Paul Finebaum names top-five program that would crumble in the SEC

Popular college football radio host and personality Paul Finebaum has voiced his share of skepticism about the Indiana football program during its rise under coach Curt Cignetti the last two seasons, and it seems the No. 2-ranked Hoosiers still haven't convinced him they belong at that lofty stature in the polls.

Speaking at the Monday Morning Quarterback Club in Birmingham, Alabama, on Monday, Finebaum again had pointed thoughts on the 8-0 Hoosiers.

"I think Indiana is very dominating; they're extremely good. They won that big game against Oregon. I'd like to see Indiana go through the gauntlet that Alabama has gone through in the last five weeks -- they would not be undefeated," Finebaum said.

No. 4 Alabama (7-1) recently reeled off four straight wins over ranked SEC opponents with victories at Georgia, vs. Vanderbilt, at Missouri and vs. Tennessee before winning at unranked South Carolina over the weekend.

Indiana came out of nowhere last season in Cignetti's first year, won 11 games and reached the College Football Playoff as the biggest surprise in college football. But that Hoosiers team did have a favorable schedule, lost its only regular-season game vs. a ranked opponent (38-15 at Ohio State) and then lost in the first round of the playoffs to Notre Dame, 27-17. Of course, those were the two teams who ultimately played for the national championship, so not exactly damning defeats.

This year, Indiana has shown no vulnerabilities, winning 30-20 on the road at then-No. 3 Oregon in its toughest game for what was arguably one of the best road wins any team has had in college football this fall.

The Hoosiers also dominated then-No. 9 Illinois in a 63-10 victory in September, though the Fighting Illini are no longer ranked. A 20-15 win at Iowa is the only close game Indiana has played, and it just beat a streaking UCLA team 56-6.

Finebaum has been pointed in his critiques of Indiana previously, though, so this is not new.

When the Hoosiers gave Cignetti a new eight-year, $93 million contract earlier this month as the annual coaching carousel started revving up with Cignetti being popularly linked to the vacant Penn State job, Finebaum criticized the contract on ESPN.

"They did not," he said when asked if Indiana made the right move. "And before anybody jumps out of their chair, allow me to explain. I think everyone on this panel agrees that he's done a phenomenal job, but this is how programs get in trouble.

"They just gave him an extension and a contract raise at the end of last season. We are barely at the midpoint -- let it play out before you completely send the Brinks truck up. Can't you let it play out a little bit? He has one big win, maybe one and a half, including the win over Illinois."

Cignetti is 19-2 in his time at Indiana, including 13-1 in Big Ten games. He won more games in his first season in Bloomington than the Hoosiers had ever won in any season prior, and this 2025 team may well top that mark as it looks headed back to the CFP.