IU football seems certain to accomplish yet another first-time-ever feat when the preseason AP top-25 is released in early August.
The Hoosiers have never been ranked in the top-10 in the preseason poll, but all signs point to Indiana landing there ahead of the 2026 campaign.
The top-5 is certainly not out of the question, and some national outlets are putting IU as the No. 1 team.
Both The Athletic and The Sporting News have the Hoosiers opening the 2026 season where they ended up in 2025 — on top of the college football mountain.
Here’s what the Athletic’s Stewart Mandel wrote about IU after slotting them in at No. 1:
Will the Hoosiers repeat as national champs? Probably not (it’s hard!), but I’m done doubting Curt Cignetti. Even after losing eight stars to the NFL Draft, Cignetti is set to field another “old” team full of multi-year starters and seniors, especially in the trenches. The key to it all is QB1 Hoover, who was still getting up to speed in the spring.
Mandel moved IU up from No. 6 after the spring.
Two Big Ten teams — Oregon and Ohio State — follow IU in the Athletic’s rankings, with Miami and Notre Dame rounding out the top-.
The Sporting News followed suit, naming IU as the No. 1 team going into the 2026 season.
Here’s what Bill Bender had to say about the Hoosiers:
“Indiana is 27-2 the last two seasons under Cignetti – and the next wave of portal additions brought TCU quarterback Josh Hoover, Boston College running back Turbo Richard and Michigan State receiver Nick Marsh – who was a standout at the spring game. The Hoosiers also return several key returners from last year’s national championship team, including All-America tackle Carter Smith and receiver Charlie Becker on offense and defensive tackle Tyrique Tucker, linebacker Rolijah Hardy and cornerback Jamari Sharpe on defense. The schedule is set up for a fast start ahead of that Big Ten championship game rematch against Ohio State.”
The Sporting News went with Georgia, Ohio State, Texas and Notre Dame as its next four.
Indiana was just No. 20 in the 2025 preseason AP poll before completing the first 16-0 season in the modern era and winning the national title.
The highest IU has ever been ranked before a season was No. 13 in 1968. That was one of just four times the Hoosiers have been ranked in the preseason AP top-25.
A pair of magazines, Athlon Sports and Lindy’s, aren’t quite as optimistic about IU. They both have the Hoosiers at No. 5 in their preseason rankings.
For complete coverage of IU football, GO HERE.
The Daily Hoosier –“Where Indiana fans assemble when they’re not at Assembly”
- You can follow us on X: @daily_hoosier and find us on Facebook and Instagram
- Seven ways to support completely free IU coverage at no cost to you.
