- Case study
- Data visualization
- UX research
- Web build
The poll said #20. Our model said #8. Indiana went 16–0.
Before the 2025 season, CreativeTech Studio designed and built an interactive analysis of Indiana football’s contender case. Then the season played out, and our read beat the consensus.
#20
AP preseason ranking
#8
CreativeTech Studio model
16–0
Actual season: national champions
Project
Self-initiated showcase
Our role
Research, UX, design, build
Timeframe
2025 preseason
Stack
Vanilla JS, CDN, design tokens
Overview
Rankings lean on reputation. We built a tool that looks at the evidence.
Preseason polls start from where programs finished before, so rising programs get undervalued. With the new 12-team playoff, that gap carries real weight: a No. 8 ranking can now mean hosting a playoff game.
Challenge
Dense, biased, hard to read
Fans, alumni and analysts get a single ranking with no way to see the reasoning behind it.
Approach
One dataset, three views
A fan-facing presentation, a research case study and a technical blueprint, all from one fast web app.
Outcome
A sharper read than the poll
Our model placed Indiana in the Top 10 when the AP had them at No. 20. They finished No. 1.
The solution
Each view is built for the person reading it.
Instead of one long page trying to serve everyone, the app separates the story into three tabs that answer three different questions.
View 01
Marketing presentation
For fans, alumni and media
Stat cards lead with one headline number each. A filterable contender matrix puts Indiana beside the elite tier, and a live poll lets visitors make their own call.
- Model rank#8
- ScheduleTop 5
- Roster eff.94.2%
- Sentiment+42%
Roster efficiency and sentiment are illustrative figures that demonstrate the interface.
View 02
Academic case study
For analysts and decision-makers
Sets out the research argument and how the interface was designed to reduce cognitive load.
- The preseason anchor effect
- Ranking value in the 12-team playoff era
- Visual hierarchy for dense comparisons
View 03
Technical blueprint
For technical stakeholders
Documents how the app is built and served, from CDN delivery to responsive layout.
- No render-blocking styles
- Lightweight JavaScript controllers
- Touch-optimized responsive grid
Prediction vs. reality
The season tested the hypothesis, and the anchor effect held.
Indiana’s 2025 ranking. Lower number means higher rank.
- 16–0An undefeated season, unprecedented in the modern era.
- 27–21National championship win over Miami on Jan. 19, 2026, the program’s first title.
- #20The lowest preseason ranking for a national champion since 2010 Auburn.
- #1Final AP ranking to close the season.
Confirmed
The anchor effect was real
Voters started Indiana far below its fundamentals. The poll lagged the evidence, as the hypothesis predicted.
Confirmed
Indiana had a Top 10 case
Our No. 8 was twelve places closer to the final outcome than the consensus No. 20.
Too cautious
The projected record
We projected 9–3 or 10–2. They didn’t lose a game. Even a bold read undersold the upside.
How we built it
Research-led UX on a fast, lightweight foundation.
UX method
Rankings are information-dense, so we designed to reduce cognitive friction.
- Lead with one number. Each card shows a single headline figure.
- Compare in tiers. Grouping keeps the matrix readable.
- Filter, don’t scroll. Readers focus on the slice they care about.
- Close the loop. The prediction poll turns readers into participants.
Engineering choices
Speed and maintainability over framework weight, for a mobile-heavy audience.
- Global CDN and SSL for fast, secure delivery.
- Vanilla ES6+ controllers for tabs, filters and async rendering.
- Design tokens enforce the brand palette everywhere.
- Responsive, touch-optimized grids for every screen size.
Delivery
Global CDN + SSL
Cached assets, instant mobile load
Presentation
Token-driven UI
Shared brand colors and type
Logic
ES6+ controllers
Tabs, filters, async data
Engagement
Prediction poll
Fan votes recorded for feedback
What this means for you
The same method works for any complex story you need people to understand.
Swap football rankings for market positioning, program outcomes or product performance. The challenge is the same: a position stronger than people assume, with the proof buried in spreadsheets.
- Question the default viewThe obvious number is often anchored to the past.
- Structure the evidencePut the comparison where people can see it, and lead with one clear number.
- Ship it to be usedFast, mobile-first and easy to share.
Independent studio project. CreativeTech Studio is not affiliated with or endorsed by Indiana University. Model figures are the studio’s own analysis; figures marked illustrative demonstrate the interface and are not audited statistics. Season results per the Associated Press.
