The college football world is buzzing after the release of the preseason Coaches Poll, and not for the reasons you might expect. While Ohio State, Oregon, and Georgia grabbed the top three spots, it's the team at No. 6 that has everyone talking. The Indiana Hoosiers, fresh off a national championship, find themselves looking up at five other programs—and fans are not having it.
USA Today dropped its first Coaches Poll for the 2026 season on Tuesday, and the reaction was immediate. Social media lit up with fans questioning how the defending champs could be ranked so low. One fan tweeted, "Indiana at #6 just feels disrespectful lol," while another boldly declared, "Any ranking that doesn’t have Indiana at 1 and Miami at 2 is invalid." The sentiment was echoed across platforms, with many calling the poll a clear snub.
The top of the poll is headlined by Ohio State, which boasts a loaded offense featuring quarterback Julian Sayin, wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, and running back Bo Jackson. Oregon and Georgia round out the top three, followed by Texas and Notre Dame. Then comes Indiana, sitting at No. 6, ahead of Miami, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, and Ole Miss.
For Hoosiers fans, the ranking feels like a slap in the face. After all, this is a team that went all the way last season, capturing the program's first national title. The skepticism seems to stem from the departure of quarterback Fernando Mendoza, but head coach Curt Cignetti has already found his replacement in Josh Hoover, a transfer from TCU with impressive credentials.
Hoover threw for over 9,600 yards and 71 touchdowns in his career with the Horned Frogs, completing 65.2% of his passes. Cignetti is confident Hoover can step in and thrive, even if the system will be different. "Josh Hoover has won a lot of football games, thrown for a lot of yards, lot of touchdown passes," Cignetti said. "He has an innate ability to play the position of quarterback. He’s kind of a natural passer, very accurate, processes very quickly."
Cignetti also emphasized that Hoover won't be asked to carry the team single-handedly. "We’re not going to put the ball in his hands and say go out, win the game, outscore people," he explained. "We’re going to give him a running game, defense and special teams." That balanced approach could be exactly what Indiana needs to silence the doubters.
Fans are already predicting that Cignetti will use this perceived disrespect as motivation. One user wrote, "Cignetti is making sure his guys know everyone thinks of them. Indiana back to back." Another simply asked, "How is IU not #1?"
The Hoosiers aren't the only team with a chip on their shoulder. The poll also sparked debates about whether Texas is overhyped at No. 4, and some are pointing to the Buckeyes' top spot as a sign of how the season might unfold.
With the season fast approaching, Indiana has a chance to prove the pollsters wrong. The talent is there, the coach is proven, and the hunger is real. If the Hoosiers can channel this disrespect into on-field dominance, they might just find themselves back on top when it matters most.
