Right after the first Associated Press Top 25 Poll of the 2025 season dropped on Tuesday, one college football brightest analyst placed the Indiana Hoosiers on his official preseason list.
Former Alabama quarterback , ESPN CFB analyst and current host of "Always College Football"Greg McElroy released his top 25, featuring Indiana at No. 18 in the nation.
🏈 @GregMcElroy's Preseason Top 25 🏈
— Always College Football (@AlwaysCFB) August 11, 2025
What stands out? 🤔📝@ESPNCFB | @OmahaProd pic.twitter.com/e9gbQO2Zui
The Hoosiers are expect to follow up a breakout season with another trip to the College Football Playoff behind a standout defense and new quarterback in Fernando Mendoza.
Entering his second season as the Indiana Hoosiers head coach, Curt Cignetti has filled this year's roster with returning veterans from last year's 11-2 team and transfer portal additions eager to make a splash in Bloomington, Indiana.
"“The theme of this year really is humble and hungry versus noise and clutter. Humble and hungry. If you are humble and you are hungry and you’ve got that fire burning inside your belly and you’re committed to high standards, and the leadership has a good plan … then you’re going to reach your full potential,” Cignetti said. “If you are resting on your laurels and you got the warm fuzzies based on what social media is telling you or what you read on social media and you think it’s just going to happen again because it happened before, you ain’t going to be a very happy camper when the season is over. My job is to make sure that doesn’t happen.”"
Indiana checked in at No. 20 in the initial AP Poll released. The Hoosiers finished the 2024 season 10th in the AP Poll after an 11-2 season and a berth into the College Football Playoff.
IU currently takes on three teams in (Penn State, Oregon and Illinois) that are ranked in the preseason top 25 this season.
Here is the full list from Greg McElroy’s top 25: