Indiana, Ohio State exposed? Fraud Court delivers its harshest verdicts yet
· Yahoo Sports
The Big Ten has spent the past three seasons atop college football, producing three straight national champions.
After Week 9, it might also be home to some of the sport’s biggest frauds.
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A bizarre Halloween weekend produced enough eye-opening results to send several Big Ten teams straight to USA TODAY Sports Fraud Court. Indiana and USC are familiar faces before the judge, while Ohio State and Northwestern delivered damaging performances that simply can’t be ignored.
Championship pedigree buys you only so much protection. Eventually, everyone faces judgment.
So, with a few other Power conference suspects joining the docket, it’s time to bang the gavel: Who’s guilty, who’s innocent and who can still escape Fraud Court?
No. 3 Indiana
The case: Another close game against an unranked opponent nearly led to an upset from Minnesota. A last second 60-yard field goal from Paddy McAteer sent the game to overtime with the Hoosiers getting a stop in the extra period.
The verdict:Guilty. Weeks have been spent on this case, and after much deliberation, Indiana is a fraud. Simply put, they can't move the ball effectively, turning a promising offense into a slog that only has one touchdown in regulation in the past two games. No matter how much the defense does its job, the other side of the ball is making it really difficult to believe Indiana can repeat as national champions.
No. 10 Ohio State
The case: The terrors of Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum continued for Ohio State. Luke Fahey struggled in his first career start while USC's freshmen stars powered a 30-18 upset of the Buckeyes.
The verdict: Guilty. The loss of Julian Sayin completely changed the identity of Ohio State, effectively eliminating the star power of Jeremiah Smith. There were uncharacteristic mistakes from both sides of the ball, but that was more indicative of how the team has taken a step back. If this is the Ohio State team we will see for the rest of the way, the odds of the preseason No. 1 team winning a title are near-zero.
No. 17 USC
The case:Lincoln Riley finally got his signature win, the first against a top five ranked team at USC with little doubt left against Ohio State.
The verdict: Guilty. Sorry, Trojans. Not free from the shackles just yet. While impressive in overwhelming one of the top teams in the country, you have to factor in this was not a complete Ohio State team. Given how bad the Buckeyes look, it would have been a bigger disaster for USC to lose to another backup. While not the ruling it hoped for, the Trojans are on their way toward an overturned conviction, which could be affirmed on Nov. 14 against Indiana is a true test of who is legit and who isn't.
No. 14 Wake Forest
The case: The best team in ACC not named Miami has emerged in Wake Forest, which beat Virginia 51-7 for its fourth straight win by at least 24 points, rolling to a 7-1 record.
The verdict: Not guilty. The Demon Deacons are getting love, but not enough. This truly is one of the most underrated teams in the country, playing a near-perfect brand of football not many teams can stop. Quarterback Gio Lopez is on fire with 24 touchdowns to just one interception. It makes a lot more sense when you see Miami wasn't able to dominate Wake Forest, and they are bound to meet again in the ACC title game as prime playoff contenders.
No. 22 Arizona
The case: The running game on both sides of the ball doomed Arizona, rushing for just 12 yards while allowing 328 yards to Texas Tech, dropping a key Big 12 matchup that boosted the title hopes of the winner.
The verdict: Not guilty. Finally, the defense caught up to the 'Cats. Arizona has an elite offense that was able to mask the shaky defense, and even when it got exposed, there was plenty to like against the Red Raiders. As long as Noah Fifita can play, this remains a dangerous team that can outscore just about anyone. The margin seems thin, but there is hope Arizona can still make some noise.
No. 23 Northwestern
The case: Chip Kelly had another unsuccessful return to Eugene as this one slipped away. Northwestern went up 20-6 to continue Oregon's unraveling, but laid an egg in the second half to allow the Ducks to pull off the 14-point comeback and snap the Wildcats' four-game win streak.
The verdict: Guilty. It was fun while it lasted, but Northwestern got shown it’s not quite at that next level. A lot of what went wrong against Oregon were things you'd see from a team still trying to prove itself, with miscues plaguing the Wildcats in a hostile environment. It's also worth noting Northwestern hasn't been as good away from home. This should be viewed as a successful season, but contending in the Big Ten is out of reach.
Duke
The case: One of the biggest beatings of Week 9 came from Duke, stomping Boston College 47-2 with Manny Diaz securing bowl eligibility for the third straight season, something that hasn't happened in Durham since 2012-15.
The verdict: Jury is still out. Everything about Duke screams a great team, but it's been hard to fully trust. Nate Sheppard is one of the best running backs in the country that looks strong on most occasions, yet the Blue Devils have bad losses to Georgia Tech and North Carolina. You don't know what you're getting every time they take the field, and that's why no verdict can be reached until Duke faces a true test.
South Carolina
The case: Forget about the Shane Beamer's hot seat. The Gamecocks have shaken off the 0-3 start in the SEC with three straight wins, coming off an impressive showing at Oklahoma.
The verdict: Not guilty. Better late than never. South Carolina had a lot of misguided hype in 2025, but what was thought then has arrived now. LaNorris Sellers is playing his way into the NFL draft conversation with a solid group of receivers turning the Gamecocks into a scary unit that isn't done piling up wins, looking like it could get to an impressive nine-victory mark. Beamer has saved his job and brought excitement back to South Carolina.
Wisconsin
The case: One week after Luke Fickell gets Wisconsin jumping around with a win over USC, he takes a huge step back with a 30-0 loss to Iowa, the second straight season his team failed to score against the rival.
The verdict: Guilty. Like Beamer, Fickell saved his job. However, he's not getting into the good graces of his fanbase. Another shutout from Iowa was atrocious in every facet, but it again brought up the issue with offense not being reliable enough when it doesn't have anyone that can effectively throw the ball. The complete pain is over with the Badgers, but they are nowhere near the level of expectations they face. At least Fickell will get another shot to change that.
Oklahoma State
The case: The Halloween-inspired uniform matchup ended up being one of the wildest games of the week. Ghosts of years past haunted Oklahoma State in Ames again, losing to Iowa State on last-second field goal in a 51-49 shootout.
The verdict: Guilty. There's no denying Drew Mestemaker has emerged as one of the best quarterbacks in the country, but in true Big 12 fashion, that can't save even the best if the defense is poor. Oklahoma State faced an Iowa State team that had 13 points in its two games prior, but looked like a juggernaut at home. That's hurt the Cowboys during conference play, and they have dug a hole too deep to pull off a major one-season turnaround under Eric Morris.
Guilty teams this season
- Oregon
- Michigan
- Oklahoma
- SMU
- Clemson
- Nebraska
- Illinois
- Texas A&M
- North Carolina
- Vanderbilt
- USC
- Penn State
- Louisville
- Washington
- Colorado
- Texas Tech
- Pittsburgh
- Virginia
- California
- Texas
- Tennessee
- LSU
- Florida
- Georgia
- Notre Dame
- Alabama
- Mississippi State
- BYU
- Ole Miss
- Iowa
- Minnesota
- Indiana
- Ohio State
- Northwestern
- Wisconsin
- Oklahoma State
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Indiana, Ohio State exposed? Fraud Court delivers its harshest verdicts yet