Author: Mike Schumann

The injury bug struck early in 2026. Indiana starting cornerbacks Jamari Sharpe and A.J. Harris were both lost for the game to injuries in the first half of the season opener against North Texas.  The FOX broadcast confirmed at the start of the third quarter they would miss the remainder of the game with undisclosed injuries. Harris could be seen limping off the field in the first half.  Sharpe registered one tackle on the afternoon. The precise nature of their injuries are not clear, but neither is expected to be out long term. “They will be back.  Those are not…

Here. We. Go. For this first time ever, IU football opens a season as the reigning national champions. What can they do for an encore?  We’re about to find out.  College football is finally back. Here’s everything you need to know about Indiana’s week 1 matchup against North Texas in Bloomington. ——————————————————————————– NORTH TEXAS (0-0) at No. 6 INDIANA (0-0) Kickoff:  Noon ET, Saturday Location:  Bloomington, Ind.; Memorial Stadium (56,626; field turf) Television:  FOX — Gus Johnson (pbp), Joel Klatt (color) & Jenny Taft (sideline) Stream:  Fox Sports Radio:  IU Football radio network Odds:  Indiana is around a 40.5-point favorite…

The start of college football season means the start of visit season, and IU will have plenty of high school prospects in Bloomington — both football and basketball. The lengthy list of football visitors includes some prominent 5-star and 4-star commits and prospects. Based on player posts and national reports, here are some of the more notable football visitors this weekend: 2027 in-state 5-star WR commit Monshun Sales 2027 in-state 4-star WR commit Branden Sharpe 2027 in-state 4-star OL commit Mason McDermott 2027 Ohio 4-star DL commit Reinaldo Perez 2028 in-state 4-star S target Drake Coellner 2028 in-state 4-star DL…

Guess who’s back, back again.  Stephen Daley’s back.  And Kellan Wyatt. According to a report by Pete Thamel, Indiana’s star edge rushers are both cleared to play against North Texas on Saturday. “An Indiana circuit court has issued a temporary restraining order for NCAA eligibility that includes Indiana defensive stars Stephen Daley and Kellen Wyatt, per me and Mark Schlabach,” Thamel wrote on X Friday afternoon. Daley and Wyatt were initially cleared to play by a federal injunction that broadly covered all class of 2022 athletes, but the NCAA obtained a stay on that injunction until its appeal could be…

After watching three weeks of practice and talking with the players and coaches this month, it’s time to take a final position-by-position look at IU football ahead of the 2026 season. We conclude with the quarterback and wide receiver rooms. THE COACHES Offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan joined Curt Cignetti in 2016 and has been coaching his wide receivers ever since.  Four of Shanahan’s receivers from the last two seasons are on active NFL rosters to open the 2026 campaign. 2026 marks the return of quarterbacks coach Tino Sunseri, who left ahead of the 2025 season to be the offensive coordinator…

College football season is here. We’re going through Indiana’s schedule to look ahead at all 12 opponents for 2026. Opponent: Purdue Date/Time/TV: Saturday, November 28, TBD Location: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, Indiana 2025 record/postseason result: 2-10, 0-9 Big Ten Overall returning production: 58 percent (per Bill Connelly/ESPN) (No. 42 in the country, 12th in the Big Ten) Returning production, offense: 61 percent (per Bill Connelly/ESPN) (38th in the country) Offensive outlook:  Josh Henson is in his second season as offensive coordinator at Purdue.  The Boilermakers were No. 122 in scoring offense, No. 103 in rushing offense, and No. 81 in passing offense.…

After watching three weeks of practice and talking with the players and coaches this month, it’s time to take a final position-by-position look at IU football ahead of the 2026 season. Next up are the tight ends. THE COACH Grant Cain splits his time between coaching the tight ends and coordinating the special teams.  Indiana has been very good in both regards the last two years.  Cain, who has been with Curt Cignetti for nine seasons, is probably the most underappreciated assistant on the staff. THE MAIN MEN This has been a three player battle to replace Riley Nowakowski and…

College football season is rapidly approaching, with fall camp underway. We’re going through Indiana’s schedule to look ahead at all 12 opponents for 2026. Opponent: Washington Date/Time/TV: Saturday, November 21, TBD Location: Husky Stadium, Seattle, Washington (70,138) 2025 record/postseason result: 9-4, 5-4 Big Ten (38-10 win over Boise State in LA Bowl) Overall returning production: 65 percent (per Bill Connelly/ESPN) (No. 14 in the country, sixth in the Big Ten) Returning production, offense: 69 percent (per Bill Connelly/ESPN) (13th in the country) Offensive outlook:  Washington’s offense improved significantly in year two under head coach Jedd Fisch.  The Huskies averaged 23.4 points…

A year ago ESPN college football analysts were fully bought in on an IU football narrative: The 2024 team was a fluke that had risen to prominence because it had played a soft schedule. Of course they were all wildly inaccurate in that assessment. Now there seems to be another consensus when it comes to Curt Cignetti’s third Indiana team:  It is too hard to repeat as national champion. A panel of 12 at ESPN made their 2026 national champion predictions — and none chose the Hoosiers to repeat. Instead, five are going with Notre Dame, three with Ohio State,…

Trayce Jackson-Davis is putting his family over his alma mater. And who can blame him? When his brother Tayven Jackson returns to Bloomington on Saturday as the starting quarterback for North Texas, TJD will be in the stands supporting him. And that means trading IU crimson for North Texas green for one afternoon. “I’m definitely gonna be repping the Mean Green with my brother. It’s always family first,” Jackson-Davis said on The Sam Acho’s Podcast. “I have no hate against Indiana by any means, but it’s definitely gonna be a Mean Green show, and I’ll be there front and center,…