ESPN finally gave Curt Cignetti the respect Indiana fans have been waiting for, naming the Hoosiers head coach the No. 1 coach in college football. But while ESPN got that ranking right, their latest Football Power Index (FPI) has fans across the country questioning how much faith anyone should put into the preseason metrics.

In today's episode of Locked On Hoosiers, Jacob Goins joins Locked On Ducks host Spencer McLaughlin and Locked On Nittany Lions host Zach Seyko for a college football crossover discussing ESPN's coaching rankings, Curt Cignetti's rise to the top of the sport, Dan Lanning's championship expectations at Oregon, James Franklin comparisons, and whether ESPN's FPI has become more misleading than useful.

The crew also debates Indiana's College Football Playoff chances, preseason rankings, coaching impact versus roster talent, and why Curt Cignetti continues to change the national conversation surrounding Indiana football.

Topics Covered:

Curt Cignetti ranked No. 1 by ESPN

Why Indiana's national championship changed everything

Dan Lanning vs. James Franklin debate

ESPN FPI reaction

Indiana's 2026 CFP outlook

Oregon and Penn State comparisons

Should preseason polls even exist?

If you enjoy Indiana Hoosiers football coverage, subscribe for daily episodes covering Curt Cignetti, recruiting, transfer portal news, Big Ten football, College Football Playoff discussions, and everything happening around IU Football.

00:00 ESPN Top 10 Coaches

01:04 ESPN Rankings Critique

02:14 Curt Cignetti Debate

03:35 Indiana’s Turnaround

04:05 Dan Lanning’s Ranking

05:54 Lanning vs Franklin

07:40 Lanning’s Title Chances

10:07 Sponsor Message

11:45 ESPN FPI Criticism

12:50 FPI Top 25 Issues

14:51 Penn State Ranking

15:54 Roster & Schedule Analysis

17:07 Polls and Playoff Impact

19:03 2023 FPI vs Outcomes

20:00 Coaching Impact on Rankings

21:19 Preseason Polls Debate

22:08 Oregon vs Indiana Playoff

24:51 Playoff Picks Reasoning

27:06 Preseason AP Poll Critique

28:47 Evaluating the System

30:03 Final Thoughts & Signoff

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