This is the greatest season in IU football history. 1945 and 1967 are 2 and 3. There may be a very small number of living IU football fans who remember 1945. A much larger number are old enough to remember 1967 (which, sadly, ended with a loss in the Rose Bowl). I'm thinking, though, of the many born after about 1960 and already deceased. For them it was mostly season after season of bad football. Yes, there were some good seasons sprinkled in. The Holiday Bowl season of 1979 and the 1987 season (defeating Michigan and Ohio State, but then losing to MSU in the most important game of the year) are two examples. Much more recently, the 2019 Gator Bowl season and the 2020 Covid-shortened Outback Bowl season suggested that we had finally turned the corner. But, in a way, those years were a terrible tease as we began the 2021 season nationally ranked, and then fell off a cliff.
I know it's only football. It's not that important in the grand scheme of things. But for many fans, the success of their team brings happiness. It's also an escape from the shit that happens in life. I feel for the thousands of IU fans who aren't here to experience this season. They missed the Big Ten championship. They missed the first #1 ranking in IU football history. They missed seeing the first Heisman winner in IU history. They missed the Rose Bowl beatdown of mighty Alabama. They'll miss the (hopefully) two remaining games, including the natty in Miami.
But who knows. Maybe they've got the best seat in the house.
I wasn't alive for '67, so my top two Hoosier teams are '24 and '25.
In Cig I trust.
It’s amazing given how historically awful this program has been that it has spent multiple weeks ranked in the top ten in three of the last six seasons.
They all.walked so we could run! Which is why we should celebrate this endlessly. Cheers to them!
What are the odds that as soon as all non-playoff related bowl games became virtually meaningless, IU would find themselves here? Playing into mid-January. Not just the granddaddy of them all, but also the Peach Bowl.
There are no more bowl games outside of the CFP games. Our Peach Bowl is the last bowl game of the year. Fans globally of all other programs have to turn into our game and dream they could be us. There is no way this is real, right? Are we REALLY one win away from being in the frickin NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP?????
“Are we REALLY one win away from being in the frickin NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP???”
(checks notes)
Yes. Yes we are.
Great post. The closest thing this season comes to, for me, is the Cubs in 2016.This is the greatest season in IU football history. 1945 and 1967 are 2 and 3. There may be a very small number of living IU football fans who remember 1945. A much larger number are old enough to remember 1967 (which, sadly, ended with a loss in the Rose Bowl). I'm thinking, though, of the many born after about 1960 and already deceased. For them it was mostly season after season of bad football. Yes, there were some good seasons sprinkled in. The Holiday Bowl season of 1979 and the 1987 season (defeating Michigan and Ohio State, but then losing to MSU in the most important game of the year) are two examples. Much more recently, the 2019 Gator Bowl season and the 2020 Covid-shortened Outback Bowl season suggested that we had finally turned the corner. But, in a way, those years were a terrible tease as we began the 2021 season nationally ranked, and then fell off a cliff.
I know it's only football. It's not that important in the grand scheme of things. But for many fans, the success of their team brings happiness. It's also an escape from the shit that happens in life. I feel for the thousands of IU fans who aren't here to experience this season. They missed the Big Ten championship. They missed the first #1 ranking in IU football history. They missed seeing the first Heisman winner in IU history. They missed the Rose Bowl beatdown of mighty Alabama. They'll miss the (hopefully) two remaining games, including the natty in Miami.
But who knows. Maybe they've got the best seat in the house.
When they won it, thousands (tens of thousands?) rushed to Wrigley to just be there. Many brought chalk and wrote the names of their loved ones who died before being able to witness what we had all wanted for so long onto the brick outfield walls along Sheffield and Waveland. That happened over the next few days. Special time.
Is there a place near the Memorial Stadium that fans could do that?
I've been attending games since my freshman year in 1986, and yes the Mallory years were great, but nothing compares to this season. I know all IU fans must feel the same, evidenced by how Hoosiers completely took over Pasadena last week.
I was alive in '67, but was a toddler. I can't remember any sports before until about 1969 when I saw George McGinnis play HS basketball and then I became an IU fan.
"You can't make someone listen to reason if they aren't willing to think"-- Ray Bradbury, Fahrenheit 451
They all.walked so we could run! Which is why we should celebrate this endlessly. Cheers to them!
What are the odds that as soon as all non-playoff related bowl games became virtually meaningless, IU would find themselves here? Playing into mid-January. Not just the granddaddy of them all, but also the Peach Bowl.
There are no more bowl games outside of the CFP games. Our Peach Bowl is the last bowl game of the year. Fans globally of all other programs have to turn into our game and dream they could be us. There is no way this is real, right? Are we REALLY one win away from being in the frickin NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP?????
They mentioned this again during the hoops game last night how it would be beyond awesome if IU football were to go undefeated and win the natty 50 years after we did it in basketball. And so cool that Fisch would have called both!!
No men's D1 hoops team has gone undefeated since we did it in '75-'76. There have been many undefeated D1/FBS national champs in football over the years but, if we win two more, I believe we'd be the first 16 wins/16-0 team in the history of major college football, at least in the modern era.
@big-ryan Luckily I am still here witnessing this unbelievable year. My parents took me to IUFB and IUBB before I can remember. I grew up in the "knothole section" both locations. Attended the 68 Rose Bowl as a teen. I went to Corso led teams play at LSU, Arizona and Nebraska. I have sat in a stadium so empty in Bloomington with my scalper bought tickets between the 40 yard lines no higher than 20 rows and was able to stretch my legs out on the row in front of me. Pouring rain in an Illinois game, snow at Purdue games, etc ... oh and the DiNardo trip to Seattle. A lot of games.
I think IU wins by 21 tonight ... I have pissed off every Oregon fan with that post on X ... I even explained the how's and why's. 
They mentioned this again during the hoops game last night how it would be beyond awesome if IU football were to go undefeated and win the natty 50 years after we did it in basketball. And so cool that Fisch would have called both!!
No men's D1 hoops team has gone undefeated since we did it in '75-'76. There have been many undefeated D1/FBS national champs in football over the years but, if we win two more, I believe we'd be the first 16 wins/16-0 team in the history of major college football, at least in the modern era.
The moon and stars have lined up for that to happen. Yes in the modern era ... Yale did it last like in 1894 going 16-0.
@big-ryan Being on the down hill slide toward 85 yrs. old, I dang near missed it after wandering the desert for years in my IU gear. 😉
@big-ryan Luckily I am still here witnessing this unbelievable year. My parents took me to IUFB and IUBB before I can remember. I grew up in the "knothole section" both locations. Attended the 68 Rose Bowl as a teen. I went to Corso led teams play at LSU, Arizona and Nebraska. I have sat in a stadium so empty in Bloomington with my scalper bought tickets between the 40 yard lines no higher than 20 rows and was able to stretch my legs out on the row in front of me. Pouring rain in an Illinois game, snow at Purdue games, etc ... oh and the DiNardo trip to Seattle. A lot of games.
I think IU wins by 21 tonight ... I have pissed off every Oregon fan with that post on X ... I even explained the how's and why's.
Love that history. Thanks!
I'm with you. I think IU wins big, by 17 or so. We look unstoppable.
I like the fact that ALL of our coaches are singularly focused on our team and this game. Oregon has two coordinators who are halfway out the door. They've been busy putting staffs and rosters together at their new schools and, since Jan 2, they've been dealing with the portal. I don't care how good they are at multitasking. Simultaneously handling two big jobs at two different schools can't maximize the results at either one. Advantage: IU.
@big-ryan wish Mallory and Hep could have seen this, glad Corso gets to see it
Coogan gonna drag Oregon to the deep end in 4 hours !!!’
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