Indiana’s place in the AP Top 25 shifted a bit on Sunday, but the Hoosiers are still sitting near the top.
After moving to 3-0 with a 38-0 win over Western Kentucky on Saturday, Indiana slipped one spot to No. 5 in the Week 3 Associated Press poll. Even with the drop, the Hoosiers picked up four first-place votes, one more than they had last week.
The ranking change came after all three teams directly ahead of Indiana in last week’s poll - the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Georgia and the University of Notre Dame - also won. Indiana was bumped when then-No. 8 University of Mississippi beat Louisiana State University 32-24 on Saturday night and jumped into the No. 4 position.
The Hoosiers’ latest win was another strong defensive showing, with Indiana posting its second straight shutout for the first time since 1993. Offensively, the start was sluggish. Indiana managed a season-low 14 points in the first half before finding its rhythm and adding 24 more over the final two quarters.
Sunday’s rankings again included six Big Ten teams alongside Indiana. Ohio State, despite a 59-3 win over Kent State University, fell one spot to No.
- USC stayed at No. 12 after beating Rutgers 42-35.
Penn State and Iowa both climbed one spot. Penn State moved up to No. 13 after a 55-13 win over the University of Buffalo, while Iowa rose to No. 17 after shutting out the University of Northern Iowa 55-0.
Indiana’s next game comes against Northwestern as conference play begins at 8 p.m. Sept. 25 at Memorial Stadium.
In Other News...
Indianas Big Ten Opener Carries More Early Pressure Than Fans Expected
Indianas 2026 Big Ten opener arrives on a Friday night at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, and it already has the feel of an early measuring-stick game. Northwestern comes in under David Braun with Aiden Chiles, the Michigan State transfer, and the matchup puts Indiana right into a conference setting that will say plenty about how far the program has come since the nonconference portion of the schedule.
The numbers and the betting line only sharpen the interest around it, especially with recent performances and statistical rankings offering a clearer picture of where each team stands. Add in the gameday setup and the fact that this is a conference opener under the lights, and Indiana will find out quickly whether the atmosphere matches the expectations that have built around this one. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana's Pursuit Of Darius Wabbington Just Got A Lot More Real
Darius Wabbingtons recruitment is starting to take shape, and Indiana is right in the middle of it. The 5-star big man in the 2027 class has trimmed his options after North Carolina stopped pursuing him, according to his father, leaving a smaller group of schools still in the mix. He has already ruled out Louisville and is now considering Indiana, Arizona, Kentucky, Texas and Illinois, with recent visits to Indiana and Illinois giving those programs a closer look.
For the Hoosiers, the timing matters. Darian DeVries has stayed active in Wabbingtons pursuit, and the fact that one of the nations top young prospects is narrowing his focus only raises the stakes for Indiana as it tries to position itself as more than just one of several finalists. There is still a long way to go in a recruitment this big, but the Hoosiers have clearly moved into the conversation in a way that will keep this one worth watching. [Read more 🡒]
Indianas Passing Game Is Starting To Reveal A Clear Early Pecking Order
Indianas passing game is beginning to look a little more defined after a 38-0 win over Western Kentucky pushed the Hoosiers to 3-0. Pro Football Focus grades pointed to wide receivers Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh, along with quarterback Josh Hoover, as some of the days most effective offensive pieces, a useful sign for a group still sorting out who fits where in the aerial attack.
Becker gave the offense a downfield spark with a long touchdown, while Hoover kept the operation steady by completing 18 of 24 passes for 273 yards and two scores. Marsh, meanwhile, led the receiver group in snaps and continued to stand out for his reliability and run blocking, the kind of work that often tells as much about a teams early pecking order as the box score does. [Read more 🡒]