Good teams (at least great teams) have the depth to overcome an injury against teams like Indiana, Minnesota and Northwestern. I think dismissing that is short-sighted. Freshmen star throughout the country beginning day one--I don't buy these guys needed more time this season after last year.
Having good individual players does not make a team good or great. It's the sum of the parts. We'll see how they finish the year. If they lose the next two then this wasn't a very good team IMO. Right now, as of this second, they look good especially of late but the Big Ten is also weak this year so it's hard to really say for sure. I'm really hoping they make the NCAAs...I'm not a believer. I have to see it to believe in them. Win the next 4 and this team is very good. Go 1-1 then 1-1 in the B1G and then not so much.
If you want to believe this team is good/great then believe that. I'm not saying you're wrong. I just disagree. We'll know in about a month how good this team really is/was