Indiana shocked the college football world by canceling its Virginia series and replacing it with weaker opponents. Now, critics are questioning whether the Hoosiers can maintain their playoff credibility moving forward.
The Indiana Hoosiers are back in the headlines after backing out of their home-and-home series with Virginia, originally set for 2027 and 2028. The move comes with a price as Indiana will owe the Cavaliers $500,000 for pulling the plug.
But the bigger story lies in who the Hoosiers chose to replace them with.
Rather than another Power Five opponent, Indiana has added home games against Kennesaw State in 2027, Austin Peay in 2028, and Eastern Illinois in 2029. Combined, those three programs totaled just nine wins last season.
Indiana hasn’t offered an official explanation for backing out of the Virginia series, but the decision is already raising eyebrows.
It comes not long after a breakthrough 2024 season under new head coach Curt Cignetti, when the Hoosiers shocked the college football world by earning their first-ever College Football Playoff berth. But their inclusion didn’t come without backlash.
Many questioned whether Indiana truly earned the spot, especially with traditional powers like Alabama and Miami left on the outside looking in.
Now, with Indiana swapping a Power Five opponent for lower-tier programs, the criticism around their scheduling isn’t going away anytime soon. And if the Hoosiers make another playoff push in the next few years, their nonconference slate is sure to be a talking point.
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Now, with Indiana reshaping its future schedules, concerns about strength of schedule are only growing louder. Swapping out a competitive ACC opponent for weaker programs won’t do much to calm those doubts—and could create even more tension if the Hoosiers find itself in future playoff discussions.
The pressure’s on in Bloomington as Indiana navigates what comes next.
This scheduling shake-up could either propel them forward or bring even more heat from doubters. Either way, it’s a storyline that’s far from settled.
Category: General Sports
