The 2025-26 Indiana Hoosiers are one of the most remarkable underdog stories in recent sports history. In fact, from a gambling perspective, they're arguably the most unlikely College Football Champion this millennium. Let's break down the Indiana football odds and highlight what made this run so special.
Championship-Winning Teams With Worst Preseason Title Odds
Here's a look at the 11 U.S. teams with the worst preseason odds to win their championship since 1999, per Sportico.
📅 Year | 🏆 Team | 📕 League | 📈 Preseason Odds |
| 1999 | St. Louis Rams | NFL | 150-to-1 |
| 2025 | Indiana Hoosiers ⭐️ | NCAAF | 100-to-1 |
| 1991 | Minnesota Twins | MLB | 80-to-1 |
| 2003 | Florida Marlins | MLB | 75-to-1 |
| 2006 | Carolina Hurricanes | NHL | 60-to-1 |
| 2001 | New England Patriots | NFL | 60-to-1 |
| 2023 | Texas Rangers | MLB | 50-to-1 |
| 1981 | San Francisco 49ers | NFL | 50-to-1 |
| 1987 | Minnesota Twins | MLB | 50-to-1 |
| 2017 | Philadelphia Eagles | NFL | 40-to-1 |
| 2002 | Los Angeles Angels | MLB | 40-to-1 |
Judging by preseason odds to win the title, the 2025-26 Indiana Hoosiers are the second-least likely champions across every major US league since 1999. The only team with worse preseason odds than the Hoosiers was the 1999 St. Louis Rams, who were available at 150-to-1 prior to the season.
Those Rams were written off after starting QB Trent Green suffered a preseason injury, paving the way for then-unknown Kurt Warner, who went on to win MVP and lead the Rams to the Lombardi Trophy.
Other than that team, the Indiana Hoosiers are the most unlikely champions the U.S. has seen since 1999. They are the biggest underdog to win the College Football National Championship, and the biggest underdog across all major college sports in that same span.
AP Preseason Ranks of National Championship-Winning Teams
But this Hoosiers run is just as magical if we look at it from the perspective of their preseason ranking instead of their odds. Even after an impressive debut season from head coach Curt Cignetti last year, the powers that be didn't believe in the Hoosiers.
It's hard to blame them. Indiana entered the 2025-26 season with 715 all-time losses – more than any other program in college football history. Likely as a result, they were the No. 20-ranked team in the AP poll entering the season despite that impressive 11-2 finish last year.
📅 Year | 🏆 Team | 🏈 Preseason Ranking |
| 2025 | Indiana ⭐️ | 20 |
| 2024 | Ohio State | 2 |
| 2023 | Michigan | 2 |
| 2022 | Georgia | 3 |
| 2021 | Georgia | 5 |
| 2020 | Alabama | 3 |
| 2019 | LSU | 6 |
| 2018 | Clemson | 2 |
| 2017 | Alabama | 1 |
| 2016 | Clemson | 2 |
| 2015 | Alabama | 3 |
| 2014 | Ohio State | 5 |
| 2013 | Florida State | 11 |
| 2012 | Alabama | 2 |
| 2011 | Alabama | 2 |
| 2010 | Auburn | 22 |
| 2009 | Alabama | 5 |
| 2008 | Florida | 5 |
| 2007 | LSU | 2 |
| 2006 | Florida | 7 |
| 2005 | Texas | 2 |
| 2004 | USC | 1 |
| 2003 | LSU | 14 |
| 2002 | Ohio State | 13 |
| 2001 | Miami | 2 |
| 2000 | Oklahoma | 19 |
Since 2000, the only lower-ranked team than Indiana to go on to win the National Championship was the 2010 Auburn Tigers. That was the season Cam Newton won the Heisman Trophy and carried Auburn to the title single-handedly.
Like Newton, Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza also won the Heisman Trophy after a historically efficient campaign. But he had far more help from his teammates than Newton. In fact, outside of Newton, the rest of the 2010 Auburn Tigers offense would only go on to make one combined start at the NFL level.
Indiana is the only other champion that wasn't ranked inside the top-19 teams in the preseason. The 2000 Oklahoma Sooners came closest, as they won it all despite entering the year as the No. 19-ranked team in the country.
Any way you look at it, it's clear that this Indiana Hoosiers run is one for the ages. We probably won't see another one like this for a long time.
