Hoosiers Now

Indiana Football Rises in AP Top 25 Poll: What It Means for Hoosiers

Indiana football is up to No. 7 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll for Week 7, 11 spots higher than it was at the same point last season.
Daniel Flick|
Indiana coach Curt Cignetti looks on during the fourth quarter against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium.
Indiana coach Curt Cignetti looks on during the fourth quarter against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium. | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

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Indiana Hoosiers

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana football has risen another spot in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, jumping to No. 7 following its bye week.

The Hoosiers (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) benefitted from the demise of Penn State (3-2, 0-2 Big Ten), as the Nittany Lions fell 42-37 to previously winless UCLA on Saturday. Penn State, the preseason No. 2 team in the country, started the road trip ranked No. 7. Now, the Nittany Lions are unranked.

Indiana is now the third highest-ranked Big Ten team, trailing No. 1 Ohio State and No. 3 Oregon. The Hoosiers and Ducks will square off at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, pitting two of the conference's elite opponents in a potential statement-making affair.

No. 15 Michigan and No. 17 Illinois are the only other Big Ten teams in the top 25. Penn State received 97 votes while Nebraska secured 60 votes, the third- and fifth-most, respectively, among those who aren't ranked. Washington landed 10 votes.

Indiana is also No. 7 in the US LBM Coaches poll.

What it means for Indiana

The Hoosiers are 11 spots higher in the Week 7 AP poll this year than they were in 2024 despite carrying an unbeaten record both seasons.

Indiana has better wins in 2025, beating Illinois 63-10 in Week 4 and clawing out a 20-15 road victory over Iowa in Week 5, but the Hoosiers are receiving more national respect while building on their breakthrough 2024 season.

From a scheduling perspective, Indiana's looming matchup with Oregon is now slated to be its last against a ranked team this year. The Hoosiers will play at Penn State on Nov. 8, but the Ducks and Nittany Lions are Indiana's only two future opponents who are ranked or received votes in the Week 7 poll.

Full AP Top 25:
1. Ohio State (40)
2. Miami (21)
3. Oregon (5)
4. Ole Miss
5. Texas A&M
6. Oklahoma
7. Indiana
8. Alabama
9. Texas Tech
10. Georgia
11. LSU
12. Tennessee
13. Georgia Tech
14. Missouri
15. Michigan
16. Notre Dame
17. Illinois
18. BYU
19. Virginia
20. Vanderbilt
21. Arizona State
22. Iowa State
23. Memphis
24. South Florida
25. Florida State

Published
Daniel Flick
DANIEL FLICK

Daniel Flick is a senior in the Indiana University Media School and previously covered IU football and men's basketball for the Indiana Daily Student. Daniel also contributes NFL Draft articles for Sports Illustrated, and before joining Indiana Hoosiers On SI, he spent three years writing about the Atlanta Falcons and traveling around the NFL landscape for On SI. Daniel is the winner of the Joan Brew Scholarship, and he will cover Indiana sports once more for the 2025-26 season.

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