Indiana Surges in AP Poll, But Were the Hoosiers Disrespected by Voters?

Indiana entered its Week 4 outing vs. Illinois facing its usual criticism: the Hoosiers hadn’t proven themselves against a worthy opponent.

Sure, Indiana went 11-2 last year and earned a spot in the College Football Playoff, but even then, the naysayers pointed out there were zero ranked wins on the resume of Curt Cignetti’s squad.

Where is Indiana ranked in the latest AP Top 25 Poll?

Not since the season-opener in 2020 had the Hoosiers knocked off a top-25 squad. But on Saturday night, they had a prime opportunity to do just that with the ninth-ranked Illini visiting.

And not only did Indiana secure that ever-elusive ranked victory, but it did so in tremendously convincing fashion. From opening kickoff until the final buzzer, the Hoosiers controlled the game in every aspect imaginable, steamrolling the visitors by a nearly incomprehensible score of 63-10.

Play-by-play down the field. @CountryMark Drive of the Game pic.twitter.com/a5Ey6mKApJ
— Indiana Football (@IndianaFootball) September 21, 2025

Through five total weeks of college football games, there has not been a bigger statement victory than Indiana’s thrashing of Illinois on Saturday

So, what spot did that earn the Hoosiers in Sunday’s AP poll? Well, they naturally surged from their No. 19 ranking – and nearly cracked the top ten.

Sep 20, 2025; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti celebrates after defeating the Illinois Fighting Illini at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

The voters slid Indiana up to No. 11 in the country – which is good for the fourth-highest ranking in the Big Ten. (No. 1 Ohio State, No. 3 Penn State, and No. 6 Oregon lead the way for the conference.)

Meanwhile, the Hoosiers sent the Illini freefalling from No. 9 all the way down to No. 23. Unsurprisingly, Indiana was the biggest climber of the week, while Illinois had the steepest drop.

Should Indiana be in the top ten?

Taking down a top ten team in any capacity is a notable accomplishment. And, yes, home-field advantage should be taken into account.

But the location of the contest, or the injuries sustained by Illinois’ secondary can only impact the game so much. Nothing can make up for a 53-point deficit.

The message was clear: Indiana is the better team – and by a country mile. Perhaps Illinois was overrated, but, at least in the eyes of AP voters, Bret Bielema’s club is still one of the top 25 teams in the nation.

Controlling the game in every phase, to the extent that Indiana did, against a top-25 team is undoubtedly worthy of top ten status.

Nevertheless, the AP rankings are just one measuring stick. All that matters at the end of the day is the final outcome when the scoreboard hits double zeroes every Saturday.

And with Cignetti at the helm, one can be assured the Hoosiers have none of their attention on winning over voters or the CFP committee, and all of their focus channeled towards winning football games. Fortunately, those two things often work hand in hand.