Joel Klatt sends verbal jab to Ohio State in praise of Indiana with 42-15 lead vs. Oregon

Joel Klatt sends verbal jab to Ohio State in praise of Indiana with 42-15 lead vs. Oregon originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Indiana Hoosiers opened the floodgates against the Oregon Ducks in the Peach Bowl Friday in Atlanta to break a 7-7 tie, as they lead 42-15 following a successful Oregon touchdown and two-point conversion

The Hoosiers are continuing their dominance on a national stage, as quarterback Fernando Mendoza and company find themselves just under 30 minutes of game action away from advancing to the national title game against the Miami Hurricanes.

Analysts like Fox Sports' Joel Klatt recently suggested the media attention the Hoosiers are getting is deserved, but it isn't on the same level as that of teams like Ohio State or Alabama, two programs that could be categorized as Blue Bloods in college football.

“If this was Ohio State’s logo next to this résumé, if this was an Alabama logo, a Georgia logo … we would all be talking about, ‘Is this the best team that we’ve ever seen in college football?’” Klatt said on "The Joel Klatt Show." “No team in the history of our sport has ever been able to go 16-0. … This team has a chance to do that.”

Klatt is 100 percent correct. If Indiana wins two more games, it would do exactly that. Never been done before, unprecedented. Let that sink in.

MORE:Fernando Mendoza, Dante Moore competing for CFP final berth and top quarterback spot for NFL Draft

It's a new era in college football, and people are still getting used to it.

“No other team can say that,” Klatt said. “They beat three quarterfinal teams this year. This team stands on business as the best team in college football.”

Klatt said despite the praise Mendoza gets, it's Indiana's defense. They also deserve respect, he explained.

“This team defensively has been one of the great defenses that we’ve seen in a long time,” Klatt said. “I know that I’ve overlooked Indiana to an extent during the course of this season, but not anymore.”

We'll see if Klatt continues to ride the Indiana wave, especially if it wins in the next few hours. Assuming it does, there's little doubt that Klatt will more than likely pick the Hoosiers to beat the Hurricanes in the title game.

Only time will tell, though.

More Big Ten news

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• $6 billion-dollar NBA owner sends 'much happier' undisclosed donation to Curt Cignetti, IU

• Todd McShay shares massive advice for Oregon QB Dante Moore on heels of NFL Draft decision

• Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza gets massive kudos from ex-NFL coach with interesting pro comp