Indiana’s offense is getting national recognition, and two of its biggest pieces are already collecting midseason hardware.
Wide receiver Charlie Becker landed on Sports Illustrated’s Midseason All-America Second Team, while offensive tackle Carter Smith was voted to the Associated Press’ Midseason All-American First Team. The honors arrive with Indiana off to a 6-0 start in 2026.
Becker has been one of the Hoosiers’ most productive weapons all year. The 6-foot-4, 208-pound receiver has started every game, piling up 30 catches for 529 yards and eight touchdowns. He’s averaging 17.6 yards per catch, giving Indiana a downfield threat who keeps defenses honest every time he lines up.
“The Big Ten's reigning yards-per-catch champ is still a force; he's more than doubled his 2025 yards-per-game output (42.4 to 88.2)," wrote Sports Illustrated's Patrick Andres.
Smith’s season has been just as important, even if it shows up in a different way. The reigning Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year has started all six games at left tackle and has allowed only four pressures, one sack, two hits and been flagged for one penalty.
That kind of protection has helped set the table for an Indiana offense that currently ranks No. 14 in scoring offense, No. 19 in rushing offense and No. 20 scoring offense in FBS. The Hoosiers have also given up just nine sacks, a figure that ranks top-50 nationally.
The Associated Press’ Midseason All-America teams included the following:
First Team Offense
Quarterback Darian Mensah Miami
Running Back Jamal Roberts Missouri
Running Back Nate Sheppard Duke
Tackle Trevor Goosby Texas
Tackle Carter Smith Indiana
Guard Kade Pieper Iowa
Guard Shadre Hurst Houston
Center Anthony Boswell Houston
Tight End Luke Reynolds Virginia Tech
Wide Receiver Jeremiah Smith Ohio State
Wide Receiver Malachi Toney Miami
Wide Receiver Jesse Legree Oregon State
All-Purpose Wayne Knight UCLA
Kicker Sam Keltner Oklahoma State
First Team Defense
Edge Rusher Colin Simmons Texas
Edge Rusher Princewill Umanmielen LSU
Interior Lineman Xavier Gilliam Tennessee
Interior Lineman Xavier Lewis North Carolina
Linebacker Sammy Omosigho UCLA
Linebacker Chris Cole Georgia
Linebacker Nicholas Rodriguez Missouri
Cornerback Leonard Moore Notre Dame
Cornerback Ashton Hampton Clemson
Safety Kingston Lopa California
Safety Robert Fitzgerald Northwestern
Defensive Back Ta'Shawn James UCLA
Punter Tyler White Texas A&M
Second Team Offense
Quarterback Gunner Stockton Georgia
Running Back Jadan Baugh Florida
Running Back Dylan Riley Boise State
Tackle Monroe Mills Virginia
Tackle Cayden Green Missouri
Guard Greg Johnson Minnesota
Guard Evan Tengesdahl Cincinnati
Center Drew Bobo Georgia
Tight End Patrick Overmyer Houston
Wide Receiver KJ Duff Rutgers
Wide Receiver Carlos Hernandez Wake Forest
Wide Receiver Anthony Evans III Mississippi State
All-Purpose Aiden Flora Iowa State
Kicker David Olano Texas A&M
Second Team Defense
Edge Rusher Daeden Hopkins Missouri
Edge Rusher Boubacar Traore Notre Dame
Interior Lineman A.J. Holmes Jr. Texas Tech
Interior Lineman Will Echoles Mississippi
Linebacker Rasheem Biles Texas
Linebacker Tony Rojas Penn State
Linebacker EJ Smith Nevada
Cornerback Jett Jefferson Mississippi State
Cornerback Ellis Robinson IV Georgia
Safety CJ Heard Vanderbilt
Safety KJ Bolden Georgia
Defensive Back Ty Benefield LSU
Punter Will Karoll Texas Tech
In Other News...
Ohio State Heads Into Indiana Showdown With A Problem Ryan Day Can't Hide
Ohio State heads into its matchup with Indiana carrying more uncertainty than a contender would like this late in the season. The Buckeyes are bracing for the possibility of being without key pieces such as offensive tackle Austin Siereveld and running back Ja'Kobi Jackson, a situation that puts extra pressure on a unit already tasked with keeping quarterback Julian Sayin upright against a capable Hoosiers front and a dangerous overall challenge.
Ryan Day said not every injured player is expected to be available, which only sharpens the focus on how Ohio State adjusts if the absences linger. For Indiana, that is the kind of opening a team wants in a big game, especially with Josh Hoover leading an offense that can make a defense work for every stop and force a shorthanded opponent to reveal just how deep it really is. [Read more 🡒]
Indianas Biggest Showdown Yet Comes With A New Availability Twist
The first Big Ten availability report for Indianas showdown with Ohio State offered an early look at the health picture heading into one of the Hoosiers biggest tests of the season. Indiana came through the initial report relatively clean, with no players listed out, while Khobie Martin was tagged doubtful and Andrew Barker landed in the questionable category.
Ohio State, meanwhile, showed a longer list of concerns, with six players ruled out and five more questionable. The names on that list include Austin Siereveld and Ja'Kobi Jackson, adding another layer of intrigue to a game that already had plenty riding on it for both teams. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Hoover Just Strengthened Indiana's Biggest Case Yet
Indianas unbeaten start keeps getting harder to dismiss, and Josh Hoover gave the Hoosiers another sturdy argument in a tight road win over Nebraska. He guided a 20-17 victory with poise, hitting 12 of 22 passes for 263 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions while adding 24 rushing yards on five carries. The result pushed Indiana to 6-0 and kept it sitting at No. 5 nationally, a place it has earned by surviving games like this one.
Nick Marsh was Hoovers biggest finishing piece, with the pair connecting twice for fourth-quarter touchdowns that swung the game Indianas way. In a conference race where every week seems to come with its own proof test, this was the sort of late-game execution that strengthens a teams standing far beyond the box score. The bigger question now is how long Indiana can keep turning those close calls into evidence that this start is for real. [Read more 🡒]