From the onset of Faculty Soccer Playoff growth, it was all the time going to be only a matter of time earlier than we had our first 16–0 FBS champion.
It took 5 years earlier than we had our first 15–0 champion (Clemson in 2018) as soon as the four-team CFP started in 2014.
So it’s a little bit of a shock that in simply the second yr of the 12-team playoff, one workforce is one win away from perfection.
The actual shock, although, is the workforce which is that near doing it.
Nobody would have believed again in August of 2024 that Indiana and Curt Cignetti could be those with the primary likelihood to make historical past.
Indiana, which had by no means had even a 10-win season 14 months in the past.
Indiana, the losingest program in faculty soccer historical past.
That very same Indiana can have a authentic declare at having the single-best workforce in faculty soccer historical past if it beats Miami on Monday night time to carry residence a nationwide championship the fanbase in all probability by no means imagined was a distant chance.
Even earlier than the ultimate recreation begins, Indiana already has the very best single-season level differential by a workforce within the CFP period at +473. That’s six factors higher than 2018 Clemson (+467) and 75 factors higher than 2019 LSU (+398), a current workforce thrust into the “better of all time” dialog.
One might level out the schedule discrepancy between these two groups. Indiana performed simply two groups within the common season which ended up within the last CFP rankings. That LSU workforce performed simply three groups within the last rankings.
Any doubt of Indiana’s candidacy has been put to relaxation by the Hoosiers’ robust run over their final three video games.
As nice as their 12–0 common season was, loads of individuals doubted if No. 2 Indiana might beat No. 1 Ohio State within the Huge Ten Championship Recreation. It did, 13–10.
Then there have been the doubts about how Indiana would measure up towards Alabama from the mighty Southeastern Convention. Extremely effectively, because it seems, in a 38–3 domination within the Rose Bowl.
By way of two years of the 12-team playoff, Indiana is the one top-four seed to win its quarterfinal. The others are 0–7.
Then got here the semifinal, the place it appeared completely doable a particularly proficient Oregon would avenge its solely lack of the season and beat Indiana in a Peach Bowl rematch. As soon as once more, Indiana left little doubt, wrapping issues up effectively earlier than the clock hit zero in a 56–22 destruction.
The Hoosiers have a Heisman-winning quarterback, elite skill-position gamers, dominant trenches and an opportunistic, stifling protection.
And maybe most significantly for his or her candidacy in the very best workforce of all time dialog, they take opponents’ souls, as evidenced by the CFP run up to now.
If Indiana can beat Miami — in entrance of what needs to be a heavy Hoosier crowd primarily based on its first two playoff video games even when the sport is being performed within the Hurricanes’ residence stadium — it has a authentic case to be made.
Contemplating Indiana’s observe document as a program, I’m nonetheless undecided we’ve given Cignetti sufficient credit score for the monster he’s inbuilt Bloomington.
And contemplating the loaded switch class becoming a member of this system subsequent season, it appears clear the Hoosiers aren’t going wherever.
