Indiana opens its national title defense on September 5, and for the first time in program history, the Hoosiers enter a season as the hunted. The 2026 slate gives Curt Cignetti’s third Indiana team eight home games at Memorial Stadium, a Big Ten Championship Game rematch with Ohio State in Bloomington, and a November that runs through USC, Seattle, and the Old Oaken Bucket.
Kickoff times for most conference games are announced 6-12 days out under the Big Ten’s flex scheduling windows, so check back weekly — this page is updated as times, networks, and results come in.
2026 Team Schedule
Indiana Hoosiers Football Schedule
Defending national champions · Big Ten · Memorial Stadium, Bloomington
Preseason AP Rank
No. 6
8 first-place votes
2025 Record
16-0
National champions
Home Games
8
4 road trips
Season Opener
Sept 5
vs North Texas, noon on FOX
Full 2026 Indiana Football Schedule
| Date |
Opponent |
Time (ET) / TV |
Result |
| Sat, Sept 5 |
vs North Texas |
12:00 PM · FOX |
— |
| Sat, Sept 12 |
vs Howard |
12:00 PM · BTN |
— |
| Sat, Sept 19 |
vs Western Kentucky |
4:00 PM · Peacock |
— |
| Fri, Sept 25 |
vs Northwestern |
8:00 PM · FOX |
— |
| Sat, Oct 3 |
at Rutgers |
8:00 PM |
— |
| Sat, Oct 10 |
at Nebraska |
TBA |
— |
| Sat, Oct 17 |
vs Ohio State |
TBA |
— |
| Sat, Oct 24 |
at Michigan |
TBA |
— |
| Sat, Oct 31 |
vs Minnesota |
TBA |
— |
| Sat, Nov 7 |
Bye week |
— |
— |
| Sat, Nov 14 |
vs USC |
TBA |
— |
| Sat, Nov 21 |
at Washington |
TBA |
— |
| Sat, Nov 28 |
vs Purdue (Old Oaken Bucket) |
TBA |
— |
Games That Will Decide Indiana’s Season
| Game |
Date |
Why It Matters |
| vs Ohio State |
Oct 17 |
Big Ten title game rematch — No. 1 vs No. 6 in Bloomington |
| at Michigan |
Oct 24 |
Back-to-back top-16 tests; first trip to Ann Arbor since 2022 |
| vs USC |
Nov 14 |
First-ever Big Ten meeting with the Trojans in Bloomington |
| at Washington |
Nov 21 |
Ranked road trip to Seattle in the season’s final full weekend |
Fast Fact
Curt Cignetti enters year three in Bloomington after back-to-back playoff runs and a perfect 16-0 championship season.
Fast Fact
Indiana had a program-record eight players taken in the 2026 NFL Draft, including the No. 1 overall pick — a massive roster reload.
Fast Fact
The regular season ends the way it always should: Purdue and the Old Oaken Bucket at Memorial Stadium on November 28.
How the Schedule Sets Up
The front half is friendly — four straight home dates, including a Friday night against Northwestern — before the stretch that defines the season: Ohio State visits October 17 and the Hoosiers go to Ann Arbor a week later. The late bye on November 7 lands perfectly before the USC and Washington back-to-back. With the expanded field rewarding conference title contenders, a strong finish puts Indiana squarely in the bracket again — here’s how the College Football Playoff works and how selection and seeding are handled under the format governed by the NCAA‘s FBS postseason structure.
The Bottom Line
Indiana lost the quarterback, the record, and the element of surprise — but kept the coach, the system, and eight home games. If the Hoosiers survive the Ohio State–Michigan fortnight in October, the schedule gives them every chance to defend. Bookmark this page: times, networks, and results are updated throughout the season.
