'We're not done.' Ranked for first time in 25 years, IU football feels validated, not satisfied

Stefan Krajisnik | Special for IndyStar

Show Caption Hide Caption Peyton Ramsey on Tom Allen's message to first ranked IU team in 25 years 'You can see the confidence in coach Allen and that's worked its way through our entire team.'

BLOOMINGTON – Indiana football coaches and players don't like to talk about complacency.

When asked about being satisfied with clinching a bowl berth for the first time since 2016, they say they went into the season expecting to win a bowl game.

When asked about traveling to No. 11 Penn State this weekend, coach Tom Allen said, “If you don't believe we can go to Penn State and win at Penn State for the first time in program history, then don't get on the bus.”

While outsiders have some skepticism, those within the program set high expectations for this Hoosiers team. So when Indiana was ranked in both this week's Amway Coaches and AP polls (No. 25 and 24, respectively) — the first time Indiana has been ranked in 25 years — Allen didn’t flinch.

“I told our team in fall camp I thought they were a top-25 football team,” Allen said. “I'm sure nobody else would even have said that... I told them that. I believed it.”

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But for some on Allen’s team, he didn’t need to tell them that for them to believe it.

“We had that already built in us before he even told us,” sophomore running back Stevie Scott said. “We knew our capability and what we were as a team and as a whole. We just had to take it in our mind and just go out there and play and showcase that we can be a top-25 team.”

Quarterback Peyton Ramsey added: “We are a better team. There clearly is a difference in the way that (Allen) talks to us and the way that he’s truthful with us.”

The case for Allen and his players was never an element of surprise with the ranking, but there was an excitement level toward getting the recognition they felt they deserved.

“Much more work ahead of us. Much more work to do. At the same time not oblivious to the fact it hasn't happened in 25 years,” Allen said. “Something that our guys do take a lot of pride in, being recognized in that regard.”

While Allen preaches that the number next to the school’s name does not have any impact come gameday, the psychological effect it has moving forward this season could have benefit.

“Once I had seen it, very excited but just not satisfied,” Scott said. “As the season goes on, we could possibly get a higher ranking. Us being ranked is just helping us stay confident.”

Stevie Scott: 'Very excited, just not satisfied' with top 25 ranking IU running back Stevie Scott talks about the Hoosiers being ranked for first time in 25 years.

For the upperclassmen on the team, it's a feeling long overdue, but one that does not come as a surprise given this year’s roster.

“It’s a more talented team,” Ramsey said. “It’s a team that has more experience and a lot more depth than we’ve had in the past.”

A part of that added depth is due to the ability of underclassmen to not only move up on the depth chart, but also the ability to perform at a high level.

When the news of the ranking came out, defensive back Tiawan Mullen — a true freshman that now consistently gets matched up with the opponent’s top receiver — gave a loud “Yessir” from his dorm room.

“I knew the hard work was going to pay off sooner or later,” Mullen said. “I knew it wasn’t going to take us two to three years to change it around.”

The hard work that Mullen has been putting in this season compliments the work that players like redshirt senior Donavan Hale have been putting in for quite some time.

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But for Hale, the ranking also serves as validation for work that was put in prior to him joining the program.

“It took me until the fifth year to become ranked, but we did it,” he said. “And it started even before us.”

Yet the constant message of avoiding complacency remains. Seeing teams like Minnesota take down Penn State and jump to the top 10 serves as a sign of what is possible, and Indiana refuses to shy away from expectations that seemed impossible not too long ago.

“We obviously came here to change the program around. We’re not done,” Hale said. “We want to be top-five in the country. We’re going to do whatever it takes to get to that point.”