The Indiana Hoosiers football program is in great hands again in 2025, as they look to make another run at a College Football Playoff berth and more this season.
Predicting the outcome of the upcoming season for Indiana is far from easy. Just look at last season, no one on earth expected IU to go 11-2 in 2024, I personally had them at 5-7, in the expanded 18 team Big Ten Conference.
On one hand, the offense feels like it could be explosive and even better than last season but the defense has question marks in the trenches an especially the depth which is a big reason they got steamed rolled by Ohio State and Notre Dame last season. It'll be fun to see how Curt Cignetti and his staff who just went through their first full offseason approach this team as they are now the hunted not the hunters and underdog.
Indiana's schedule is also projected to be much tougher from start to finish than last season. The beginning of the schedule is a cakewalk for the most part as they play three straight home games versus Old Dominion, Kennesaw State and Indiana State. I don't want to give away too much though, so while we're going to enjoy the predictions we're admitting it's a bit of a gamble.
Indiana football predictions for 2025-26 college football season
Aug. 30: Indiana vs. Old Dominion
- Location, time: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington | 2:30 p.m.
- Breakdown: Curt Cignetti will be ready for an upset minded Old Dominion. Indiana will win big but they will be vanilla in their approach. At times it could get uncomfortable but Hoosiers cover and win big over ODU and Ricky Rahne.
- Score prediction: Indiana 45, Old Dominion 17
Sept. 6: Indiana vs. Kennesaw State
- Location, time: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington | Noon
- Breakdown: Kennesaw State Owls quarterback Dexter Williams, who spent his first four seasons at Indiana is returning to Bloomington. That'll be fun and a cool story for the first quarter and a half but IU wins big again.
- Score prediction: Indiana 59, Kennesaw State 21.
Sept. 12 (Friday): Indiana vs. Indiana State
- Location, time: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington | 6:30 p.m.
- Breakdown: Nothing to see here but a in state beatdown.
- Score prediction: Indiana 59, Indiana State 6.
Sept. 20: Indiana vs. Illinois
- Location, time: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington | TBD
- Breakdown: The Hoosiers play their first major test at home versus No. 12 Illinois.
- Score prediction: Indiana 28, Illinois 17.
I've gone back and forth on this one much of the week. I do feel like this IU team - led by quarterback Fernando Mendoza and head coach Curt Cignetti - has the competitive edge to go and win this. Better QB, stars, coaching staff and defense slightly.
Sept. 27: Indiana at Iowa
- Location, time: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City | Noon/3:30 p.m/4 p.m.
- Breakdown: Indiana’s toughest defensive test and a classic trap game. Iowa at Kinnick is tough but IU wins.
- Score prediction: Indiana 24, Iowa 14.
Oct. 4: Bye week
Oct. 11: Indiana at Oregon
- Location, time: Autzen Stadium, Eugene | TBA
- Breakdown: Indiana’s will be coming off of a bye week but facing Oregon at Autzen may come with a cost. Dante Moore and Dan Lanning get it done, in a game that could be College Gameday worthy. Quack wins.
- Score prediction: Oregon 31, Indiana 27.
Oct. 18: Indiana vs. Michigan State (homecoming)
- Location, time: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington | TBA
- Breakdown: I can't see Indiana losing two in a row though they could struggle out the gate against Aidan Chiles and Sparty, IU wins
- Score prediction: Indiana 35, Michigan State 20.
Oct. 25: Indiana vs. UCLA
- Location, time: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington | TBA
- Breakdown: Tino Sunseri and Nico Iamaleava will be explosive this season but UCLA's defense and o-line as still shaky at best under Deshaun Foster, IU DUB.
- Score prediction: Indiana 35, UCLA 21.
Nov. 1: Indiana at Maryland
- Location, time: SECU Stadium, College Park | TBA
- Breakdown: Mike Locksley’s crew is a mess this season. Pending on QB play Mailk Washington and former UCLA QB Justyn Martin they could be the worse team in the conference along with Purdue.
- Score prediction: Indiana 45, Maryland 14.
Nov. 8: Indiana at Penn State
- Location, time: Beaver Stadium, State College | TBA
- Breakdown: Heisman hopeful Drew Allar, all conference running backs Singleton on and Allen and a top ten defense. IU has a shot but they just aren't good enough to win this one.
- Score prediction: Penn State 27, Indiana 17.
Nov. 15: Indiana vs. Wisconsin
- Location, time: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington | TBA
- Breakdown: Wisconsin just isn't that exciting this year overall. The Badgers
- Score prediction: Indiana 45, Wisconsin 21.
don't inspire much confidence, I think they are a 6-6 team and that win ain't coming against Indiana this season.
Nov. 22: Bye week
Nov. 28 (Friday): Indiana at Purdue
- Location, time: Ross-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette | 7:30 p.m.
- Breakdown: Barry Odom and Purdue good luck, you're gonna need it on rivarly week. Hoosiers steam roll the Boilermakers big, not last year big but big.
- Score prediction: Indiana 55, Purdue 13.
Dec. 6: Big Ten championship game: Ohio State vs Oregon (Prediction)
Final Analysis:
Indiana just misses the CFB Playoff this season, they finish 10-2 and fifth in the Big Ten behind Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State and Michigan. I have IU finishing No. 14 in the nation in the last CFP poll. The non-conference scheduling will come back to bite with losses to Oregon and Penn State who are top ten (CFP teams).
The Hoosiers enter the season No. 20 overall in the Preseason Associated Press Top 25 Poll.