Kirk Herbstreit Names College Football Team He's 'More Impressed' By This Season

"I'm more impressed with Indiana this year than last year, and I don't know if they're a better team," Herbstreit said. "Only because they're playing teams. They're going to Oregon in a couple of weeks, Penn State."

Indiana’s Path Gets Tougher

A big reason Herbstreit thinks the Hoosiers are better is because of the schedule. Last season, while they won 11 games, they didn't defeat a team that won more than eight games. The two teams played against a team that won more than eight games, and they lost in dominating fashion.

One of those losses was a 38-15 loss to the Ohio State Buckeyes during the regular season and the other loss was a 27-17 loss to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the playoff. However, Indiana trailed against Notre Dame 27-3 with less than two minutes left in the game. Those two teams went on to play for the national championship.

What It Means for Indiana’s Playoff Hopes

Up to this point, Indiana already has one ranked win. But it still has much to prove, especially with Oregon and Penn State waiting on the schedule. But as Herbstreit pointed out, this year’s Hoosiers are already proving themselves in tougher games than they faced last season. If Indiana can survive its upcoming gauntlet, there may be no doubt left, the Hoosiers are more than just a one-year playoff Cinderella.