- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 1,255,455
- Reaction score
- 59
Which college football team is going to be the next Indiana?
It's an impossible dream considering how meteoric the rise was from absolutely nothing to, arguably, the greatest season in over 150 years of college football.
Or maybe it's not so crazy to dream about breaking into the club of the elites.
In the modern day of college sports, if you have the funding, the infrastructure, the coaching, and the right match to light to set it all off, it can happen in a snap.
Just look at how good Texas Tech became with just a few tweaks to the talent acquisition rules.
May 2, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) reacts during the spring game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
No, no one can really be the next Indiana - only one lightning strike can be first - but other programs can try replicating how one woebegone football program was able to be successful so fast.
Five schools that fit the profile of having the fundamentals in place to be great at football after years of mediocre to non-existent success.
What did Indiana have?
- A gigantic school. It's Indiana University. It's huge, with the largest living alumni base in the country. Which means it has ...
- The resources. That's not always a given no matter how large the school, but it had the infrastructure in place to step on the gas once it all got going.
- The coaching. Curt Cignetti's "Google me" line might have been his introduction to the world, but for years he was a deep cuts, college football hipster's underground superstar coach with a proven track record.
- It was - and still is - a great basketball school. That mattered. Indiana knew what success at a major collegiate sport looked like.
So with all of that in mind, which five schools fit as many parts of the profile as possible?
For example, Indiana has the one national title last season, three conference championships, 27 winning seasons in 127 years, and two ten-win campaigns.
It has over 800,000 living alumni, close to 49,000 enrollment - at least on the Bloomington campus - an athletic budget of over $180 million, and despite a rough run lately, it's a true blueblood basketball school.
26: Winningest Programs Yet To Make the CFP
25: ACC Key Questions
24: Big 12 Key Questions
23: Big Ten Key Questions
22: Top 2027 NFL Draft Prospects
21: SEC Key Questions
20: What's Next in Realignment?
19. Ranking All 30 New Head Coaches
18. Who Has the Easiest Schedules?
17. Who Has the Hardest Schedules?
CFN Preview 2026: All 138 Team Previews
The school size, alumni, and dollar figures are approximations coming from the schools.
Nov 23, 2024; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Arizona Wildcats quarterback Noah Fifita (11) throws a pass against the TCU Horned Frogs in the first quarter at Amon G. Carter Stadium.
© Tim Heitman-Imagn Images
There have been just enough whispers of great seasons under big-name coaches over the last 50 years to suggest that it might be a tweak away from being a Big 12 powerhouse. Arizona feels like it's close.
It's a beautiful school with access to a loaded recruiting area that's relatively close - primarily Southern California.
Football Situation: No national titles, six conference championships, 48 winning seasons in 92 years, and four ten-plus win campaigns.
School Size: Over 43,000; 300,000 living alumni
Athletic Department: $186 million budget; NIL funding around $13 million
Coaching: Brent Brennan turned around San Jose State to pull out three winning seasons in his last four years before coming to Arizona. He went 4-8 in his first year, 9-4 last season.
Basketball Success: One national title, 29 regular-season conference championships, 94 winning seasons in 121 years, and 46 20-plus win campaigns.
- 2026 Arizona Team Preview
Illinois was a college football superpower in the 1920s, but it's been a long, long time since it was able to come up with consistent success.
The alumni base has been waiting to explode, with a football program coming off 19 wins over the last two years.
Football Situation: Two national titles, 15 conference championships, 67 winning seasons in 134 years, and five ten-plus win campaigns.
School Size: Over 60,000; 400,000 living alumni
Athletic Department: $200 million budget; NIL funding not available
Coaching: Bret Bielema was amazing at Wisconsin, had three winning seasons in five years at Arkansas, and after three okay seasons at Illinois, went 19-7 over the last two years.
Basketball Success: No national titles, 18 regular-season conference championships, 97 winning seasons in 121 years, and 39 20-plus win campaigns.
- 2026 Illinois Team Preview
Jul 8, 2026; Frisco, TX, USA; Kansas head coach Lance Leipold speaks to reporters during Big 12 Conference Football Media Days at The Star.
Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
It was just 20 years ago, though, when in a one season shocker, Kansas came a Big 12 Championship win away from playing for the national title.
Now, this is more of a reach than some of the others, but that's sort of the point. Two years ago right now, Indiana was an afterthought, too.
Head coach Lance Leipold was Cignetti before there was Cignetti when it came to winning big at the lower levels, but it obviously hasn't happened yet.
Football Situation: No national titles, five conference championships, 46 winning seasons in 125 years, and three ten-plus win campaigns.
School Size: Over 31,000; 400,000 living alumni
Athletic Department: $150 million budget; NIL funding around $20 million
Coaching: Only 27-35 in five years at Kansas, Lance Leipold took Buffalo to two MAC Championship appearances and won six D-III national titles in eight years at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Basketball Success: Four national titles, 64 regular-season conference championships, 107 winning seasons in 128 years, and 55 20-plus win campaigns.
- 2026 Kansas Team Preview
Will Stein's "because of me" quote isn't exactly Cignetti's Google moment, but it showed off the same sort of confidence.
The Wildcats did a great job right away under Stein in the transfer portal. The will of the fan base is there, and there's been just enough recent success to believe the machine can be turned to ON relatively soon.
Football Situation: No national titles, two conference championships, 49 winning seasons in 110 years, and four ten-plus win campaigns.
School Size: Over 38,000; 286,000 living alumni
Athletic Department: $186 million budget; NIL funding around $25 million
Coaching: Will Stein is one of the hot young prospects in the coaching business after three great seasons as Oregon's offensive coordinator.
Basketball Success: Eight national titles, 52 regular-season conference championships, 105 winning seasons in 123 years, and 69 20-plus win campaigns.
- 2026 Kentucky Team Preview
It's possible for UCLA to win at football. It has a strong history, and it wasn't all that bad over the back end of the Chip Kelly years, and failed to get to six wins eight times in the last 26 years.
But it feels like the program has lost its way. Everything is there, though, for UCLA to crank it all up fast. Hiring Bob Chesney appears to be the first great step.
Football Situation: One national title, 17 conference championships, 62 winning seasons in 98 years, and nine ten-plus win campaigns.
-2026 UCLA Team Preview
School Size: Over 49,000; 670,000 living alumni
Athletic Department: $180 million; NIL funding around $14 million
Coaching: Bob Chesney took over for Cignetti at James Madison and went 21-6 with a Sun Belt title and a College Football Playoff appearance. He won five conference titles in six years at Holy Cross, two in his last three seasons at Assumption, and has a lifetime record of 132-52.
Basketball Success: 11 national titles, 32 regular-season conference championships, 86 winning seasons in 107 years, and 56 20-plus win campaigns.
Continue reading...
It's an impossible dream considering how meteoric the rise was from absolutely nothing to, arguably, the greatest season in over 150 years of college football.
Or maybe it's not so crazy to dream about breaking into the club of the elites.
In the modern day of college sports, if you have the funding, the infrastructure, the coaching, and the right match to light to set it all off, it can happen in a snap.
Just look at how good Texas Tech became with just a few tweaks to the talent acquisition rules.
26 for '26, No. 16: Finding College Football's Next Indiana
You must be registered for see images attach
May 2, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) reacts during the spring game at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
No, no one can really be the next Indiana - only one lightning strike can be first - but other programs can try replicating how one woebegone football program was able to be successful so fast.
Five schools that fit the profile of having the fundamentals in place to be great at football after years of mediocre to non-existent success.
What did Indiana have?
- A gigantic school. It's Indiana University. It's huge, with the largest living alumni base in the country. Which means it has ...
- The resources. That's not always a given no matter how large the school, but it had the infrastructure in place to step on the gas once it all got going.
- The coaching. Curt Cignetti's "Google me" line might have been his introduction to the world, but for years he was a deep cuts, college football hipster's underground superstar coach with a proven track record.
- It was - and still is - a great basketball school. That mattered. Indiana knew what success at a major collegiate sport looked like.
So with all of that in mind, which five schools fit as many parts of the profile as possible?
For example, Indiana has the one national title last season, three conference championships, 27 winning seasons in 127 years, and two ten-win campaigns.
It has over 800,000 living alumni, close to 49,000 enrollment - at least on the Bloomington campus - an athletic budget of over $180 million, and despite a rough run lately, it's a true blueblood basketball school.
26 Key Questions for the 2026 Season
26: Winningest Programs Yet To Make the CFP
25: ACC Key Questions
24: Big 12 Key Questions
23: Big Ten Key Questions
22: Top 2027 NFL Draft Prospects
21: SEC Key Questions
20: What's Next in Realignment?
19. Ranking All 30 New Head Coaches
18. Who Has the Easiest Schedules?
17. Who Has the Hardest Schedules?
CFN Preview 2026: All 138 Team Previews
The school size, alumni, and dollar figures are approximations coming from the schools.
You must be registered for see images attach
Nov 23, 2024; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Arizona Wildcats quarterback Noah Fifita (11) throws a pass against the TCU Horned Frogs in the first quarter at Amon G. Carter Stadium.
© Tim Heitman-Imagn Images
Arizona
There have been just enough whispers of great seasons under big-name coaches over the last 50 years to suggest that it might be a tweak away from being a Big 12 powerhouse. Arizona feels like it's close.
It's a beautiful school with access to a loaded recruiting area that's relatively close - primarily Southern California.
Football Situation: No national titles, six conference championships, 48 winning seasons in 92 years, and four ten-plus win campaigns.
School Size: Over 43,000; 300,000 living alumni
Athletic Department: $186 million budget; NIL funding around $13 million
Coaching: Brent Brennan turned around San Jose State to pull out three winning seasons in his last four years before coming to Arizona. He went 4-8 in his first year, 9-4 last season.
Basketball Success: One national title, 29 regular-season conference championships, 94 winning seasons in 121 years, and 46 20-plus win campaigns.
- 2026 Arizona Team Preview
Illinois
Illinois was a college football superpower in the 1920s, but it's been a long, long time since it was able to come up with consistent success.
The alumni base has been waiting to explode, with a football program coming off 19 wins over the last two years.
Football Situation: Two national titles, 15 conference championships, 67 winning seasons in 134 years, and five ten-plus win campaigns.
School Size: Over 60,000; 400,000 living alumni
Athletic Department: $200 million budget; NIL funding not available
Coaching: Bret Bielema was amazing at Wisconsin, had three winning seasons in five years at Arkansas, and after three okay seasons at Illinois, went 19-7 over the last two years.
Basketball Success: No national titles, 18 regular-season conference championships, 97 winning seasons in 121 years, and 39 20-plus win campaigns.
- 2026 Illinois Team Preview
You must be registered for see images attach
Jul 8, 2026; Frisco, TX, USA; Kansas head coach Lance Leipold speaks to reporters during Big 12 Conference Football Media Days at The Star.
Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images
Kansas
It was just 20 years ago, though, when in a one season shocker, Kansas came a Big 12 Championship win away from playing for the national title.
Now, this is more of a reach than some of the others, but that's sort of the point. Two years ago right now, Indiana was an afterthought, too.
Head coach Lance Leipold was Cignetti before there was Cignetti when it came to winning big at the lower levels, but it obviously hasn't happened yet.
Football Situation: No national titles, five conference championships, 46 winning seasons in 125 years, and three ten-plus win campaigns.
School Size: Over 31,000; 400,000 living alumni
Athletic Department: $150 million budget; NIL funding around $20 million
Coaching: Only 27-35 in five years at Kansas, Lance Leipold took Buffalo to two MAC Championship appearances and won six D-III national titles in eight years at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.
Basketball Success: Four national titles, 64 regular-season conference championships, 107 winning seasons in 128 years, and 55 20-plus win campaigns.
- 2026 Kansas Team Preview
Kentucky
Will Stein's "because of me" quote isn't exactly Cignetti's Google moment, but it showed off the same sort of confidence.
The Wildcats did a great job right away under Stein in the transfer portal. The will of the fan base is there, and there's been just enough recent success to believe the machine can be turned to ON relatively soon.
Football Situation: No national titles, two conference championships, 49 winning seasons in 110 years, and four ten-plus win campaigns.
School Size: Over 38,000; 286,000 living alumni
Athletic Department: $186 million budget; NIL funding around $25 million
Coaching: Will Stein is one of the hot young prospects in the coaching business after three great seasons as Oregon's offensive coordinator.
Basketball Success: Eight national titles, 52 regular-season conference championships, 105 winning seasons in 123 years, and 69 20-plus win campaigns.
- 2026 Kentucky Team Preview
UCLA
It's possible for UCLA to win at football. It has a strong history, and it wasn't all that bad over the back end of the Chip Kelly years, and failed to get to six wins eight times in the last 26 years.
But it feels like the program has lost its way. Everything is there, though, for UCLA to crank it all up fast. Hiring Bob Chesney appears to be the first great step.
Football Situation: One national title, 17 conference championships, 62 winning seasons in 98 years, and nine ten-plus win campaigns.
-2026 UCLA Team Preview
School Size: Over 49,000; 670,000 living alumni
Athletic Department: $180 million; NIL funding around $14 million
Coaching: Bob Chesney took over for Cignetti at James Madison and went 21-6 with a Sun Belt title and a College Football Playoff appearance. He won five conference titles in six years at Holy Cross, two in his last three seasons at Assumption, and has a lifetime record of 132-52.
Basketball Success: 11 national titles, 32 regular-season conference championships, 86 winning seasons in 107 years, and 56 20-plus win campaigns.
Continue reading...
