As the 2024 college football season takes shape, few analysts are stirring conversation quite like ESPN’s Heather Dinich. Known for her deep insights into College Football Playoff dynamics and power conference trends, Dinich raised eyebrows this week when she referred to an emerging 10-win program as “The Indiana of the Big Ten.” While she didn’t intend it as a slight, the analogy has sparked debates across fan bases and media outlets alike.
The comparison isn’t without precedent. Indiana football, long a lower-tier Big Ten program, turned heads during the 2020 season under head coach Tom Allen. That year, the Hoosiers posted a 6-2 record in a pandemic-shortened campaign, finishing second in the East Division and earning national respect. Dinich’s point hinges on that rare moment when Indiana punched above its weight, upsetting expectations and creating noise despite not being a traditional contender.
So, who is the team drawing the Indiana comparison in 2024?
Dinich didn’t name names directly during the live ESPN segment, but insiders and analysts have speculated that she may have been referencing a surprise 10-win team from outside the typical playoff conversation—perhaps a program like Arizona, Kansas, or even Rutgers. Each of these schools has experienced recent improvements and possess the ingredients for breakout seasons, yet still carry a degree of skepticism from national observers.
“The Indiana comparison isn’t about history or legacy,” Dinich clarified in a follow-up podcast. “It’s about the trajectory—a team that suddenly finds itself in the 10-win conversation, beating good teams, but still on the outside looking in when it comes to playoff legitimacy.”
That outsider status, she argued, mirrors Indiana’s 2020 experience: nationally respected but not quite able to crack the upper echelon reserved for blue bloods like Alabama, Georgia, or Ohio State. In a year where the College Football Playoff has expanded to 12 teams, this analogy carries more weight. With more spots available, teams like the one Dinich referred to have a real shot at the postseason—if they can sustain their performance and overcome the traditional narrative bias that favors established programs.
Critics of the comparison argue that labeling a rising team as “The Indiana” may unintentionally downplay its accomplishments or imply its success is fleeting. Fans, meanwhile, have taken to social media, debating whether the analogy is an insult or a nod to resilience and overachievement.
Yet, in classic Dinich fashion, the conversation she sparked serves a larger purpose: highlighting the shifting landscape of college football. As NIL, transfer portal dynamics, and expanded playoff structures redefine parity, more programs are stepping into relevance—and challenging the old guard.
Whether the unnamed team can continue its upward climb remains to be seen. But Dinich’s analogy ensures that both the team in question—and Indiana’s brief moment of gridiron glory—will remain part of the season’s most compelling storyline.
