Indiana Football 2026 Season Preview: Game-by-Game Predictions | Part 1

Indiana football is less than a week from beginning its 2026 season, and CrimsonCast is back with a full game-by-game preview of the reigning national champion Hoosiers under Curt Cignetti.Galen Clavio and Scott Caulfield look at where IU fits in the national college football conversation after a 16-0 championship season, why some analysts still seem reluctant to fully buy into the Hoosiers, and what Indiana has to do this year to erase any remaining “fluke” narrative. They discuss the program’s player-led culture, the challenge of repeating, the historical rarity of back-to-back national championships, and why Josh Hoover may give Indiana a different but potentially even more explosive offensive ceiling after Fernando Mendoza.Then the show turns into a full schedule breakdown: North Texas, Howard, Western Kentucky, Northwestern, Rutgers, Nebraska, Ohio State, Michigan, Minnesota, USC, Washington, and Purdue. Galen and Scott talk through trap spots, road-game concerns, Memorial Stadium atmospheres, the massive Ohio State rematch, the historical weight of trying to win at Michigan, USC and Washington as late-season tests, and the Old Oaken Bucket finale.The episode closes with season predictions, Big Ten championship scenarios, College Football Playoff expectations, and why both hosts land on 11-1 for Indiana — with a possible Big Ten title game rematch against Ohio State still very much on the board.Subscribe to the Back Home Network for more CrimsonCast coverage of Indiana football, IU athletics, Curt Cignetti, the Hoosiers, Big Ten football, and the 2026 college football season.