With Indiana Football Idle, Here’s A Viewing Guide For Week 7 Games Affecting The Hoosiers

Indiana fans can see the ramifications play out in the Big Ten, in the Associated Press Top 25, and for teams that could help the Hoosiers’ strength of schedule.

The Oregon Ducks football team run out on the field before a game against the Boise State Broncos at Autzen Stadium. The game of the week is No. 2 Ohio State's visit to No. 3 Oregon. / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana football is off this Saturday. It’s one of the two bye weeks the Hoosiers have in the 2024 season. The other is in mid-November.

When you’re 6-0, bye weeks might be viewed as a bad thing, but Indiana coach Curt Cignetti noted that several players needed some rest. There’s also the matter of linebacker Jailin Walker’s health. He was injured towards the end of the first half in Indiana’s 41-24 victory at Northwestern.

So with rest at hand, Indiana can scoreboard-watch with the rest of us. The Hoosiers are undefeated halfway through their season, so there’s multiple fronts to track.

There is, of course, the Big Ten chase. Far from over, with several teams having only played two conference games, Indiana has put itself in a position to imagine conference championship possibilities. There is, however, no margin for error. Not for the Hoosiers, not for anyone.

There’s Indiana place in the rankings pecking order. Which teams are around them and in front of them where a loss could see the Hoosiers move up?

Finally, there’s strength of schedule. Fans don’t like to hear it, but Indiana’s strength of schedule is very weak. The Hoosiers are going to need help from their beaten opponents as Indiana’s schedule is ranked 108th by ESPN. Among Power Four schools, only Ohio State has had an easier slate, but that will change for the Buckeyes this week when they go to Oregon.

Poor schedules are not looked at kindly by the College Football Playoff committee when the time comes, so any help Indiana can get from its beaten foes would be helpful.

Big Ten title chase

Ohio State Buckeyes running back Quinshon Judkins (1) tackles Iowa Hawkeyes defensive back Sebastian Castro (29) before Castro could sack quarterback Will Howard (18) in the third quarter at Ohio Stadium on Saturday. / Samantha Madar/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

- Washington at Iowa, Noon ET Saturday, FOX: Essentially an elimination game as far as Big Ten title contention is concerned as both teams have one conference loss. Both teams have excellent defenses so this could be a low-scoring affair.

- Wisconsin at Rutgers, Noon ET Saturday, Big Ten Network: Another battle of one-loss teams in conference play. Rutgers has looked convincing and Wisconsin has been erratic, but both teams have the propensity to go into vapor-lock offensively.

- No. 4 Penn State at USC, 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday, CBS: One of those new Big Ten matchups that pit two traditional powers. The Nittany Lions are protecting a perfect Big Ten record. The Trojans lost road games at Michigan and Minnesota, but they won’t be easy to topple in L.A.

- Purdue at No. 23 Illinois, 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday, FS1: Purdue could do their in-state rivals a solid with an upset win, but Indiana fans should not hold their breath. The Boilermakers have been abysmal, and Illinois has been solid. It would be a major surprise if the Purdue Cannon stayed on the Indiana side of the state line.

- No. 2 Ohio State at No. 3 Oregon, 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday, NBC: A clash of titans. From Indiana’s perspective, you could look at this game two different ways.

An Oregon win knocks Ohio State down a peg. With the Buckeyes having a punishing schedule, they could slip to two conference losses and open a door for the Hoosiers. However, this scenario also makes the Ducks harder for the Hoosiers to catch as they don’t play one another.

For that reason, an Ohio State win could be seen as a positive as the Hoosiers get a shot at the Buckeyes on Nov. 23 at Ohio Stadium.

Is all of this putting a king-sized cart ahead of the horse? Of course it is, but if a football fan can’t dream of the possibilities, what’s the point of it all?

Top 25 ramifications

Oklahoma's #19, Justin Brown, goes up for a touchdown catch as Texas #6, Quandre Diggs, tries to defend during the second half of action in the Red River Rivalry held at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas, on Saturday, October 13, 2012. Oklahoma defeated Texas 63-21. RODOLFO GONZALEZ / AMERICAN-STATESMAN / RODOLFO GONZALEZ / USA TODAY NETWORK

- No. 16 Utah vs. Arizona State, 10:30 p.m. ET Friday, ESPN: The Utes suffered a loss already, so another one in Tempe would almost certainly place them behind the Hoosiers.

- No. 1 Texas vs. No. 18 Oklahoma, 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday, ABC: The Sooners are one of two teams tied with the Hoosiers in a rare three-way tie in the AP Top 25. The Red River Rivalry is always unpredictable, but the Longhorns have been mighty impressive to-date and might do the Hoosiers a solid in the Cotton Bowl.

- Arizona at No. 14 BYU, 4 p.m. ET Saturday, FOX: The unbeaten Cougars should probably be ranked higher. They won at No. 25 SMU on the road and hammered No. 18 Kansas State at home. Alas, BYU is not ranked higher, so if they lose, Indiana could pass them. Arizona won’t be a pushover. The Wildcats knocked Utah from the unbeaten ranks at the Utes place just two weeks ago.

- No. 9 Ole Miss at No. 13 LSU, 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday, ABC: Indiana fans should be on the side of former Indiana safety Louis Moore and the rest of the Rebels. An Ole Miss victory would likely send the Hoosiers past the Tigers, but winning in Death Valley is no easy task.

- No. 18 Kansas State at Colorado, 10:15 p.m. ET Saturday, ESPN: The Wildcats are the other team Indiana is tied with in the AP Top 25. Colorado has fallen out of favor nationally after its loss at Nebraska on Sept. 7, but since then they’ve knocked off Colorado State, Baylor and won at Central Florida. Kansas State won’t have an easy time in Boulder. If they win, they will likely pass the Hoosiers, but a loss would obviously benefit Indiana.

- No. 17 Boise State at Hawaii, 11 p.m. ET Saturday,  CBS Sports Network: The 2-3 Rainbow Warriors are unlikely to put up much of a fight against the Broncos, who nearly beat Oregon in Eugene in Week 2, so the Hoosiers would be playing with rankings house money if Hawaii pulled the upset.

The man to watch here is Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty. He’s already topped 1,000 rushing yards (1,031) on his way to a ridiculous 10.9 yards per carry and 218.2 yards average per game.

Strength of schedule considerations

UCLA Bruins kicker Mateen Bhaghani (94) reacts after kicking a field goal during the second quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. / Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

- Liberty 31, Florida International 24, OT: One game has been played, and it didn’t help the Hoosiers. FIU’s seven-point overtime loss on Tuesday is respectable as Liberty is a quality team, but that does the Hoosiers no good. FIU is 2-4, but only has one FBS win.

- Northwestern at Maryland, 8 p.m. ET Friday, FS1: Indiana will break even here. Two teams the Hoosiers have beaten will cancel each other out with a win and a loss.

- Minnesota at UCLA, 9 p.m. ET Saturday, Big Ten Network: Minnesota is coming off a big home win over Southern California. UCLA has lost all three Big Ten games it’s played. The Golden Gophers are not noted for sustaining momentum, and the Bruins are at home. A win for UCLA would do Indiana some good.

Related stories on Indiana football

• NEBRASKA GAME SOLD OUT: Indiana announced that its Homecoming game against Nebraska on Oct. 19 is sold out. CLICK HERE.

• BRING COLLEGE GAMEDAY TO BLOOMINGTON: Todd Golden thinks the Hoosiers have earned it and that it would be great to bring former Indiana coach Lee Corso back to Bloomington. CLICK HERE.

• HOW INDIANA AND THE REST OF THE BIG TEN SCHEDULES COMPARE: How does Indiana's remaining slate matchup with its Big Ten rivals? CLICK HERE.

• HOOSIERS ON SI REVISITS PRESEASON PREDICTIONS: Look back on what Jack Ankony and Todd Golden got right and what they got wrong before the season began. CLICK HERE.

• CIGNETTI LEANS ON GROUP OF FIVE TALENT TO WIN: Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti has leaned into Group Of Five transfers to form his core and it has paid off. CLICK HERE.