Hoosiers Open Season No. 17 in USA Today AFCA Poll
8/10/2021 12:50:00 PM | Football
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – After spending the final 10 weeks of the 2020 season ranked among the Top 20, the Indiana football program was tabbed No. 17 in the USA Today AFCA Coaches Preseason Poll on Tuesday.
The Hoosiers finished the 2020 season with a 6-2 overall record and an appearance in the Outback Bowl. Following a week one victory over No. 8 Penn State at Memorial Stadium, Indiana spent the next 10 weeks ranked among the Top 20. A 14-7 record over the last two seasons has helped IU to back-to-back January bowl games for the first time in program history, highlighted by winning Big Ten marks in each of those seasons.
Returning 19 starters in 2021 – including 10 on the defensive side – Indiana has had 11 student-athletes named to 16 different national preseason award watch lists. Head coach Tom Allen was also named one of 17 coaches on the Dodd Trophy preseason watch list, college football's most coveted national coaching award.
The Hoosiers open the 2021 season at No. 18 Iowa on Saturday, Sept. 4, and their six-game home campaign against Idaho on Sept. 11. Indiana will also welcome No. 10 Cincinnati (Sept. 18), Michigan State (Oct. 16), No. 4 Ohio State (Oct. 23), Rutgers (Nov. 13), and Minnesota (Nov. 20).
2021 USA Today AFCA Coaches Preseason Poll
1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Oklahoma
4. Ohio State
5. Georgia
6. Texas A&M
7. Notre Dame
8. Iowa State
9. North Carolina
10. Cincinnati
11. Florida
12. Oregon
13. LSU
14. USC
15. Wisconsin
16. Miami (Fla.)
17. INDIANA
18. Iowa
19. Texas
20. Penn State
21. Washington
22. Oklahoma State
23. Louisiana-Lafayette
24. Coastal Carolina
25. Ole Miss
The Hoosiers finished the 2020 season with a 6-2 overall record and an appearance in the Outback Bowl. Following a week one victory over No. 8 Penn State at Memorial Stadium, Indiana spent the next 10 weeks ranked among the Top 20. A 14-7 record over the last two seasons has helped IU to back-to-back January bowl games for the first time in program history, highlighted by winning Big Ten marks in each of those seasons.
Returning 19 starters in 2021 – including 10 on the defensive side – Indiana has had 11 student-athletes named to 16 different national preseason award watch lists. Head coach Tom Allen was also named one of 17 coaches on the Dodd Trophy preseason watch list, college football's most coveted national coaching award.
The Hoosiers open the 2021 season at No. 18 Iowa on Saturday, Sept. 4, and their six-game home campaign against Idaho on Sept. 11. Indiana will also welcome No. 10 Cincinnati (Sept. 18), Michigan State (Oct. 16), No. 4 Ohio State (Oct. 23), Rutgers (Nov. 13), and Minnesota (Nov. 20).
2021 USA Today AFCA Coaches Preseason Poll
1. Alabama
2. Clemson
3. Oklahoma
4. Ohio State
5. Georgia
6. Texas A&M
7. Notre Dame
8. Iowa State
9. North Carolina
10. Cincinnati
11. Florida
12. Oregon
13. LSU
14. USC
15. Wisconsin
16. Miami (Fla.)
17. INDIANA
18. Iowa
19. Texas
20. Penn State
21. Washington
22. Oklahoma State
23. Louisiana-Lafayette
24. Coastal Carolina
25. Ole Miss
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