Indiana Is 4-0: What Do the Numbers Say the Hoosiers Really Are?

Indiana is 4-0.

That part is easy.

Figuring out exactly what Indiana is after four games is considerably more complicated.

SP+, ESPN FPI and Team Efficiency paint an interesting picture: Indiana may not have built an elite resume yet, but the Hoosiers are producing underlying performance numbers consistent with one of the better teams in college football.

SP+ Says Indiana Is One of the Most Balanced Teams in the Country

Indiana is No. 4 nationally in SP+ with an overall rating of 26.9: No. 6 offensively at 40.3, No. 7 defensively at 13.7 and No. 23 on special teams at 0.3.

That is balance. When the offense was not operating with its normal rhythm against Northwestern, Indiana still found answers. Lee Beebe Jr. stepped into an expanded role and rushed for 203 yards on 24 carries.

FPI Likes Indiana, Too – But It Is Not the Same Measurement

SP+ and FPI are different metrics. ESPN’s Football Power Index is a forward-looking measure of team strength. Indiana currently sits at No. 4 in FPI at 26.9.

Team Efficiency Answers Another Question

ESPN Team Efficiency evaluates performance on a per-play basis while adjusting for opponent strength and reducing the impact of garbage time. Indiana’s overall efficiency rating is 87.2, No. 10 nationally.

Now Comes the Necessary Reality Check

Indiana’s schedule currently ranks No. 117 in the SP+ strength-of-schedule data we are examining, with an SOS figure of .970. Lower means more difficult.

That does not mean Indiana is not good. It means Indiana has not yet accumulated enough evidence against high-level opposition to completely validate what the performance metrics are telling us.

Northwestern Provides a Perfect Example

Northwestern’s strength of schedule ranked No. 9 nationally in the data while Indiana ranked No. 117. That context does not excuse Indiana’s mistakes.

The missed tackles are concerning because they are becoming repetitive. The pass rush also has to finish. Some of what looked like a coverage problem against Northwestern was actually a finish-the-rush problem.

The Offensive Response May Have Been More Important Than the Struggles

Northwestern cut the lead to 22-20 with 5:10 remaining. Then Beebe ripped off a 70-yard run, and Indiana eventually finished the drive with Josh Hoover scoring from a yard out.

Indiana could respond when things were not going according to plan.

So What Is Indiana After Four Games?

Indiana has performed like one of the better teams in college football.

And Indiana has not yet faced a schedule difficult enough to completely validate that conclusion.

SP+ has Indiana No. 4. FPI has Indiana No. 7. Team Efficiency has Indiana No. 10. Those are three different methodologies arriving in roughly the same neighborhood.

The Film Now Has a To-Do List

Tackle better. Turn pressure into finished plays. Maintain rush-lane integrity when quarterbacks escape. Determine how the running-back rotation changes if Turbo Richard misses time. Continue developing Josh Hoover’s command when the offense gets knocked off schedule.

Rutgers represents Indiana’s first road trip of 2026. The numbers already tell us the Hoosiers have played like a very good football team.

Can Indiana continue producing those numbers as the schedule begins asking harder questions?

That is where we will begin learning just how good this team really is.