Urban Meyer tabs Rutgers as next program to match Indiana’s improbable CFP run

Indiana shot claimed the school’s first-ever nationalist title earlier this week. The Hoosiers’ stunning emergence has sparked questions astir which programme could beryllium next.

Urban Meyer, who coached Florida and Ohio State to nationalist championships, made his pick. The assemblage shot workplace expert believes Rutgers could beryllium the adjacent programme to instrumentality the athletics by storm, saying the Scarlet Knights are successful premier presumption to go the "next Indiana."

"Give maine 3 programs that could beryllium the adjacent Indiana, meaning teams that are utilized to losing, person truly atrocious records and tin someway emergence from the ashes to go nationalist champion," Meyer said connected "3 and Out," a  podcast Meyer co-hosts alongside Heisman Trophy victor Mark Ingram II and Rob Stone.

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Indiana Hoosiers backmost Fernando Mendoza (15) reacts with the trophy aft the College Football Playoff National Championship crippled astatine Hard Rock Stadium connected Jan. 19, 2026 successful Miami Gardens, Florida. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)

The Hoosiers’ emergence from assemblage football’s astir loss-laden programme to dominance started past season, erstwhile Curt Cignetti arrived successful Bloomington and coached Indiana to its archetypal playoff appearance.

Indiana was defeated successful the archetypal circular by past year’s eventual nationalist champion runner-up Notre Dame. But the latest variation of the playoffs was a overmuch antithetic story. Indiana dominated Alabama successful the Rose Bowl earlier soundly defeating Oregon successful the semifinals.

The Hoosiers past outlasted Miami successful this past Monday’s rubric crippled to unafraid a 16-0 grounds and assertion the nationalist title trophy.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights shot helmets beryllium connected the tract during warmups anterior to the crippled against the Wisconsin Badgers astatine Camp Randall Stadium connected Oct, 7, 2023 successful Madison, Wisconsin. (Jeff Hanisch/USA TODAY Sports)

Meyer worked with Rutgers manager Greg Schiano astatine Ohio State, with the existent Rutgers caput manager serving arsenic the Buckeyes’ antiaircraft coordinator for 3 seasons. In summation to the Scarlet Knights, Meyer besides named Rice and Wake Forest arsenic programs that could spell from among the worst teams to the best.

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"I person nary thought astir Rice, nary thought astir Wake, but I’m going to propulsion them retired determination due to the fact that if Indiana can, they can," Meyer added. "But I volition accidental Rutgers due to the fact that Greg Schiano — who I’m biased; he’s a large person and a large shot manager — helium had him successful the apical 5 successful the state astatine 1 constituent successful (2006)."

Urban Meyer connected the sidelines anterior to the 2025 Peach Bowl and semifinal crippled of the College Football Playoff betwixt the Oregon Ducks and the Indiana Hoosiers astatine Mercedes-Benz Stadium connected Jan. 9, 2026 successful Atlanta, Georgia. (Dale Zanine/Imagn Images)

Rutgers got disconnected to a 9-0 commencement successful the 2006 play and surged to No. 7 successful the AP Top 25. After winning the Texas Bowl, the Scarlet Knights finished the play ranked No. 12.

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Rutgers ended its astir caller play with a 5-7 record. The school’s 708 defeats presently fertile 3rd connected assemblage football’s all-time list. Despite caller success, Indiana inactive leads assemblage football’s all-time losses list. Rutgers is scheduled to play Indiana successful 2026.

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" helium said connected Wednesday’s variation of his Triple Option podcast.