What a difference four years makes.
The last three meetings between Indiana and Western Kentucky were decided by a combined eight points, including a 33-30 overtime game the last time the two played on Sept. 17, 2022, in Bloomington.
This Saturday, the reigning national champion Hoosiers are a 44.5-point favorite against the Hilltoppers (4 p.m. ET, Peacock/NBCSN).
Tyson Helton was the head coach of WKU for that overtime game in 2022, along with with a 33-31 loss to the Hoosiers in Bowling Green in 2021.
He has witnessed from afar the transformation of IU football, and the significantly greater challenge the Hoosiers pose this Saturday.
“Their head football coach (Curt Cignetti) is one of the best in the business. He is really a guy who knows what he wants, knows the blueprint to winning, and knows the personnel he needs to win,” Helton said this week. “His coordinators have been with him for a while, and they do a fantastic job.
“They get their players to play at a high level. They don’t make mistakes or mental errors; instead, they take advantage of situations and play really good situational football. They are always in the right places doing the right thing, which goes back to coaching.
“On top of that, Indiana has done a great job of investing in their program. In today’s world where everybody wants to spend a ton of money, they have invested, but they are not necessarily throwing $50 million at it. Still, they are up there. I have tremendous respect from the top down for how they approach this, how much they want to invest, and who they want to invest in.
“They are doing everything right, and it is glaring. It shows top to bottom, from the president and the alumni base to the head football coach, his staff, and the players. Everything fits, everybody is in line, and everybody is pulling in the same direction. That is why you see the tremendous success they have had. They are a great example of doing it the right way. It will be fun and great to go up there and get to play the best of the best. We have gone up there before and had some competitive games, and hopefully, we will have another competitive game.”
RETURN OF VENSON SNEED
As is often the case in the transfer portal era, Saturday’s opponent will include a former Hoosier on the roster.
Venson Sneed should be on the field plenty as a defensive end. Wearing No. 55, Sneed has played 48 snaps through the first two games for the Hilltoppers.
Sneed was on the IU team when the Hoosiers played WKU in 2022, and he was a regular in the defensive line rotation for Indiana in 2023, appearing in all 12 games. But he saw limited action in 2024 and hit the transfer portal following the season.
So far Sneed has three tackles and a quarterback pressure this season. He finished 2025 with 16 total tackles for WKU, including 0.5 for loss. He also had two pass breakups and one quarterback hurry. He recorded multiple tackles in three games, with a season-best four at Missouri State.
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