Author: Mike Schumann

Indiana will be a little shorthanded when they face their first high major opponent of the season on Saturday in Bloomington. Their pregame Big Ten availability report included three of the team’s 13 scholarship players. Anthony Leal and Jakai Newton are both out for the 3 p.m. ET tip (Peacock) against the Gamecocks. Sophomore guard Gabe Cupps was listed as questionable, but he has been going through pregame warmups and appears to be available for the contest. Cupps has been a regular in the rotation but has yet to score in 7.5 minutes per game. Leal has not been available…

Indiana and head coach Curt Cignetti have agreed to a new deal that should keep him at IU long term. Pete Thamel of ESPN broke the news, and IU reported it via release an hour later. Cignetti has led IU to the first 10 win season in program history.  The Hoosiers are in contention for both the Big Ten Championship game and the College Football Playoff. Here is the full release from IU Athletics: BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana University and IU Head Football Coach Curt Cignetti have agreed to terms on a new eight-year contract with an average annual compensation of…

For the second day in a row, Indiana has a new highest rated recruit in its 2025 class. Baltimore, Md. defensive back Byron Baldwin of Calvert Hall H.S. has committed once again to Indiana.  He originally committed to IU in April, and then backed off that pledge in early October. Baldwin initially pledged to Indiana over Minnesota, Kentucky and others. He was and once again is the top-ranked player in IU’s 2025 class after making a major move up the rankings over the last year. The 6-foot-1 and 180-pound Baldwin is the No. 166 overall player in the 2025 class,…

Curt Cignetti didn’t like it when Don Fischer introduced IU football’s next game — Nov. 23 at Ohio State — as “arguably the biggest game in IU gridiron history” on their radio show Thursday evening. The first year head coach threw up his hands in playful disapproval of that characterization. When Cignetti was introduced on the show, he teased Fischer about his description of the game. “I’ve got to take some exception here,” Cignetti said.  “‘The biggest game in IU football history?’  You’re such a media guy.  It’s a big game because it’s the next game.  It’s the only game…

Indiana has for the most part avoided injuries this season. But the Hoosiers have had a small run of setbacks over the last week beginning with the season ending injury to starting guard Drew Evans.  He was the second interior offensive lineman the Hoosiers lost for the season after Nick Kidwell was injured during fall camp. On his Thursday evening radio show, IU coach Curt Cignetti said Evans was injured during a sled drill at practice in the days leading up to the Michigan game.  He suffered an Achilles injury. Filling in for Evans on Saturday against Michigan was veteran…

The biggest outside complaint regarding Indiana’s College Football Playoff resume is their strength of schedule, which is currently No. 100 according to ESPN’s FPI. One opponent on Indiana’s 2024 schedule is head and shoulders above the rest, and they are the next team the Hoosiers will face. So what happens if the Hoosiers happen to fall flat at Ohio State next week and get blown out? At least in some circles, current CFP No. 5 IU would be met with a big ‘ole dose of “I told you so” in that scenario. ESPN’s Rece Davis joined “The Pat McAfee Show”…

Curt Cignetti has said regularly since he was hired that Indiana’s clear financial commitment to football was a major factor in his decision to accept the head coaching position in Bloomington. A year into his tenure and at least 10 wins later, Indiana’s ability to financially support football at an elite level is set to be tested again. A near lock for the national coach of the year, Cignetti is the hottest name on the coaching carousel, both at the college level and even the NFL. It goes without saying Cignetti is a wanted man, and it seems rather obvious…

Curt Cignetti and his staff have kept one of the top in-state players in the class of 2025 home. Indianapolis based edge rusher Tyrone Burrus has flipped his verbal commitment from Louisville to Indiana, several national outlets announced on Thursday morning.  Burrus made several trips to Bloomington over the last couple months, signaling the flip may happen. “It’s special,” Burrus told On3’s Steve Wiltfong. “I’ve been messing with IU for a while now and I’m glad I could make it home. It was (DE) Coach Buddha (Williams) and (DT) Pat (Kuntz), they both give me the same feeling I have…

Teri Moren has her hands full with this team. After a second half collapse, Indiana lost at Butler on Wednesday evening at Hinkle Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, their second straight loss to a team they were heavily favored to beat. Leading 28-26 at the break, the Hoosiers scored just 18 points in the second half while shooting 29.6% from the field with seven turnovers.  They didn’t attempt a free throw in the second half. Moren’s squad played good defense throughout, but the lack of any semblance of offensive efficiency eventually caught up with them. Butler pulled away in the final minutes…

How many good teams would be 10-0 playing Indiana’s schedule this year? Not many. That’s what “strength of record” (SOR) measures, and it is playing a role in Indiana’s current No. 5 status in the latest College Football Playoff rankings released Tuesday evening by the CFP Committee. Indiana’s SOR according to ESPN’s FPI is No. 6.  FPI describes SOR as “reflecting chance that an average Top 25 team would have team’s record or better, given the schedule.”  In words, SOR measures the difficulty of achieving each team’s record, given its schedule. The logic of SOR is sound.  Indiana’s strength of…