The Indiana Hoosiers have won their first two games of the season in lopsided fashion. Curt Cignetti's team has defeated North Texas and Howard by a combined score of 107-16, and Cignetti is looking for another dominant performance from his Hoosiers in Week 3 against Western Kentucky.
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On paper, the Hoosiers should dominate this matchup. Indiana is favored by 44.5 points, signaling that professional oddsmakers expect a convincing Hoosier victory. The Hoosiers have an extreme talent advantage anywhere you look, and WKU is coming off a 50-point loss to No. 2 Georgia last week. Things won't get any easier for the Hilltoppers on Saturday.
As the Cream and Crimson prepare for their final non-conference game, Cignetti is making his plans for Saturday crystal clear: Make it an extremely long day for the opposition.
Cignetti, Hoosiers looking to turn up the heat on Western Kentucky
Cignetti's no-nonsense demeanor and straight-forward personality are well-known to Hoosier fans, and those attributes were on full display when speaking to the media on Thursday. When discussing Saturday's matchup against WKU, Cignetti noted the struggles the Hilltoppers have already endured this season. He's hoping that his team can make those struggles continue by rolling to a 19th consecutive victory.
"They've struggled in their first two games," said Cignetti. "The goal is to continue to make them struggle."
#iufb head coach Curt Cignetti on Western Kentucky:
— Grace Lesher (@gracelesher) September 14, 2026
"They've struggled in their first two games...the goal is to continue to make them struggle."
Cignetti is making it clear that he doesn't want to mess around at all in this contest. He knows his team is going up against an inferior opponent who hasn't seen much of anything go right for them so far this season. In this scenario, the Hoosiers need to stay sharp, avoid costly setbacks and penalties, and do what they are capable of.
Indiana should completely dominate Western Kentucky in Week 3
The Hoosiers should have little trouble moving to 3-0 in convincing fashion. Indiana has a chance to take control of the game early and leave little room for Western Kentucky to hang around. If the Hoosiers execute the way Cignetti expects, this could quickly turn into a long day for the Hilltoppers.
Generally speaking, Western Kentucky has been a solid Group of Six college football program over the past several years. However, things are off to a rough start this season. The Hilltoppers have lost their first two games by a combined score of 119-34 in road matchups against Nevada and Georgia. Now, they are set for a third consecutive road test, and this time it comes against the reigning National Champions.
The Hoosiers have already shown that they are capable of thoroughly dominating weaker opponents. That should once again be the case in this one. With a significant talent gap between the two teams, Indiana should have opportunities to dictate the game from start to finish.
Kick-off between the Hoosiers and Hilltoppers is set for 4 p.m. ET on Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington. Look for IU to win big.
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