HEAD COACH: CURT CIGNETTI (2ND SEASON)
NATIONAL PRE-SEASON RANKING: 16
BIG 10 FORECAST: 5
2024 RECORD: 11-2
BIG 10 RECORD: 8-1
2025 SCHEDULE
AUG 30 OLD DOMINION
SEPT 6 KENNESAW STATE
SEPT 13 INDIANA STATE
SEPT 20 ILLINOIS
SEPT 27 AT IOWA
OCT 4 OPEN DATE
OCT 11 AT OREGON
OCT 18 MICHIGAN STATE
OCT 25 UCLA
NOV 1 AT MARYLAND
NOV 8 AT PENN STATE
NOV 15 WISCONSIN
NOV 22 OPEN DATE
NOV 29 AT PURDUE
OFFENSE PREVIEW: The turnaround for Indiana started when Head Coach Curt Cignetti brought his up-tempo style to Bloomington. Indiana has had powerful offenses in the past, but nothing like what we saw in 2024. IU recorded 72 touchdowns and eight 40+point games. That’s exciting football in any college program. Like any program, the question is: Who will be the Hoosiers’ starting quarterback? Kurtis Rourke is gone as is QB Coach Tino Sunseri. Coach Cignetti was able to bring in transfer Fernando Mendoza from California. Mendoza completed 68.7% of his passes for a bad Cal football team.
Mendoza will have much more time to throw at Indiana with three starters returning on the offensive line, including LT Carter Smith, LG Drew Evans, and RG Bray Lynch. Two transfers will make the line even better with Pat Coogan (Notre Dame) and Kahlil Benson (Colorado) coming to Bloomington. Indiana will feature one of the conference’s top receivers in Elijah Sarratt. He will be joined by Omar Cooper, EJ Williams, and 4-star recruit Davion Chandler.
Indiana lost several key running backs, but transfers Roman Hemby (Maryland) and Lee Beebe (UAB) will make the running attack formidable.
DEFENSE PREVIEW: The Indiana defense is loaded with talent at every level. Up front, Indiana features Pre-Season All-American DE Mikail Kamara. Kamara led all FBS pass rushers with 68 quarterback pressures and 10 sacks. Kamara will need help after losing veterans James Carpenter and CJ West on the inside.
Linebacker Aiden Fisher decided to return to Bloomington for another season, and that is a huge plus. Fisher is another All-American who is a difference maker and is expected to improve this season. In 2024, Fisher led IU in total tackles with 118. Rolijah Hardy will step in at the other linebacker spot.
The third All-American is cornerback D’Angelo Ponds. Ponds recorded nine pass breakups and three interceptions and recorded 4.5 tackles for loss. Safety Amare Ferrell led the Hoosiers with four interceptions.
SPECIAL TEAMS: All is well with Indiana’s special teams with kicker Nicholas Radicic returning, and UCF transfer Mitch McCarthy replacing James Evans. Radicic recorded a single-season mark for PATs with 69. He also went 10-11 in FG attempts. Makai Jackson will handle the return duties.
SEASON OUTLOOK: Indiana may have had one of the biggest program reversals in football history. This is also evidence that NIL money can help turn your program around in a hurry. Coach Cignetti is another reason. His no-nonsense approach has changed the culture, and players respect his approach. Yes, the schedule last season wasn’t the most challenging, but the team ignored the criticism and made the CFP. Can they make a return trip? Odds are they won’t, but don’t count the Hoosiers out just yet. The good news is they don’t have Ohio State or Michigan on the schedule. If they can survive the midsection of the schedule, they could be in good shape late in the season. Trips to Iowa, Oregon, and Penn State will tell us just how good the Hoosiers are.
