Don't look now, but the start of the new college football season is sneaking up on us. Coming off a perfect 16-0 season that culminated in an improbably National Championship, fans of the Indiana Hoosiers are ready for more of Curt Cignetti's winning ways in 2026.
With plenty of talent coming to Bloomington via the transfer portal, as well as key returners on both sides of the ball, the Hoosiers are primed for another College Football Playoff run this season. For the most part, the upcoming schedule shapes up nicely for Cignetti and company. The non-conference slate should provide few issues, and the Big Ten schedule is manageable.
The one program that could steal Monshun Sales away from Curt Cignetti, Indiana
Over the course of July, we will be taking a look at each of Indiana's 12 regular season opponents and giving you all the info you need to know heading into the new season. Plus, it's never too early for score predictions!
Indiana's title-defending season begins on September 5 with a matchup against North Texas at Memorial Stadium. What can Hoosier fans expect from the Mean Green?
North Texas is not the same team they were last season
North Texas was one of the best non-Power 4 programs in the country last season. The Mean Green put together a 12-2 campaign that culminated in a win over San Diego State in the New Mexico Bowl. Led by freshman sensation Drew Mestemaker at quarterback, UNT possessed one of college football's most prolific offenses. Mestemaker led the entire country with 4,379 passing yards, which led to UNT scoring an NCAA-leading 45.1 points per game. But over the offseason, the North Texas roster was completely decimated.
Head coach Eric Morris left to take the Oklahoma State job, and took a ton of talent with him. Most notably, Mestemaker followed Morris from Denton to Stillwater. Now the Mean Green are starting over with former Tory and West Virginia head coach Neal Brown. Brown went 35-16 over his four seasons at Troy, but his tenure in Morgantown resulted in an overall record of 37-35 over six seasons.
The Hoosiers should have little trouble with the Mean Green
It's clear that Indiana has plenty of stability with Curt Cignetti leading the way. Despite losing plenty of big names to the NFL, Cignetti still has the Hoosiers well-positioned for another College Football Playoff run this season. The same cannot be said for North Texas.
The Mean Green have essentially zero roster continuity from last season. The incoming transfer portal class at UNT features a whopping 49 players, and the class is ranked No. 69 in the country according to 247Sports. Thus, it's extremely difficult to know what this team will look like this season, and starting the season against the defending National Champions is an uphill battle.
The Hoosiers are already being favored by 40.5 points over the Mean Green on DraftKings Sportsbook, showing how much faith professional oddsmakers have in the Hoosiers in their season opener. Indiana should be able to take care of business with relative ease in this one.
Indiana vs North Texas score prediction
North Texas: 6
Indiana: 49
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