with a 2-7 record in the Big Ten. Three others have IU reaching a bowl game with a record of 6-6 and a 3-6 record in the Big Ten.
Who are the four teams in the College Football Playoff?
Turning our attention to the broader college football landscape, here are the predictions from the staff for the college football playoff team:
-Georgia, Michigan, USC, Penn State
-Georgia, Michigan, LSU, Clemson
-Georgia, Penn State, USC, Michigan
-Michigan, USC, LSU, Georgia
-Georgia, Ohio State, Michigan, Clemson
Who Will be the National Champion?-
Georgia was the choice of three people to complete the three-peat and prevail as national champion. Michigan was the team picked by two others.
Who is the biggest surprise in College Football? Biggest Disappointment?
We all have teams that we feel differently about than everyone else. We asked each writer which teams they were higher on and lower on than most.
-Penn State/Texas
-Oregon/Alabama
-Washington/Notre Dame
-Oregon State/Tennessee
-Florida State/Oregon
Who Wins the Heisman Trophy?
Finally, the writers were asked who would win college football’s greatest individual trophy. Three people chose USC’s Caleb Williams to repeat as the Heisman Trophy winner. Washington quarterback (and former Hoosier) Michael Penix Jr. got one vote and Clemson quarterback Cade Klubnik, now with Garrett Riley as offensive coordinator, got the other.