Parody is not a familiar concept in the world of Power 4 college football. In the last 20 years, only nine teams have won the National Championship. Ohio State, Michigan, Georgia, Alabama, LSU, Clemson, Florida State, Auburn and Florida.
By definition, when the same teams always wins or a larger group of teams never have a legitimate chance, there is no parody in the sport. This concept revealed itself in the quarterfinal round of this year’s playoff. Assuming it wasn’t known already.
Two games in particular, one predictable result. No. 1 Indiana vs No. 9 Alabama and No. 2 Ohio State vs No. 10 Miami. Indiana beat Alabama 38-3 while Miami beat Ohio State 24-14. In both cases, social media and even some conventional media reacted strongly to those games. For both the Alabama and Ohio State fanbases and aligned media, those outcomes were not only surprising, but also viewed as ‘unacceptable’.
Despite Alabama being a 9 seed and not a lock to even make the playoff field, their reactions were strange. With many fans and media personnel shocked to discover there is even a reality where Alabama could conceptually lose to Indiana. Who is not even a “football school”.
The Ohio State Buckeyes response was similar. With most every Buckeye fan willing to say so on the internet, believing there is no reality where the Miami Hurricanes could ever beat the Buckeyes. Two very similar reactions that both come from the same place.
The issue is simple. For most of college football’s existence, reputation, history, championships, and an ability to put players in the NFL have been the benchmarks viewers use to determine how good a program is. Those factors no longer carry the weight they once did. When Alabama faced Indiana, none of Nick Saban’s titles factored in. The Bear Bryant years did not factor in. That’s why people reacted the way they did. The history and reputation of a program no longer moves the needle.
Indiana and Texas Tech are winning the portal
Two teams that are not viewed as “blue bloods” are beating blue bloods in the largest recruiting tool the sport has. How is it possible that Indiana and Texas Tech are out performing Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, and others in the biggest and only opportunity? The factors that created that sense for blue bloods, no longer matter at the levels they used to.
In positional order, according to 247Sports, the Indiana Hoosiers already have commitments from the No. 9 quarterback Josh Hoover, the No. 9 running back Turbo Richard, the No. 7 wide receiver Nick Marsh, the No. 21 tight end Brock Schott, the No. 10, 22, and 32 defensive lineman Tobi Osunsanmi, Joshua Burnham, and Chiddi Obiazor respectively, and the No. 69 defensive back JiQuan Sanks.
As for Texas Tech, they already have commitments from the No. 2 quarterback Brendan Sorsby, the No. 78 wide receiver Donte Lee Jr, the No. 15, No. 48, No. 53, and No. 7 defensive lineman, Wendall Gregory, Bryce Butler, Amarie Fletcher, and Trey White respectively, and the No. 11 linebacker Austin Romaine.
In both cases, Indiana and Texas Tech, a couple factors are converging. The first of which comes from winning. Winning is what matters and if the playing field has been leveled, there will not be a strong of a push for the best players in the country to all wind up at the same 3-5 schools as had previously been the case. As the Hoosiers’ coach Curt Cignetti was quick to say, “google me, I win”.
The second factor is money. Texas Tech has a revenue potential that rivals that of the established blue bloods. In the current landscape of NIL and the transfer portal, any team that can pay, can compete. In 2025 viewers saw Texas Tech put together one of the better offenses in college football but also put together the best defensive front in college football. Without the name recognition of a blue blood.
This is not a flash in the pan, it’s the new normal. Those that can pay, will compete. This phenomenon is also not limited to Indiana and Texas Tech. While established blue bloods will continue to generate contending revenue, they won’t be alone. Texas A&M, BYU, Oregon, Michigan, and many others are expected to be major players in the coming years. Donors, sponsorships, business relationships will begin to carry more weight than history and tradition.
Arguably the best realization of the current remaining college football playoff field, is that no team that is currently still alive in the playoff, has won a National Title in the last 25 years. Oregon and Indiana have never won a National Title, Miami’s last title was in 2001, and the last Ole Miss title was in 1960. Parody is good for the sport, even if it's not great news for established blue bloods.
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