Emotions had been sky-high around the Indiana football program after the No. 1 Hoosiers dominated No. 5 Oregon 56-22 in Friday’s College Football Playoff semifinal at the Peach Bowl. Indiana athletic director Scott Dolson has been praised for making what many consider one of the greatest hires in college sports history, bringing in Curt Cignetti from James Madison two years ago.
With the win, Indiana secured a spot in the CFP National Championship game, where it will face Miami on Jan. 19.
Indiana’s Peach Bowl Win Earns Comparisons to Unstoppable 2019 LSU
With the Peach Bowl win, Indiana is now set to enter the national title game against Miami with a flawless 15-0 record, which has sparked comparisons to LSU’s legendary 2019 team. While the parallels have gained much discussion, not everyone agrees with putting the Hoosiers in the same conversation as that historic Tigers squad.
“Im just gonna say this now before people start saying stupid shit. 2019 LSU would beat this Indiana team by 3 touchdowns. We don’t need to address this again,” Tingle & Co’s Noah Tingle tweeted.
LSU’s 2019 season is regarded as one of the most dominant in college football history. The Tigers went undefeated at 15-0, won the College Football Playoff National Championship, and had a record-breaking offense led by Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow.
Burrow recorded 5,671 receiving yards, completed 76.3% of his passes, and earned AP National Player of the Year honors while throwing to future NFL stars like Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson.
Meanwhile, Indiana has also built a phenomenal resume of its own this season. The Hoosiers won the Big Ten Championship and followed it up with the win over Oregon. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza claimed the Heisman Trophy after throwing for 3,172 yards, 36 touchdowns, and just 6 interceptions.
Despite Indiana boasting the nation’s top-ranked defense according to PFSN’s CFB Defense Impact Metrics, some still believe LSU’s mighty offensive firepower would ultimately win. However, some also think that Indiana’s defensive strength and overall balance would make the game far from a blowout.
Meanwhile, a key contributor to LSU’s 2019 title run, Breiden Fehoko, welcomed Indiana into the discussion.
“As a former captain of the greatest college football team ever 2019 LSU Tigers 15-0. I’d like to extend a formal invitation to @IndianaFootball on joining our fraternity,” Fehoko tweeted.
Whether Indiana truly belongs alongside LSU’s iconic run remains open to debate, but the program’s rapid rise over the past two years is undeniable. ESPN data shows the Hoosiers own a +473 point differential this season, tying them with 2019 Clemson for the highest ever among College Football Playoff title-game participants.
Indiana’s dominance is also proved by a rare historical stat, as the Hoosiers are one of only three FBS or equivalent programs to score at least 55 points and win by 30 or more in seven different games in a single season, joining 1886 Yale and 1885 Princeton.