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Many college football fans were hard on Indiana's performance against Notre Dame in the opening round of the 2024-2025 College Football Playoffs. Few were tougher on the Hoosiers and their inclusion in the championship tournament than future Hall of Famer Rob Gronkowski.
The former tight end ripped the Hoosiers and the CFP selection committee on X, formerly Twitter, immediately after Indiana's 27-17 defeat. Gronkowski criticized Indiana's strength of schedule while calling Notre Dame just a “better” version of their team.
“Indiana should have never been in the playoffs,” Gronkowski tweeted. “[Strength of schedule] is terrible. I see why that plays a big part, especially when factoring in an SEC team. I understand it’s a tough call. Funny thing about this game, Notre Dame is just a better Indiana.”
Strength of schedule, or lack thereof, was the primary backlash behind Indiana's inclusion in the College Football Playoff. While Curt Cignetti's team went 11-1 in the regular season, they lost their only game against a ranked opponent, Ohio State. Of their 11 wins, only one came against a team that ended the year with a winning record.
While the Big 10 is traditionally a premier conference, it experienced a drop-off in 2024. Michigan and Washington, the two teams competing in the previous year's National Championship Game, both experienced a reset year after losing their respective head coaches and key players. USC, Iowa, and Wisconsin all had disappointing seasons despite entering the year with high expectations.
Indiana ends program-best season with CFP loss to Notre Dame
Even with the loss to Notre Dame, the 2024 season will be remembered as the most successful in Indiana school history. In his first year as head coach, Cignetti led the team to its first 10-win season and inaugural College Football Playoff berth.
The only accomplishment the Hoosiers lacked was a Big 10 title game appearance. Indiana's loss to Ohio State booted them from the conversation, allowing Penn State to face Oregon in the conference championship game. However, their exclusion from the game likely kept them in the 12-team CFP, as it prevented another potential loss to the undefeated Ducks.
While Cignetti will return in 2025, Indiana will likely undergo an adjustment period. Kurtis Rourke, Justice Ellison, and Ty Son Lawton will all depart. Leading receiver Elijah Sarratt is also a candidate to leave the team as a junior wideout who may declare for the 2025 NFL Draft.
Indiana also lost co-offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri to UCLA, though Cignetti had already hired Chandler Whitmer to replace him. Sunseri had followed Cignetti to Indiana from James Madison and is widely regarded as one of the country's rising young quarterback coaches.
