Sports fans of all walks of life like to quantify almost anything. Its human nature. Especially within sports that track just about every aspect of every game.
The first compulsion is to see something great and want to see where that greatness ranks among other greats. The 2025-26 logic is simple. Indiana is undefeated and about to play in the program’s first football National Championship game.
Where do the 2025 Indiana Hoosiers rank? Who are they better than?
The one team they will not be remembered as better than is the 2019 LSU Tigers. While the Hoosiers will not surpass the 2019 Tigers, they are closer than many think.
In almost any team aspect, Indiana is close but LSU edges them out in totals. Once the breakdown begins to look at individual production, that’s when the gap between the 2019 Tigers and the 2025 Hoosiers widens.
Team Statistics are closer than you might think
| 2025 Indiana Team Totals | 2019 LSU Team Totals |
| 639 total points | 724 total points |
| 84 total touchdowns | 95 total touchdowns |
| 4 players with 5 rushing touchdowns or more | 3 players with 5 rushing touchdowns or more |
| 3 players with 5 receiving TDs or more | 3 players with 5 receiving TDs or more |
| 2 punts returned for TDs | 2 punts returned for TDs |
| 0 kickoffs returned for TDs | 0 kickoffs returned for TDs |
| 84 extra points made | 89 extra points made |
| 17 field goals made | 21 field goals made |
| +28.6 average margin of victory | +24.8 average margin of victory |
| No. 15 FPI Strength of Schedule | No. 3 FPI Strength of Schedule |
| Projected NFL Draft picks: 9 | Number of NFL Draft picks: 14 |
Individual production widens the gap between Indiana and LSU
| Fernando Mendoza | Joe Burrow |
| 73% completion percentage | 76% completion percentage |
| 3,349 passing yards | 5,671 passing yards |
| 41 passing touchdowns | 60 passing touchdowns |
| 6 interceptions | 6 interceptions |
| 9.5 yards per pass attempt | 10.8 yards per pass attempt |
| 188 Quarterback rating | 202 Quarterback rating |
| Roman Hemby | Clyde Edwards-Helaire |
| 1,060 rushing yards | 1,414 rushing yards |
| 13 rushing touchdowns | 16 rushing touchdowns |
| 70 rush yards per game | 94 rushing yards per game |
| Omar Cooper Jr | Ja’Marr Chase |
| 866 receiving yards | 1,780 receiving yards |
| 13 receiving touchdowns | 20 receiving touchdowns |
| 57 receiving yards per game | 127 receiving yards per game |
| Elijah Sarratt | Justin Jefferson |
| 802 receiving yards | 1,540 receiving yards |
| 15 receiving touchdowns | 18 receiving touchdowns |
| 62 receiving yards per game | 102 receiving yards per game |
| Rolijah Hardy | Jacob Phillips |
| 98 tackles | 113 tackles |
| 15 tackles for loss | 7.5 tackles for loss |
| 8 sacks | 1 sack |
| Louis Moore | Derek Stingley Jr |
| 81 tackles | 38 tackles |
| 6 interceptions | 6 interceptions |
If the Hoosiers hoist the college football playoff National Championship trophy on Monday night, they will be one of the best teams in recent memory. They just won’t be No. 1 on that list.
By the numbers, if there is a recent champion that Indiana would hypothetically compare to, it would be the 2018 Clemson Tigers. Both undefeated, their respective margin of victory is within +/- 3, FPI is close. No. 15 for Indiana and No. 22 for Clemson.
If Indiana does what many thought was unthinkable just a few years ago, the Hoosiers team winning a football, not a basketball National Title, they will be in respectable company.
The 2019 LSU Tigers was a season not thought possible at that point in time. A 5,000 yard and 60 touchdown quarterback throwing to two receivers who are arguably in the conversation of the best WR in the NFL and trenches (OL/DL) built for it.
Indiana has been an incredible team story in 2025. However, it will take more than a nice story and good but not elite individual numbers to dethrone the 2019 LSU Tigers.
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