Indiana gets its third and final non-conference test of the 2026 season on Saturday, and Western Kentucky arrives at Memorial Stadium with a clear warning label attached.
The Hoosiers are 2-0 after blowout wins over North Texas and Howard, but the first two weeks have also left a few things for Indiana to clean up. Jamari Sharpe and A.J. Harris missed last Saturday’s game against the Bison as the Hoosiers look to get healthier at cornerback, the defense gave up plenty against North Texas, and Curt Cignetti pulled Josh Hoover aside after a pass in the previous game.
That makes this matchup a little more interesting than the records suggest. Here are three bold calls for Indiana against Western Kentucky.
Josh Hoover won’t put up the same eye-popping numbers
Hoover has been sharp through two games in cream and crimson, completing 70.4% of his passes for 376 yards and eight touchdowns. He threw four touchdowns against North Texas and four more against Howard, and Indiana has leaned on him to stretch the field.
But Cignetti’s postgame message after Howard was pretty direct. Following a deep touchdown to Charlie Becker, he said he’d like to see Hoover work more within the offense instead of getting locked in on downfield shots. That feels like something Indiana will stress again this week.
Western Kentucky was vulnerable through the air last week, with Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton throwing five touchdowns in the Bulldogs’ rout. Still, Indiana has already shown it can move the ball through the passing game without forcing the issue, especially with Becker as the top target. The Hoosiers may want to use Saturday to lean into a more controlled, methodical passing game - the kind that better resembles what they’ll face once Big Ten play arrives.
Indiana won’t match Georgia’s blowout, and that’s okay
Georgia hammered Western Kentucky 70-20 in Athens last week, and that score will naturally hang over this game because both teams have now seen the Hilltoppers. Comparisons are coming, whether Indiana likes it or not.
The Hoosiers probably won’t hang 70 or win by 50, and that shouldn’t be treated like a problem.
When Cignetti has a team that can separate from an overmatched opponent, he usually does. Indiana’s recent games against Big Ten competition, especially Purdue, back that up.
But the coach isn’t always trying to pile on just for the sake of it. Indiana went scoreless in last week’s shortened fourth quarter, and against North Texas the Hoosiers’ late surge came on a touchdown pass before the offense shifted to the ground game.
Grant Wilson even had a 43-yard burst on the third and final drive, and Indiana didn’t throw again.
Georgia, for its part, also didn’t spend the whole fourth quarter emptying the clip. The Bulldogs scored once in the final period and gave up two touchdowns.
So if this one looks different from the Georgia game, that’s not a reason to overreact.
At least three Hoosiers will catch a touchdown
Becker has been the main beneficiary of Hoover’s early-season production, hauling in five of his eight passing touchdowns. He’s been the headliner so far, but Indiana has a history of making the passing game more balanced when it’s at its best.
That was especially true in 2024, and then in 2025 the Hoosiers leaned more heavily on Omar Cooper Jr. and Elijah Sarratt before Becker emerged. Saturday feels like a chance for Indiana to keep spreading the ball around instead of making everything run through one receiver.
The options are there. Becker is the obvious name, but Nick Marsh and Tyler Morris are in the mix at receiver, Turbo Richard can factor in out of the backfield, and Brock Schott gives Hoover a target at tight end. There’s also the possibility that the Hoosiers dip lower on the depth chart and find production from Andrew Barker, Davion Chandler, LeBron Bond and others.
In Other News...
Indiana's Big Ten Path Suddenly Looks More Open Than Expected
Through the first two weeks, Indianas route through the Big Ten has started to look a little less daunting than it did on paper. The schedule still carries the usual weight of a league race, but some of the conferences biggest names have already shown enough vulnerability to make the Hoosiers path feel more navigable than many expected in August.
Michigan and Ohio State are still Michigan and Ohio State, and nothing about a September snapshot changes their standing for long. Still, recent performances across the league have opened up the conversation around Indianas chances to stay in the hunt for Indianapolis and, by extension, the College Football Playoff, especially with the status of teams like USC and Washington adding more uncertainty to the broader picture. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Defense Suddenly Faces A Bigger Problem Than Week 3
Indianas defensive front has taken an unexpected hit just as the schedule starts to tighten. Kellan Wyatt and Stephen Daley had been cleared to play under a temporary restraining order for the first two games, but that protection has now expired, leaving both linemen out for the upcoming Week 3 matchup with Western Kentucky.
A judge is expected to rule next week on the injunction that could settle their eligibility, possibly before Big Ten play begins. For Indiana, the uncertainty matters because both players have already given the defense meaningful snaps in the past, and their status now hangs on court decisions rather than anything happening on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Is Already Making New Receivers Earn Their Roles
Curt Cignetti has already made it clear that Indianas receiver room is not going to hand out roles based on reputation alone. Compared with the 2024 group, the 2026 wideout depth chart is deeper and more versatile, and that has pushed the Hoosiers to ask more from their newcomers. Shazz Preston and Nick Marsh are both being used with an eye toward flexibility, with the staff wanting each of them to learn multiple spots as the offense sorts out who can handle the biggest responsibilities.
Preston got the start over Marsh in a recent game, and both receivers saw their playing time increase as Indiana works through the early stages of that evaluation. The message from the coaching staff has been about consistency and adaptability, not just talent, which means the competition in that room is far from settled. Second-year receiver Lebron Bond has also been sidelined by injury and missed the game against Howard, adding another layer to a position group that is still taking shape. [Read more 🡒]