‘Ridiculous,’ ‘This Committee Can’t Be Taken Seriously’ — CFB World Reacts as CFP Chairman Says Indiana Was a ‘Victim of Having a Bye Week At The Wrong Time’

Indiana is heading into its upcoming Saturday showdown against USC after surviving two consecutive overtime games. While Curt Cignetti’s team had the weekend off, the Hoosiers suffered a huge blow in the latest College Football Playoff rankings, dropping five spots.

Despite not taking the field this week, the Hoosiers have now fallen to No. 9. They also lost their position as the highest-ranked Big Ten program, with UCLA climbing to No. 4 after improving to 9-0.

CFP selection committee chair Hunter Yurachek later offered an explanation for the Hoosiers’ drop, but it was not one that was fully embraced by reporters and analysts.

Hunter Yurachek’s CFP Ranking Explanation Sparks Backlash

The latest CFP rankings placed Indiana behind Georgia, Utah, Alabama, UCLA, Notre Dame, Texas, Miami, and Tennessee, following which, Yurachek shared the CFP committee’s reasoning for the Hoosiers’ fall.

“Indiana was probably the victim of having a bye week at the wrong time, a time where there were seven games within our top 25,” Yurachek said. “Some of those big wins occurred right around where they were, starting with Notre Dame’s big win over Miami, Texas over Missouri, UCLA wins on the road and beat a Minnesota team, a Minnesota team that had gone to Indiana the week prior.

“Indiana needed a 60-yard field goal as time expired to send that game into overtime and win that game. The committee is impressed with what UCLA, Texas, and Notre Dame did, as well as Alabama, obviously, with their big win at LSU.”

Yurachek’s explanation did little to ease the frustration among many.

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“This committee cannot be taken seriously,” an Indiana fan page wrote.

“Ridiculous. What the basketball committee gets right is treating all games the same, whether it’s November or March,” LSU Wire’s Will Rosenblatt remarked.

Atlanta News First’s Connor Hines needed just one word to encapsulate his thoughts: “Lol.”

“Remember when they told us they ‘start from scratch’ every week?” NBC Sports’ Nicole Auerbach asked.

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Yurachek also explained that every Big Ten opponent Indiana had faced up to that point had lost. Those six losses across Indiana’s schedule negatively affected its strength of record and strength of schedule, influencing the committee’s assessment.

However, Indiana’s College Football Playoff hopes remain firmly alive, as the Hoosiers still have an 81.1% probability of reaching the CFP this season, according to PFN’s CFB Playoff Meter.

That is why not everyone saw the committee’s decision in a negative light.

“I don’t hate this at all. It should be a re-rank and re-evaluation every week to update a school’s wins and losses. 9 is a bit harsh for Indiana but fair enough,” wrote “The 4 Horsemen Podcast” page.

Indiana’s attention will now shift to its upcoming matchup against USC. The Trojans enter Saturday’s game at 7-2 after an incredible 30-18 win over Ohio State.

A potential win against USC would strengthen Indiana’s playoff outlook and respond to the criticism surrounding its latest ranking.

This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.