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Big Ten coach sees 'glaring thing' Indiana must address to stay in title picture

Brian Jones Profile Picby: Brian Jones05/25/26brianjones_93

There is one “glaring thing” that could prevent the Indiana Hoosiers from repeating as national champions this upcoming season. Athlon Sports spoke to an anonymous Big Ten coach, who revealed the biggest issues Indiana will face in 2026.

“The biggest glaring thing is the production they lost in the receiver room. They’ve got some young guys coming in, and they paid a s— ton for (Michigan State transfer receiver) Nick Marsh, so we’ll see how he does. They’re just gonna be very young there,” the Big Ten coach said.

“Defensively, they still return most of their production. But to me, it’s hard to replicate what (Fernando) Mendoza did. (TCU transfer quarterback) Josh Hoover is a good player. I think he’s got some turnover issues. But other than that, they reloaded.”

The coach continued, “They’re gonna lose that rush of James Madison guys that they had the last two years, so they could definitely struggle in some areas of continuity where maybe the talent does have to take over, but I’m definitely not gonna underestimate Indiana again.”

Indiana finished the 2025 season 16-0 with the help of Mendoza, who threw for 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns. Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy for his on-field play, and the Las Vegas Raiders selected him with the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NFL Draft.

Indiana has been rolling under Curt Cignetti

The Hoosiers may not go undefeated this season, but with Curt Cignetti as the head coach, it would not be surprising if his team makes another championship run. When Cignetti first joined Indiana in 2024, he led the team to an 11-2 record and an appearance in the College Football Playoff. The Hoosiers’ only losses were against eventual national champion Ohio State and runner-up Notre Dame.

The 2026 season will be interesting for Indiana. The Hooisers have a home contest against Ohio State (Oct. 17) and will then head to Ann Arbor to face Michigan (Oct. 24). Two additional key matchups for Indiana are USC at home (Nov. 14) and Washington on the road (Nov. 21).

Indiana fans can find out more about the team in Athlon Sports‘ 2026 College Football Preview magazine. Fans can order the magazine by clicking HERE.