Author: Mike Schumann

Indiana All-American left tackle Carter Smith is on track to start the season opener against North Texas on Sept. 5. Would Smith even still be in Bloomington if not for a late first half injury in the national championship game against Miami? That’s a question that might never be answered, but the Hoosiers are happy to have the 6-foot-5 and 313-pound fifth-year from Powell, Ohio back.  College programs don’t often enjoy the luxury of the Big Ten’s Offensive Lineman of the Year and consensus First-Team All-American returning to school for a fifth season. Smith had shoulder surgery soon after the…

A year ago at IU football fall camp, alpha leaders on both sides of the ball barked at each other. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza and linebacker Aiden Fisher had their share of verbal duels, in the process helping to the prepare each other for Indiana’s magical national championship run. The pair became close friends over the course of the 2025 season, and both were selected in April’s NFL Draft. Now in week two of the exhibition season, Mendoza and Fisher are set to face off once again. Mendoza will be playing quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders while Fisher plays linebacker…

The reigning national champs are a big attraction. All signs point to all eight IU football home games being sold out in 2026. This would mark the first time since 1969 the school completely sold out a football season. Indiana Athletics has cycled through sales of 2026 season tickets, mini-season packages and individual game sales — and no seats remain on the official website.  Fan can still purchase tickets on the secondary market. Selling out the 2026 season was a more significant endeavor this year compared to 1969.  IU only played five home games in 1969, and they were all…

Fernando Mendoza has revealed bits and pieces of his decision to transfer from Cal to Indiana over the last few months. And it isn’t hyperbolic to suggest it was a decision that helped lead to one of the greatest stories in the history of sports. Mendoza has said the main three schools he considered while in the transfer portal ahead of the 2025 season were Indiana, Miami and Georgia.  And it’s clear all three made an aggressive push to land the Miami native. Mendoza previously said he actually called Georgia coach Kirby Smart late one evening to commit to the Bulldogs,…

Four IU football players were voted preseason AP All-Americans ahead of the 2026 campaign. Left tackle Carter Smith and linebacker Rolijah Hardy were named to the first team, while wide receiver Charlie Becker and defensive tackle Tyrique Tucker both earned second-team nods. Smith earned second-team AP honors following the 2025 season, while Tucker was on the third team. Tucker and Becker were named to the preseason watch list for the 2026 Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, the Walter Camp Football Foundation announced Monday.   The Walter Camp Player of the Year Award is the nation’s fourth-oldest individual college football…

IU men’s soccer is set to start the 2026 season this week. Once again, the Hoosiers are nationally relevant, ranked No. 22 in the United Soccer Coaches preseason poll. The Big Ten also announced its preseason coaches poll this week, with Indiana landing at No. 3 behind reigning NCAA Champion Washington and defending Big Ten Champion Maryland. Indiana kicks off its 2026 season Thursday at 8 p.m. ET, hosting Notre Dame at Bill Armstrong Stadium. The roster features several new faces, as 13 of the 30 players join the program either from the transfer portal or as first-year students. Head…

There may be no player on the Indiana roster who better epitomizes the staff’s eye for talent. Coming out of his senior year at Lakeland H.S. (Lakeland, Florida), linebacker Rolijah Hardy was unranked and had no FBS offers. He had caught the eye of defensive coordinator Bryant Haines, but high school injuries left head coach Curt Cignetti wanting to see more. And so began a staggering three-year progression. Year one — Hardy plays at Naval Academy Prep and does enough to earn an offer from Cignetti.  He commits to IU in May of 2024. Year two — As a freshman…

In at least one way, Indiana came in second in 2025. At 77.2 rushing yards allowed per game, the Hoosiers finished in the No. 2 spot nationally behind Texas Tech. That’s a fact defensive coordinator Bryant Haines is well aware of. “We were second in the country in stopping the run,” Haines said on BTN last week.  “Let’s go ahead and get that number one spot.” As good as Indiana was defensively in their undefeated 2025 national championship season, it’s not unreasonable to believe they might actually be better on that side of the ball this year. And competition for…

Below is a summary of how former IU football players performed in week one of the 2026 NFL preseason: Fernando Mendoza, QB (Las Vegas Raiders) — 10 of 16 passing, 97 yards (team high), 1 TD pass; 2 carries for 6 yards. E.J. Williams, WR (Las Vegas Raiders) — 1 reception, 41 yards (team high). Roman Hemby, RB (Las Vegas Raiders) — 3 carries, 7 yards. Ian Thomas, TE (Las Vegas Raiders) — 1 reception, 6 yards. Zach Horton, TE (Detroit Lions) — 2 receptions, 5 yards. Ke’Shawn Williams, WR, KR, PR (Cincinnati Bengals)  — 1 reception, 8 yards; 2…

Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover says he came to Bloomington to be the best version of himself. Arriving at IU with 9,629 career passing yards and 71 touchdown passes, the version who came to the Hoosiers from TCU was already pretty good. But Hoover has seen the progression of Fernando Mendoza, Kurtis Rourke, and the other recent quarterbacks who have thrived under head coach Curt Cignetti and his offensive staff. The first order of business to follow in their footsteps? Figurative self-harm. “My quarterback coach, Tino Sunseri, when I got here he said if you want to become the new you,…