Examining The Series
The Indiana Hoosiers were riding a major hot streak entering their series against the Hawkeyes, winning five out of their past six games. Then, the streak came to a screeching halt, as Indiana was swept by Iowa over the weekend. Each of the three games was not particularly close either, and it really puts a damper on what was a strong run of form. To read more on the Iowa series specifically, check out Campbell Manahan’s wonderful recap here.
Now, the Hoosiers are traveling to Louisville, Kentucky, to take on the Louisville Cardinals in a one-game series. The Cardinals are having a great year and will present a tough test for the Hoosiers. Let’s dig into the national rankings for more specifics:
Indiana: The Hoosiers are back into triple digits, as they now rank 114th in the country by RPI ranking and 111th in the country by ELO ranking. They are now 5-5 in their last 10 games and have the 55th toughest schedule in the country as well.
Louisville: The Cardinals are an interesting case. As I mentioned above, they are having a great year, and they are a strong team, but they bring several outliers to the equation as well. They rank 86th in the country by RPI ranking and rise all the way up to 28th in the country by ELO ranking. They are 7-3 in their last 10 games but have a strength of schedule ranking of 80th in the country. Additionally, they have played 29 home games this year to just 15 away/neutral games. As such, there is a chance Louisville has benefitted from a favorable schedule thus far in 2026 and could be caught off guard by these Hoosiers.
Indiana Stats and Figures
14th: The Hoosiers rank 14th in the Big Ten Standings as of this writing. This is of utmost importance, as only the top 12 teams in the Big Ten qualify for the Big Ten Tournament at season’s end. The most recent Iowa series presented a great opportunity – at home no less – for the Hoosiers to rise in the standings and make their case for the 12th spot. Instead, the sweep puts them heavily behind the eight ball as the season nears its end.
2nd: The Hoosiers have the 2nd-oldest weighted average age in the Big Ten when it comes to their pitchers on the roster. Despite the experience boasted by Hoosier pitchers, they rank 14th in the Big Ten by way of ERA with a team-wide mark of 6.54. Over the past several years, it seems pitching has consistently remained an issue with the Indiana baseball program. If the Hoosiers truly wish to make it back to relevance in the Big Ten and nationwide, sweeping changes need to occur.
Prediction and Next Series
I was incredibly wrong on my previous prediction, saying the Hoosiers would win two out of three against Iowa, so I, like the Hoosiers, have some wind taken out of my sails. However, let’s hope I’m wrong again, as I am predicting that the Hoosiers lose against the Cardinals by a score of 5-1.
After hosting the Cardinals, the Hoosiers then travel to Evanston to take on the Northwestern Wildcats next weekend. Be on the lookout for a preview and recap of that series later this week!
Stay locked in with Hoosier Huddle for recaps of IU baseball games and series, along with previews examining each one ahead of time. Go Hoosiers!
All ranking metrics courtesy of warrennolan.com. All other metrics courtesy of baseball-reference.com