Indiana should have little trouble handling Western Kentucky on Sunday, and the numbers in front of this matchup point to a lopsided afternoon at Memorial Stadium.
The Hoosiers are coming off a 55-0 demolition of Howard and now get another opponent that appears overmatched. Indiana’s offense, led by efficient quarterback Josh Hoover, has already shown how quickly it can pile up points, while the Hilltoppers have struggled badly on defense. With Indiana favored by 44.5 points, this one has all the signs of another runaway.
One clear expectation is that Indiana gets well past the 50-point mark again. Curt Cignetti’s teams have reached that number 13 times since he arrived in Bloomington, and the Hoosiers have already done it twice this season.
They opened with a 52-16 win over North Texas, then followed with the shutout of Howard. Western Kentucky looks like the next team in line.
Hoover also looks poised for another big day through the air. He threw four touchdown passes against North Texas and matched that total again last week against Howard, while barely missing on throws.
Through two games, he has eight touchdown passes and only eight incompletions. Against another defense that has given up plenty, another three-touchdown outing feels well within reach.
Indiana should also create problems in the turnover game. The Hoosiers are only +1 in turnover margin right now, but that figure could rise quickly against a defense that has not been sharp. Indiana has already shown an ability to capitalize when chances come its way, and this matchup gives them another opportunity to separate there.
On the other side, Western Kentucky may have a hard time getting much going at all. Indiana’s defense should be able to keep the Hilltoppers under 13 points, especially if the Hoosiers control the game the way they’re expected to.
And there’s one more swing play worth watching: another defensive touchdown. Last week, linebacker Rolijah Hardy jumped a tipped pass just before halftime, snagged it around the 20-yard line, and strolled into the end zone for a pick six. Another score like that would be a bonus, but Indiana looks capable of getting one from somewhere on the defensive side again.
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 🡒]