Sophomore wide receiver Lebron Bond (6) and junior wide receiver Charlie Becker (80) chest bump in celebration of Becker’s second touchdown against the University of North Texas on Sept. 5, 2026, at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington. Credit: Katie Newett / Indiana Daily Student
Indiana football is off to a 3-0 start to its first ever title defense. The No. 5 Hoosiers are on a nation-leading 19-game winning streak and have beaten their opponents by an average of 43 points to begin the 2026 season. Entering Big Ten play, the Cream and Crimson have shutout their opponent in back-to-back weeks for the first time since 1993.??
However, Week 3 marked the end of what head coach Curt Cignetti deemed “exhibition season.” With wins over the University of North Texas, Howard University and Western Kentucky University, the Hoosiers have yet to face an opponent reflective of the Big Ten’s strength.?
That doesn’t mean they’re unprepared.?
After losing a program record eight players to the 2026 NFL Draft, Indiana reloaded with 17 transfers. So far, the newest Hoosiers have maintained Cignetti’s high standard.?
Redshirt senior quarterback Josh Hoover is Cignetti’s third signal caller in as many years as he has been the coach in Bloomington. Hoover has been efficient so far, throwing for 649 yards, 10 touchdowns and no interceptions with a 72.5% completion rate through three games. Junior running back Turbo Richard has emerged as a leader in the backfield with 7.7 yards per carry, 315 yards and four touchdowns in nonconference play.??
Marquee transfer junior wide receiver Nick Marsh got off to a slow start to the season but caught seven passes against Western Kentucky. On the defensive side, redshirt senior defensive lineman Tobi Osunsanmi leads the team with 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.?
In addition to the newcomers, Indiana returned plenty of key talent from its championship-winning 2025 season. Redshirt senior linebacker Isaiah Jones has a team-high 22 tackles while junior linebacker Rolijah Hardy boasts 21 tackles and three tackles for loss.?
Junior wide receiver Charlie Becker — a projected first-round NFL Draft pick — broke out in the back-half of 2025 and picked up right where he left off. Six of Becker’s 12 catches have been touchdowns, and the 6-foot-4 contested catch machine has never dropped a pass in his career.?
Despite its dominance on the scoreboard, Indiana is not without potential faults. Injuries to redshirt senior cornerback Jamari Sharpe and senior cornerback A.J. Harris has forced the Hoosiers to turn to redshirt senior Ryland Gandy and sophomore Jaylen Bell in relief. A depleted secondary won’t go unnoticed in the Big Ten.
Indiana begins its conference slate Friday night at home against Northwestern.
