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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Indiana Football is being ranked behind Oregon in the latest Big Ten power rankings from On3—but should the defending national champions really be No. 3? Jacob Goins joins Locked On Ducks and Locked On Nittany Lions to debate Oregon vs Indiana, Josh Hoover vs Dante Moore, Penn State's ranking, the new NCAA 5-and-5 eligibility rule, transfer portal changes, and what it all means for the future of college football.

0:00 Oregon ranked above Indiana

2:45 Oregon vs Indiana roster debate

7:00 Penn State discussion

12:30 Five-and-Five rule explained

17:00 Redshirts eliminated

24:20 Transfer portal changes

30:00 Future of college football

33:00 Wrap up

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Indiana Football just landed the biggest commitment in program history when five-star wide receiver Monshun Sales committed to Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers.

But is that actually the biggest story?

In today's episode, we discuss why this commitment could permanently change Indiana recruiting, how the Hoosiers can build on this momentum, ESPN highlighting Indiana in three of the biggest Big Ten games of 2026, and why Curt Cignetti has the program positioned to become a national powerhouse.

Topics include:

Monshun Sales commitment

Indiana recruiting

Curt Cignetti

ESPN Big Ten schedule

Ohio State

Michigan

Washington

College Football Playoff

Indiana Football dynasty?

00:00 Indiana's Biggest Commit

01:10 5-Star Recruitment Win

02:44 Steps for Sustained Success

03:44 Importance of Winning

04:57 Player Development Focus

05:55 Building on Five-Star

07:12 Impact on Future Recruits

09:05 Building a Dynasty

09:48 ESPN Top Games

12:04 Excitement for 2026 Schedule

13:10 Non-Conference Weakness

14:03 Key October Stretch

14:34 ESPN's Top Big Ten Games

16:05 Indiana vs Ohio State

17:43 Recruiting, Winning, Talent

18:25 Climbing to the Top

19:16 National Stage Matches

20:10 Trust in Coach Cignetti

20:28 Big Ten Media Days Announcement

22:00 Indiana's Media Day Participation

23:43 Media Days Plans & Content

24:43 Audience Input Requested

25:13 Show Wrap-Up

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