Indiana’s clear problem against the big dogs is controlling the line of scrimmage. Kurtis had no time in the pocket against Ohio State if he didn’t throw it immediately. It was a little better against Penn State last night, but they couldn’t run the ball at all. I don’t think Kurtis had anything to do with those losses.

Love Rourke. Love Indiana’s turnaround. Cig’s shtick wore thin pretty quick. I do love a brash personality, but you have to be factual in your brashness. WE BEAT THE SHIT OUT OF TOP 25 TEAMS.

My brother… you played one Top 25 (now two) and they beat the shit out of you. You just look goofy.

Also ran for almost 60 on 7 carries. In a field position battle, that was important.

Oregon proved that they didn't belong in the playoff.

Georgia didn't belong either.

Gunner Stockton - sweet name - was nearly a Top 100 recruit (110) though, he's no slouch.

Nobody belongs after a loss. People are up in arms and I love it. If you don't win... then you don't win. This happens all the time in the ncaa tournament. Sometimes the best team doesn't win. ND played elite defense, elite special teams. They earned the shit out of that W.

Was thinking the same.

I'm not arguing that Indiana did belong. I understand the arguments against them. I definitely think that Indiana's resume was better than those left out. Going 11-1 against Indiana's schedule is tougher to do than going 9-3 against Alabama's, and as I have said, the actual outcome of games has to matter a lot and not mearly who we think is better where the actual outcome of close games would barely matter. That is NOT saying that win-loss record is what should matter. Alabama's schedule is a lot harder. That is not nearly as lopsided as a comparison as it at first sounds. What has to matter, and matter a lot, is just what I said. Which win-loss record was harder to achieve. Indiana wins that comparison still. Winning all those games against good, but not top ten teams, is not given. Top ten teams drop those games constantly. The case in point is all the teams that were left out kept dropping them. Now, I do think Alabama would have been favored to beat Indiana and I am OK with that being part of, but certainly not all of, the equation and would have been OK with Alabama being in over Indiana.

My point is the unbelievable double standard here. I think it is gatekeeping. Imagine if Alabama had a season where they pummeled a schedule full of Vanderbilts and Oklahomas while going 11-1 with a loss to Texas while Indiana beat Penn State and Ohio State while dropping three games to Nebraska, Rutgers, and Minnesota. Alabama would be put in the playoff in that situation and nobody argues with it and nobody would take the completely irrelevant ex post facto data point of Alabama losing in the first round as an argument for Indiana just like we didn't for blue bloods like Oregon and Georgia. What is good for the goose is good for the gander.

I'm on record weeks ago saying that IMO this committee didn't weigh strength of schedule enough. I also believe counting quality wins is another form of gatekeeping. When it comes to the basketball tournament obviously a P5 team has more opportunities. What matters is not quality wins but how many wins SHOULD a tournament calibur team be expected to have against that schedule. Also, beating Georgia while losing to Vanderbilt is no more or less impressive, no more or less a good indication of how good you are based on historical data, that doing the opposite. Indiana's 11-1 record WAS more impressive than all the teams left out. It just was. That's why they were put in. While that maybe doesn't have to be everything actually winning games has to matter otherwise we are living in a world where the actual outcome of close games won't matter if we just pick the teams that would be favored to beat the other teams by the oddsmakers.

Worth pointing out former Bobcat Torrie Cox made some big plays for Illinois this year at corner, including in their bowl game.

I believe that N. Illinois beating ND might have been the best thing that happened to the Irish. Every game after that loss, in a sense, was a playoff game for ND. Freeman and Co. knew they couldn't afford another loss and make the playoffs. They have been playing with focus and determination since. We'll see if it continues next week in Miami.

"Illinois could have beaten Indiana had they played...just facts" - Really not facts. That is an opinion.

I feel quite confident Illinois is more that a touchdown underdog and quite possibly double digit. But who knows who would win. I'm sure one team would win some of the time and another some of the time.

You’re right. I retract my ridiculous comment. It’s my opinion.