Rich Plants an Indiana Flag

Rich watched an Indiana Pro Day air on live television, acknowledged how strange that sentence is, and then planted a flag on the Hoosiers making the College Football Playoff next year.

The framing was dry. Indiana Pro Day, covered live. Words Rich had never said in 56 years. Words, Chris cracked, he probably wouldn't say again. Rich pushed back. Why wouldn't he? Kurt Cignetti is the coach. He's built a program. Google him if the staff doesn't believe it.

The on-ramp to the prediction was Fernando Mendoza. Rich called him the first overall pick, full stop. Watching him throw in shorts with nobody chasing him was enough. He'll go first. His career is going to be fun to watch. The question on the table was whether Mendoza was Indiana's one shot at national relevance.

Rich said no, loudly. Indiana is not a one-hit program. They're going to be one of the excellent Big Ten teams this fall. They'll win double-digit games. They'll be in the mix for the College Football Playoff.

Chris played the skeptic. They're not making the playoff. Rich took the action. He called his shot, on the record, with the over-under sitting at 10.5 wins for the Hoosiers. Take the over. Michigan's sits at 8.5, also over.

The broader case was about the conference. Rich ran through the Big Ten dominance tour. The last three football national champions were Big Ten programs. Michigan started it. Ohio State followed. Indiana's the latest argument that the league runs the sport. Five of the Sweet Sixteen were Big Ten teams. Half the Elite Eight. Half the Final Four. In football, in basketball, this is a Big Ten world right now.

The favorites to win the natty next year, per the numbers Chris pulled, went Ohio State, Notre Dame, Texas. Indiana wasn't in the top three. Rich didn't care. Twelve teams make the playoff. The bar isn't to be the favorite. The bar is to be one of twelve.

He landed on a simple line of argument. Cignetti is collecting rent in the Big Ten. He has already told everyone what he's going to do. Do yourself a favor and Google the coach. Don't overthink this one.

The broader Pittsburgh aside was fun too. Rich floated that the Steelers might have missed on Cignetti, that they could have brought him home. It was a half-joke with real math behind it.

The prediction is officially logged. Indiana makes the College Football Playoff. Over 10.5 wins. Write it down.