Indiana’s scheduling playbook is about to get a lot harder to run.
With the College Football Playoff and ESPN locked into a five-year agreement that will expand the field to 24 teams, the sport is headed into a new setup next season. The deal carries a $1.7 media rights bill, and the changes are already reaching beyond the bracket itself. Conference championship games are gone, the regular season has been stripped of some of its urgency, and future schedules are going to start looking different too.
One of the biggest shifts, according to Brett McMurphy, is that all Power 4 teams will be required to play 10 Power 4 opponents during the regular season. That puts Indiana squarely in the spotlight, because the Hoosiers do not have a Power 4 team on any of their upcoming schedules right now.
That setup has been a defining part of Curt Cignetti’s tenure. Indiana has lined up non-Power 4 opponents in every non-conference slate under Cignetti, with games against Florida International, Western Illinois, Charlotte, Old Dominion, Kennesaw State, Indiana State, North Texas, Howard, and Western Kentucky among the mix. Cignetti has never hidden what he’s doing, and so far the formula has paid off.
But the new playoff era is going to force a rethink.
Indiana’s upcoming non-conference schedule currently includes Ball State, Eastern Illinois, and Western Kentucky in 2029, then Miami (OH), Indiana State, and Delaware in 2030. There isn’t a Power 4 opponent on the books over the next four seasons, which means the Hoosiers will have to adjust once the new requirement kicks in.
Because the Big Ten already plays nine conference games, Indiana will need to swap out one of those nonconference opponents for a Power 4 matchup. That makes the whole operation trickier, since the Hoosiers will have to protect some manageable games while also adding a tougher test.
Per The Athletic, Indiana is already trying to line up a Power 4 opponent for its 2027 non-conference schedule. Athletic Director Scott Dolson is reportedly in talks with other programs about getting added to future football slates.
That kind of game would do more than just satisfy the new scheduling rules. It would give Indiana a stronger CFP résumé and a real measuring stick before Big Ten play begins.
The Hoosiers have shown some cracks this season, and those issues have surfaced in games that have put them on upset alert more than once. Indiana has struggled against Northwestern, Nebraska, Michigan, and Minnesota, and while the team has gotten by for the most part, that approach is not built to last.
Indiana returns to action this weekend against USC, with kickoff set for 3:30 p.m. ET.
In Other News...
Indiana Just Landed A Guard Hoosier Fans Will Want To Watch
Indiana added another notable name to its future backcourt with the signing of four-star guard Chase Branham from the class of 2027, a move that gives Hoosier fans an early reason to keep an eye on La Lumiere School. At 6-foot-4, Branham brings size for the position, and his arrival only adds to the sense that Indiana is trying to build its next wave with players who can fit the programs long-term plans.
Branham also arrives with some historical context attached, since he is now the 10th-highest ranked recruit Indiana has landed in the 247Sports era. In the schools official release, coach Darian DeVries highlighted both Branhams ability and his character, which is usually the kind of combination a staff hopes will translate well once the real work begins and the recruiting buzz gives way to what he can actually do in Bloomington. [Read more 🡒]
Lincoln Riley Just Sent Indiana A Message Before Bloomington Showdown
Lincoln Riley had plenty of praise for Indiana as USC turns its attention toward a trip to Bloomington, and the message was clear enough: this is not a matchup the Trojans can treat casually. Asked about the Hoosiers, Riley pointed to an experienced defense and the kind of coaching continuity that can make a team harder to prepare for, while also showing respect for Curt Cignettis program.
For Indiana, the compliments matter because they come with a reminder of what usually decides games at this level: which team can bring the same standard from one week to the next. Riley said consistency is the challenge, and that is exactly the sort of test the Hoosiers want in a high-profile home game, where a strong defensive identity and steady coaching should give them a chance to make USC earn everything. [Read more 🡒]
Tobi Osunsanmi May Decide Whether Indiana Can Survive USCs Attack
USC brings one of the Big Tens most dangerous passing attacks into this matchup, and Indianas best answer may come from the front line. The Trojans have leaned on quarterback Jayden Maiava to drive the offense, while the Hoosiers have built their defensive identity around getting pressure and disrupting timing before a play can fully develop.
Tobi Osunsanmi is at the center of that challenge. Indiana has to find a way to make USC uncomfortable early and often, because if Maiava settles in, the Trojans can turn a game fast through the air. The Hoosiers have shown they can defend at a high level, but this one may hinge on whether Osunsanmi and the pass rush can force USC out of rhythm before the secondary has to hold up for long stretches. [Read more 🡒]