Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said his team belongs in the 12-team College Football Playoff field despite Saturday’s 38-15 loss at Ohio State.
— Indiana coach Curt Cignetti didn’t think he needed to say it. Following Saturday’s 38-15 loss at Ohio State, do his upstart Hoosiers still belong in the 12-team playoff?
«Is that a serious question?» Cignetti responded defiantly. «I’m not even going to answer that one. The answer’s so obvious.»
Cignetti then smiled and nodded yes with a wink before exiting the postgame podium.
Tuesday will reveal whether the playoff selection committee agrees.
Indiana’s potential inclusion — or exclusion — figures to be the most controversial playoff storyline ahead of the final week of the regular season.
Before traveling to Columbus, the fifth-ranked Hoosiers (10-1) had been one of the most dominant teams in the country, reaching double-digit wins for the first time in program history.
They also became the first team since 1998 to start 8-0 without trailing once. All but one of the Hoosiers’ wins came by at least two touchdowns.
