Northwestern

 

On a night the Hoosiers looked nothing like the defending national champs, Lee Beebe Jr. carried 24 times for 203 yards, scored one touchdown and his late 70-yard burst set up Josh Hoover's game-sealing 1-yard score with 1:56 to go as No. 5 Indiana held on for a 29-23 victory over Northwestern. 

Northwestern fell just short of beating a defending national champion for the first time since 1971 and a top five foe for the first time since 1959.

The Hoosiers extended the Football Bowl Subdivision's longest active winning streak to 20 games and the longest home winning streak to 19 — barely.

Northwestern was within 15-13 early in the fourth quarter and had two chances to tie because of a pass-interference call on its first 2-point attempt. But the Hoosiers stopped quarterback Aidan Chiles on a designed run to preserve the lead.

Following a facemask penalty on third-and-19 that gave Indiana a first down, Beebe ripped off a 39-yard run and then ran for a 4-yard TD with 9:39 left to make it a two-score game. After Northwestern cut the deficit to 22-20, Beebe ran 70 yards to the Wildcats 5-yard line. Six plays later, Hoover scored.

Sources:

The Helmet Project: http://nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/index.htm

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1145292-power-ranking-all-124-college-football-stadiums

espn game recap 

Western Kentucky

Josh Hoover threw two touchdown passes, Lee Beebe Jr. added two TD runs and No. 4 Indiana overcame a sluggish first half to blow out Western Kentucky 38-0. 

The Hoosiers' defense has posted back-to-back shutouts, and it has not been scored upon since late in the third quarter of their season opener against North Texas. 

That side of the ball also set up a 98-yard TD drive with a goal-line stand in the first half. 

Cignetti improved to 30-2 with the Hoosiers, becoming the eighth of the program's 30 all-time coaches to reach the 30-win mark.

Sources:

The Helmet Project: http://nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/index.htm

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1145292-power-ranking-all-124-college-football-stadiums

espn game recap 

Howard

 

Josh Hoover and Grant Wilson combined for 6 touchdown passes while Turbo Rchard added another on the ground to lead the Hoosiers to a 55-0 shutout over Howard. 

In the fourth quarter the Hoosiers elected to use a ten-minuet clock to conclude the game. Second and third squads were used in the second half as starters were pulled.

Indiana played without kicker Nico Radicic, who has a lower back injury. Cignetti said Radicic woke up Thursday morning with a stiff back and was unable to play. He was replaced by Paddy McAteer, who is from Ireland. McAteer didn't have any field-goal attempts but did miss his second extra-point attempt wide left.

Cignetti is still unbeaten at Memorial Stadium.  His 28-2 record after 30 games is the second best in FBS history. Fielding Yost started his Michigan tenure at 29-0-1.

Sources:

The Helmet Project: http://nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/index.htm

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1145292-power-ranking-all-124-college-football-stadiums

espn game recap 

North Texas

 

Josh Hoover threw for 231 yards and four touchdowns, including a 15-yard score on his first pass, Turbo Richard rushed for two more scores to help the defending national champs open the season with a 52-16 rout of North Texas.

After celebrating last year's title during a pregame ceremony, Indiana extended the Football Bowl Subdivision's longest active winning streak to 17 games and the FBS' longest active home winning streak to 16.

Hoover finished 13 of 16 with no turnovers. Richard, had 15 carries for 58 yards and one catch for 38. Charlie Becker had four catches for 64 yards and two scores while Nick Marsh and Davion Chandler each had TD receptions.

The passing offense and kickoff returns looked strong, but coach Curt Cignetti won't be happy with the penalties, the rushing game or the defense's inability to get stops. Those will be areas to focus on this week.

North Texas quarterback Tayven Jackson returned to his home state and played well though he did leave briefly in the second half when he appeared to suffer a lower body injury. He was 22 of 28 for 192 yards with one interception while rushing six times for 22 yards. Jackson played two seasons at Indiana before transferring to UCF last year.

Indiana lost three key players in the first half — running back Khobie Martin and defensive backs A.J. Harris and Jamari Sharpe, whose sealed the title game win with a late interception.

Sources:

The Helmet Project: http://nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/index.htm

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1145292-power-ranking-all-124-college-football-stadiums

espn game recap 

Last season proved INDIANA belonged in the national conversation.

Now comes the challenge: proving it wasn't a one-year story.

The foundation is built. The expectations are higher. 

Let the season begin!

2026 Schedule

 "I love football. I'm a football guy. I don't have many other things that I do besides family, and in the summer go for a walk with my wife. I'm a film junkie, and I like putting a team together and we're going to have a lot of challenges [this] next season." - Curt Cignetti 

Non-Conference

Sept. 05 – North Texas

Sept. 12 – Howard

Sept. 19 – Western Kentucky

Conference

Sept.26 – Northwestern

Oct.  03 – @ Rutgers

Oct. 10 – @ Nebraska

Oct.17 – Ohio State

Oct. 24 – @ Michigan

Oct. 31 – Minnesota 

Nov. 07 –BYE

Nov. 14 – USC

Nov. 21- @ Washington

Nov. 28- Purdue

The Hoosiers will spend the entire month of September at Memorial Stadium as it looks to get back to the national title game. 

The Hoosiers' 2026 schedule also includes a tough midseason stretch featuring three of four games on the road. Before closing out the year with the Old Oaken Bucket game they will make a rare trip out to Seattle for a matchup against Washington. 

IU's big matchup against Ohio State at Memorial Stadium was previously announced as a Big Ten Championship Game rematch. 

This schedule will be daunting as they will have the defending National champion target on their back each contest.   

2025 In Review

 

The storybook season for Indiana's 2025 season had several firsts in program history. These include: 

First top 10 road win at Oregon in week seven

First ever No, 1 ranking (AP, Coaches, and CFP polls)

First Big Ten title in 58 years

First undefeated season in 80 years

First 16-0 college football team in FBS since Yale in 1894 - most wins in program history

First Hoosier QB to win the Heisman

First team in the 12-team playoff era to win a quarterfinal game after getting a bye through the first round. Such teams were 0-7 

The Rose Bowl win was IU's first bowl victory in seven tries since winning the 1991 Copper Bowl

First blocked punt touchdown in CFP history

First national championship

In two playoff games Mendoza threw eight touchdown passes against only five incompletions. He had more TDs than incompletions in five games for the season. The first player this century to do it more than twice in a campaign.  

Hoosier Coach Curt Cignetti became the first coach since the turn of the 20th century to win 27 games in his first two seasons at a school

In three playoff games, the Hoosiers did not trail for a single second

Statistical Highlights:

Overall Record: 16-0

Points Per Game: 41.6 (3rd nationally)

Their plus 479-point differential, only second best since 1936

Points Allowed Per Game: 11.7 (2nd nationally)

Individual Honors & Records:

Fernando Mendoza (QB): Became the first Hoosier to win the Heisman Trophy. He threw 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns, adding the decisive rushing touchdown in the National Championship game.

Curt Cignetti: Named Big Ten Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season and won the Dodd Trophy and the Bear Bryant College Football Coach of the Year. 

Nico Radicic (K): Set Big Ten records for extra points (76/76) and total points scored by a kicker (124) while winning Kicker of the Year.

All-Conference Honors: A program-record 17 players earned All-Big Ten honors (1st, 2nd, or 3rd team), led by Mendoza and unanimous All-American offensive lineman Carter Smith.

Image © USA Today Sports