Indiana’s preseason buzz is already building, and most of the early 2026 forecasts have the Hoosiers right back in the national conversation under Curt Cignetti. Athlon Sports is firmly in that camp, projecting Indiana to reach the College Football Playoff for a third straight season.
That part will play just fine in Bloomington. The rest of it? Not so much.
Athlon’s full bowl projections have Indiana landing the No. 5 seed in the CFP bracket, which means no first-round bye and no easy path through the field. It also means the Hoosiers would get to host a playoff game at Memorial Stadium, with Boise State projected as the No. 12 seed. Athlon expects Indiana to handle that one in front of what would be a loud home crowd.
But the bracket gets ugly after that.
Athlon has Indiana running into No. 4 Notre Dame in the quarterfinals, and that’s the kind of matchup that would hit Hoosier fans in a very specific way.
A playoff loss is one thing. A playoff loss to Notre Dame is another.
There’s already plenty of edge between the two fan bases after the last two seasons. Indiana and Notre Dame met in the first round of the 2024 CFP in South Bend, where the Irish won 27-17. Notre Dame then advanced to the National Championship Game before falling to Ohio State.
That remains the last loss Indiana has taken on the field. Last year, Cignetti guided IU to a perfect 16-0 season that ended with the program’s first-ever national title.
So if Athlon’s bracket plays out, it would set up another chapter in a rivalry that has only grown sharper. The two schools are battling on the recruiting trail, for in-state bragging rights, and for the kind of spotlight that comes with high expectations. A CFP rematch would bring all of that back into focus fast, and a Notre Dame win would leave a mark on Indiana fans for a while.
In Other News...
Curt Cignetti Is Chasing Indiana's Biggest Recruiting Finish Yet
Indianas 2027 recruiting class already has some real heft to it, with 16 commitments and several four-star prospects giving Curt Cignetti a foundation that would have looked ambitious not long ago. Rivals has the group sitting 29th nationally for now, but the number of pledges and the quality already in the fold suggest there is still room for this class to climb as the cycle plays out.
Monshun Sales is the name that could change the conversation entirely, because the Hoosiers are still in the hunt for the five-star wide receiver. A finish that lands him would give Indiana a recruiting headline it has never had before, and even without that final answer, the class is positioned to keep pushing upward if a few more current commits continue to rise in the rankings. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Just Made An Early Move Fans Have Been Waiting For
Indiana basketball has jumped early on one of the most coveted guards in the 2027 class, extending a scholarship offer to a prospect who already has the look of a national recruiting battle. The point guard is rated a five-star and sits among the top players in California, with a rsum that already includes time with the United States U17 National Team and a growing list of major-program attention.
For Darian DeVries and his staff, the timing matters as much as the talent. Indiana is trying to get in front of the pack before the race for elite backcourt help gets even tighter, and the Hoosiers are expected to push for an official visit in the fall. With bluebloods and high-major programs circling, this is the kind of early move that can tell you a lot about how aggressively Indiana plans to recruit the class. [Read more 🡒]
Curt Cignetti Just Got Validation In Indianas Josh Hoover Debate
Curt Cignettis take on Josh Hoover has picked up some backing from an unexpected corner. TCU coach Sonny Dykes acknowledged that Cignetti had a valid point about the quarterbacks performance, a notable nod in a debate that followed Hoovers move from TCU to Indiana and quickly turned into a broader conversation about what a quarterback can and cannot control.
Dykes also pointed to the bigger picture around Hoovers turnovers, saying they were shaped by more than just the player himself, including coaching and changes in offensive strategy. From Indianas side, the argument has been that a stronger defense and a better run game can make life easier for a quarterback, and Hoovers rsum still carries weight as one of college footballs most productive active passers. [Read more 🡒]