Right now, Indiana is the best football team in their home state, which Notre Dame fans thought they would never see happen. The Hoosiers, who were demolished by the Irish in the College Football Playoff in 2024, made a lot of adjustments and are now just one win away from hoisting the National Championship trophy.
Not only has Indiana done better than Notre Dame on the football field, but they are also killing it off the football field. Head coach Curt Cignetti has landed quite a few big names from the Transfer Portal, including one the Irish were hoping to snatch up, wide receiver Nick Marsh.
The Hoosiers are really riding on a high right now, but they are still a little way from being crowned the top football program in the state of Indiana.
Indiana still has some work to do in order to become the best team in the state
There is no doubt that what Indiana is doing right now is not special. The Hoosiers are making history every time they step foot onto the field. However, they need to sustain this success for years to officially pass the Irish for the best in the state.
Short-term, this team is absolutely demolishing the Irish, but long-term, Notre Dame is still the top dog in the state of Indiana. However, with what Curt Cignetti is building at Indiana, if Marcus Freeman doesn't step up his game on the recruiting trail in the portal, the Hoosiers could make up a lot of ground.
Cignetti has done very well in the Transfer Portal, especially while still playing football. On the other hand, Notre Dame is struggling big time when it comes to getting commitments from players. So, a National Championship certainly doesn't help Notre Dame in the race for the state, but the Irish still have a few years on the Hoosiers.