Now that the CFP requires a 10th P4 game, Indiana will have to make a scheduling move for next season.
Given that we only have 4 home B1G games next season, I am sure we'll be looking for a home-and-home where we can host next year.
Quick research says that the most likely options will come from this group:
- Mizzou
- Kansas
- Arizona
- Cincy
- Texas Tech
- TCU
Also worth noting that Boston College currently has an EXTRA game scheduled in the non-con, and one of their currently scheduled games is vs Cincy, at home, on 9/18.
Seems a bit of a no-brainer to me that we'll figure out how to get Cincy locked in for 2027.
Cincinnati would be a great addition to the schedule.
Are we sure the B10 won't react with a 10 conference game schedule?
@iunorth Everything I've read has been that it's a P4 OOC game that would be added.
Hope is not optimism, which expects things to turn out well, but something rooted in the conviction that there is good worth working for. - Seamus Heaney, Irish poet and likely Hoosier basketball fan.
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@gros-louis Is the ACC still doing their weird some teams play 8 and some play 9 conference games?
Also my money is on Mizzou. They just got out of a series with Illinois.
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Cincy works well.
I see they are three spots ahead of North TX this year in FPI. 😎
@hooky Cincy makes a lot of sense then, seems like. They're the exact wrong kind of team I'd choose for Cig to schedule, if we could pick anyone. But logistically, if the BC thing causes them to be needing a game, IU is a great option for them, and its a short bus ride for both programs and their fans, for the next couple years.
I say they're the wrong kind of team because outside checking a P4 box, IU will get zero credit for beating them, over the good non P4 teams we've been scheduling, and the they're good enough that they could, for sure, beat IU. And if that happens, IU will get hammered for it.
Big, name brand teams like Texas, Bama, Clemson, etc... would be much better. Or futher down bottom feeder ACC or B12 teams. Middle/upper pack programs, without national brand names, are the worst.
Maybe Cig and Freeman will rekindle the ND series now?
I read that Arizona, Kansas, TCU, Texas Tech, and West Virginia are the only other P4 teams w/out an OOC P4 game on the schedule next year. I kinda wonder if it's one of those.
Hope is not optimism, which expects things to turn out well, but something rooted in the conviction that there is good worth working for. - Seamus Heaney, Irish poet and likely Hoosier basketball fan.
POTFB
Clemson is the only team playing 8 ACC games next year. And they have to have 2 more P4 games to supplement that schedule.@gros-louis Is the ACC still doing their weird some teams play 8 and some play 9 conference games?
Also my money is on Mizzou. They just got out of a series with Illinois.
As for Mizzou, yes, they still need to find a P4 non-con opponent, but they already have a road game vs SDSU, so I assume they want another home game and will be looking for someone willing to do that. I'm just thinking budgetarily, Cincy makes more sense for us and them, since they were already planning a road game next year. But hell, maybe that makes them a prime date for Mizzou instead. Although, Mizzou is showing 3 non-con games already, albeit none are P4.
What if we cant find an opponent? Just keep upping our bid to pay someone who said no? Until eventually we get a yes?
Mizzou used to be fun. In fact everybody mentioned would be cool. Id favor West Virginia, overrated Clemson. Not so much Cinci, although we would beat Cinci consistently.
Texas Tech is always highly overrated. Give me that game.
I'd love to see UK back on the schedule, especially if they can build off their success this year.
Maybe go on a rotation of P4 schools in the general "region": UK, UofL, Cincy, Iowa St., Mizzou. Solid group to pick from and rotate through. 2 SEC, 2 Big 12, and an ACC. Maybe throw Pitt or Virginia in there for a second ACC team.
Georgia has an opening for next year.
Georgia already plays a P4 non-con every year. I doubt they're looking for another one and I doubt we're looking for an opponent as stout as Georgia, given our recent scheduling history.Georgia has an opening for next year.
Unless UL and UK stop playing one another, it would be pretty dumb for either of them to schedule a home-home with yet another P4 school. Not just for W-L reasons, but also for revenue reasons.I'd love to see UK back on the schedule, especially if they can build off their success this year.
Maybe go on a rotation of P4 schools in the general "region": UK, UofL, Cincy, Iowa St., Mizzou. Solid group to pick from and rotate through. 2 SEC, 2 Big 12, and an ACC. Maybe throw Pitt or Virginia in there for a second ACC team.