What team is this years "Indiana"?

What team is going to come out of nowwhere and make the playoff????

Good Q, but I don't think any that aren't already on the radar with decent aspirations of making a field of 12.

However, 2 teams with losing records last year might seem to have the best chance:

Sooners

Utes

Call me Crazy can see USC being that team

@jjj888

 You mean what Power 4 team has a schedule where they don’t play any ranked teams and get blown out by any team with a pulse? Multiple teams who luckily avoid all the tops teams in their conference. 

@fubah2

 With that OU schedule I think they could be a very good team and still finish 8-4. I also don’t get the exuberance over the OU roster. QB Mateer has a huge potential upside but the Sooners only return one WR that played at all. Their best returning options both transferred to LSU. The OU WR’s highest on their 2025 roster played in the SWAC last year.

@jjj888

 In the 18 team B1G conference I see two teams with very friendly schedules. I hate these imbalanced schedules. It’s how we end up with teams in the playoffs that played or beat no one. 
anyway both ILL and Neb have very friendly schedules. Illinois doesn’t play PSU, Oregon, Michigan, or Nebraska. They get USC and t-OSU at home. The most challenging OOC game is at Duke. With 17 returning starters they could be 11-1 in December. 
Nebraska’s big OOC game is vs Cincy. They also don’t play Oregon or tOSU. 9-3 is very realistic. 

@Rocky-Mountain

 They should look good for the first 4 games.  After that...  

Purdue could be the next : 

Come from the bin on and cover spreads.  I am focused on beating lines not making playoffs.   

2023 Colorado

2024 Vandy 

Lower hopes for :

N. Carolina 

Texas AM 

Cincy

Come from the bottom and cover spreads.  I am focused on beating lines not wins and making the playoffs.   

 When I read the subject title

           What team is this years "Indiana"?

I interpreted this to mean a "rags to riches" turnaround that will be entirely unexpected, as per Indiana going from a paltry 3 - 9 in 2023, then 11 - 2 the next year and into the playoffs!  8 more wins!!!  Rags to riches! 

So I am searching for a surprising team that may turnaround their losing record from last year by significant numbers.  Indiana got 8 more wins and into the playoffs, but heck 7 or even 6 more wins (off a losing record) while also rising up into the PLAYOFF conversation late in the reg season would be similarly awesome, imo.

USC had a winning record last year.  Therefore, not really a rags to riches story is possible, like Indiana did (although personally I hope USC does VERY WELL!) 

 OKLAHOMA appears to have the best chance of achieving the "rags to riches" status (ie, at least 6+ more wins - off a LOSING season - and into the playoff conversation)

UTAH  should have a shot too but not as good as SOONERS do...

@fubah2

 I agree on Oklahoma but with their history and strong pedigree, Indiana isn’t congruent with them.  

Much respect for picking Oklahoma.  

 Yes, and that's the key to our handicapping the lines in any sport!

A team could be 4 - 4 in conference but actually better/stronger team than another in the same conference with a 7 - 2 record.  Much depends on VENUES (home or road) and quality of opps faced by either team.

6 - 2 while avoiding the top teams and getting 5 HOME games mostly against the weak half of the conference (but all close wins!) is very fortunate, while a team that is forced to play an extra road game while having to face the top 3 teams (losing all in very close games!), yields a deceptive 4 - 4 record .... and may be the stronger team in a matchup with the lucky 6 - 2 team in the reg season final.

Personally, while a W/L record does indicate the strength/achievement of most handicappers, it doesn't necessarily with the sports teams we are betting on or against!.....and I disregard team W/L records in all sports in my capping.

Should include totals here too.

Aside from possibly OKLAHOMA, and a more distant possibly UTAH, I can't make a reasonable argument for any other "rags to riches" story (ie, losing team last yr goes to playoffs this year) even similar to what INDIANA did last year.

I say Indiana...Many are discounting IU was a one year fluke...I think we will go 10-2 and be in consideration for the playoff...yet again...

@jjj888

 A pretender! Good against the mediocre teams and awful against the good teams.  

They beat Michigan who beat Ohio State...And beat the living crap out of a good number of power 5 teams...Stop dissing on my Hoosiers...and give them their due...Bet against them at your own peril...

 But if Indiana repeats - which would be NICE! - it is not a "rags to riches" story as the OP of this thread intended...

"What team is going to come out of nowhere and make the playoff???"

What if this year's Indiana is... Indiana?

I can see 10-2 again. 

wow    if indiana can gain 8 more wins this year than they did last year in 2024 that would be awesome !!!!

i can see west virginia becoming relevant again. rich rodriguez back coaching again. and add pat white as a qb coach. you can win a fortune by just betting their game totals.

another one could be unc. belicheck will turn that team around. 

@KellyM_1964

           LOL 

As per the the op's subject of this specific thread - ie, a rags to riches story from 2024 to this season, similar to what Indiana did as a LOSING  2023 team - winning 8 more games and into the playoffs in 2024 - it's going to be incredibly difficult for any team to achieve that.

Many teams will show marked improvement this season, of course, but not like that...