Next up in the opponent preview series is the reigning champions themselves, Indiana. Rutgers has not taken on the Hoosiers since 2023, a game in which the Scarlet Knights took down IU 31-14 in Bloomington to clinch bowl eligibility at 6-2 in October. That was the third straight win for Rutgers in the series, having routed IU 38-3 in 2021 and topped the Hoosiers 24-17 in an otherwise dreadful 2024 season. Since then, the two programs have been on very different trajectories, with Indiana completing their meteoric and stunning rise to the top of college football with a national championship this past January over Miami and an undefeated season.
Rutgers will have already taken on their first Big Ten opponent of the season in USC, a pretty daunting conference opener, but will be coming off an extra day of rest and off their FCS game against Howard. How the Knights will fare against Indiana remains to be seen, but this is not the Hoosiers of even five years ago. Rutgers will host Indiana as a decided underdog, although the lights will be bright for a second straight primetime homecoming game after the Knights were thrashed by Oregon last season in the same circumstances.
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With that said, let us turn our attention to Indiana and its roster heading into its title-defense season.
Offense Mixes Transfers and Experience
After Fernando Mendoza’s Heisman campaign that catapulted him to become the top overall pick in the NFL Draft, Curt Cignetti tabbed Josh Hoover of TCU to take over the starting job in 2026. Hoover has posted astronomical numbers and truly broke out the last couple of seasons for the Horned Frogs.
For his college career, Hoover has 9,629 passing yards and 71 touchdowns across 36 games (31 starts). Last season, he posted 3,472 yards and threw for 29 touchdowns. He is a bit turnover-prone, with 13 interceptions last year, and he is not very mobile, but he can make big plays and thrive under Cignetti’s scheme. He will also be protected by three returning starters, including Carter Smith, who won the Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year at the crucial left tackle position.
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At running back, the Hoosiers will likely roll out a committee backfield, with former Boston College RB Turbo Richard likely taking the top spot after totaling nearly a thousand all-purpose yards for the Eagles last year. In addition, Indiana will feature sophomore Khobie Martin, who rushed for over 500 yards alongside a pair of 1,000-yard rushers last year in Roman Hemby and Kaelon Black.
The Hoosiers lost star wideout Omar Cooper Jr. to the NFL Draft, but bring back national sensation Charlie Becker after his breakout postseason, where he made highlight-reel catches to help lift IU to the Big Ten and national championships. They also bring in Nick Marsh, who was Michigan State’s top receiver with 662 yards and six touchdowns. To complete the starting trio, they hauled in one of the top Group of Five receivers in Shazz Preston, who had nearly 600 receiving yards for the CFP-bound Tulane Green Wave.
Although IU will replace some of their top producers on offense, their mix of returning experience and quality transfers will mean that their offense should once again be potent in 2026.
Defense Brings in Interesting Mix of Talent
On defense, the Hoosiers return a ferocious front, with their starting defensive tackles in Tyrique Tucker and Mario Landino on the interior while being flanked by transfer defensive ends Chiddi Obiazor and Tobi Osunsami. Both ends are coming in from Kansas State and will look to continue to produce sacks after IU had the second-most sacks in the FBS with 46 a year ago.
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Indiana also led the country with 129 tackles for loss, which had a lot to do with twists, stunts, and simulated pressures. It was also due to the Hoosiers’ linebacking duo of Rolijah Hardy and Isaiah Jones, who will return this year to wreak havoc behind the defensive line.
Behind them, IU brought in one of the top cornerbacks in the country to replace D’Angelo Ponds, with former Penn State and Georgia CB AJ Harris playing opposite returning senior Jamari Sharpe. Former Wisconsin standout strong safety Preston Zachman transferred in conference to join the defending champs, while Amare Ferrell will occupy the free safety spot in front of him.
On special teams, the Hoosiers bring in several transfers and plenty of speed to return kicks, including receivers Tyler Morris and Shabazz Preston, along with running back Turbo Richards. They bring in Billy Gowers from Hawaii to handle punting duties, although that may not be needed often; at kicker, they return one of the game’s best in Nico Radicic, who has gone 28-30 on field goal attempts since 2024.
Schedule and Expectations
The Hoosiers will begin their title defense by hosting one of the G5 upstarts out of the American Conference in North Texas, who finished the season ranked 25th and fell to Tulane in the conference championship game. Indiana then takes on a fellow Rutgers opponent in Howard, before wrapping up the nonconference slate with Western Kentucky. It should be no problem for the defending champions to start 3-0.
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Indiana will host Northwestern on Friday, September 25th to open Big Ten play (the same day Rutgers takes on Howard) ahead of their clash with the Scarlet Knights. This will negate the one-day rest advantage RU would have had, although Rutgers will likely get to empty their bench against the Bison in their final nonconference game and get the starters some additional rest.
Immediately after the Hoosiers make their return to New Jersey, they will take on Nebraska at Memorial Stadium, and then battle Ohio State and Michigan for some of the Big Ten’s marquee clashes of the year. The Hoosiers will then host USC, fly out to Washington, and face in-state rivals Purdue at home, before looking ahead to the postseason and possibly the Big Ten Championship Game.
In terms of the Rutgers game, the Scarlet Knights will have all hands on deck with their annual homecoming game also being slated for an 8 PM kickoff time at SHI Stadium. Although the Hoosiers may take a step back from their title campaign when coming into Piscataway, they will still be miles better than the Knights and likely hand them a double-digit loss this year.
It will depend on the offensive brilliance of KJ Duff and Antwan Raymond to keep pace with the high-flying Hoosiers’ attack, as well as how the defense adjusts, as this game may be the toughest for Rutgers all season.
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