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Indiana Football Preview with Predictions and 2011 Schedule
We frequently write about college football teams and their ability to recruit talent. Their ability to attract the very best High School football players in the country. There's a pecking order that stays largely unchanged, year after year, decade after decade. Especially when we're referring to a major conference like the Big 10. If you're a kid playing football, growing up in the Midwest, you dream of one day playing for Ohio State or Michigan, not the Indiana Hoosiers. It's a problem a team like Indiana will never overcome. Sure, they may throw in a 7 win season like they did in 2007, but for the most part, you're looking at 3, 4 and 5 win seasons and no bowl games (they played in the insight bowl in 2007 and prior to that hadn't appeared in a bowl since 1993.)
Last season the Hoosiers won just one Big 10 game, their last game of the year, an overtime win over Purdue. But they came close a few other times, and against some very good teams. They lost to Iowa 18-13 and lost to Michigan by TD. They also lost to Northwestern 20-17. But there was still a big gap between Indiana and the elite. Losses of 38-10 to Ohio State and 83-20 at Wisconsin drive that point home.
If you're a Hoosier fan and thinking last year's close calls might indicate some hope for this year, that may not be the case. They return just 6 starters on each side of the ball and as of this writing have no clue who the starting QB will be. If that's not enough, they also bring in a new head coach in Kevin Wilson. With that hire, comes a new scheme, and new staff on both sides of the ball. It's tough enough to start fresh when you have the best talent. It borders on impossible when your lacking talent.
We'll just have to wait and see. They have the usual games they likely can't win, such as Penn State, Wisconsin, Iowa and Iowa State, but there are some winnable games on their card as well. A 6 win season is not entirely out of the question. How they do in their first 4 games against Ball State, Virginia, South Carolina State and North Texas will set the tone. If they don't start 4-0 or even 3-1, kiss the bowls good bye once again.
From a betting standpoint, look to the Northwestern game on October 29th. Indiana has lost 2 consecutive close games to Northwestern. It's a gamer they can win and double revenge, at home, is always a powerful angle to consider.
Indiana is listed at odds of 100 to 1 to win the Big 10 at online sportsbooks. It may as well be 1000000 to 1 as it simply isn't going to happen.
For another great Indiana Hoosier 2011 Football Preview visit our friends at Betfirms.com
2011 Indiana Hoosiers Football Schedule
9-3-11 Ball State **
9-10-11 VIRGINIA
9-17-11 SOUTH CAROLINA STATE
9-24-11 at North Texas
10-1-11 PENN STATE
10-8-11 ILLINOIS
10-15-11 at Wisconsin
10-22-11 at Iowa
10-29-11 NORTHWESTERN
11-5-11 at Ohio State
11-19-11 at Michigan State
11-26-11 PURDUE