COLUMBUS, Ohio – Indiana coach Curt Cignetti didn’t think he needed to say it. Hoos are upstart Hoosiers, still in the 12-team playoff after Saturday’s 38-15 loss to Ohio State?

“Is that a serious question?” Cignetti responded defiantly. ‘I’m not even going to answer that. The answer is so obvious.’

Cignetti then smiled and nodded yes with a wink before leaving the stage after the match.

It will become clear on Tuesday whether the play-off selection committee agrees.

Indiana’s potential inclusion (or exclusion) is proving to be the most controversial playoff storyline ahead of the final week of the regular season.

Before traveling to Columbus, the fifth-ranked Hoosiers (10-1) were one of the most dominant teams in the country, posting double-digit wins for the first time in program history.

They also became the first team since 1998 to start 8-0 without trailing once. All but one of the Hoosiers’ wins were the result of at least two touchdowns.

But the Hoosiers, who face 1-10 rival Purdue next weekend, will finish without a top-25 win. Indiana’s strong schedule ranked 106th in the Ohio State matchup.

The Hoosiers scored a touchdown on their opening drive to take their first lead over Ohio State in five years.

But the Buckeyes rolled the rest of the way, holding Indiana to just 53 yards in the first half, the lowest total in a first half in a decade, according to ESPN Research.

Ohio State led 31-7 before the teams traded meaningless touchdowns in the final two minutes. Hoosiers quarterback Kurtis Rourke, who ranked second nationally in QBR (88.1), completed just 8 of 18 passes for 68 yards while taking five sacks.

“We couldn’t protect the quarterback,” Cignetti said. “Every time we dropped back to pass, something bad happened. … It was like a nightmare.”

Special teams also proved to be a nightmare for the Hoosiers.

Just before halftime, Indiana punter James Evans mishandled the snap and was tackled at the Hoosiers’ 7-yard line. The Buckeyes punched the ball into the end zone three plays later to take a 14-7 lead into halftime.

Then, after an Indiana three-and-out to start the third quarter, Ohio State’s Caleb Downs returned a punt 79 yards for a touchdown to spark the offense. Indiana fell to 1-71 all-time against top-five AP opponents, according to ESPN Research.

“We didn’t handle the noise very well,” Cignetti said of playing at Ohio Stadium. “We didn’t play our best game today. But I think a lot of that is thanks to them.”

The Hoosiers did receive help later Saturday afternoon.

Florida defeated Ole Miss 24-17, effectively eliminating the ninth-ranked Rebels (8-3) from the playoff conversation. But in both the Big 12 and the ACC, multiple teams could be competing for playoff consideration.

Still, Rourke said he believes Indiana’s overall body of work should show the Hoosiers are worthy of an at-large playoff bid.

“I hope so. We trust ourselves against whoever,” Rourke said, adding that he hopes for a rematch with Ohio State “at some point” in the playoffs.

“Next week is a big game,” Rourke said. “We have to take care of Purdue and then move on one game at a time.”