Warde Manuel, one of 13 members on the College Football Playoff Committee, detailed the reasoning behind Indiana's ranking.

Indiana's special season ran into a brick wall Saturday afternoon as the fifth-ranked Hoosiers fell 38-15 on the road against No. 2 Ohio State. All week, questions about Indiana's legitimacy as a Big Ten power and a College Football Playoff competitor swirled.

Indiana saw their CFP profile boosted despite suffering their first loss of the 2024 season against Ohio State in Week 13

Indiana lost 38-15 to OSU at Ohio Stadium with notable miscues in all three phases. The Buckeyes scored 31 consecutive points after IU scored on its opening possession while holding the Hoosiers to less than 200 yards — they traded touchdowns during the game's final two minutes.

One of the biggest matchups of the year is on deck as No. 2 Ohio State hosts No. 5 Indiana at Ohio Stadium. It's a game that serves as a de facto elimination game in the Big Ten title race; a loss would mathematically eliminate the Buckeyes from contention and send the Hoosiers to Indianapolis to face the Ducks,