Week 1 of the new college football season is officially in the books. That means that every team in the country has now played at least one game and given the AP voters some material to go off of when making their rankings selections.
Coming off a 16-0 season and National Championship, the Indiana Hoosiers entered the 2026 season ranked as the No. 6 team in the country via the AP Top-25 preseason poll. It didn't take long to see Indiana move up in the rankings.
Indiana rises in AP Poll following dominant win over North Texas
The Hoosiers took care of business against North Texas in the season opener, winning 52-16. The defense didn't look amazing, but the offense was electric, putting up 52 points despite possessing the ball for just 22:38. All in all, Indiana did what it was supposed to do against an inferior opponent.
That convincing victory led to the Hoosiers moving from No. 6 in the preseason poll up to No. 5 in this week's release.
BREAKING: College Football AP Poll🚨https://t.co/89dk3PyWTC pic.twitter.com/aOYdirpRkM
— On3 (@On3) September 8, 2026
The Hoosiers jumped Oregon, who dropped four spots from No. 2 to No. 6 after struggling with Boise State at home. The Ducks prevailed 34-27, but it was far from a convincing performance.
Indiana also received eight first-place votes, which was the second-most in the country behind Ohio State's 46. The Buckeyes still hold the No. 1 spot, while Georgia, Notre Dame, and Texas all moved up a spot with Oregon falling out of the top-five.
Indiana is just getting started in Year 3 of the Cignetti era
Despite the magic that Curt Cignetti has worked in Bloomington over his first two seasons, there are still plenty of naysayers out there. Some still see Indiana as a flash-in-the-pan success story that will fade away. Furthermore, many expected the Hoosiers to take a dip after Fernando Mendoza was drafted No. 1 overall by the Raiders in the NFL Draft. After one game, that is not the case.
3 Indiana Football opponents that look way less intimidating after Week 1
TCU transfer Josh Hoover put forth the best season opener for an Indiana quarterback in the Cignetti era, completing 13 of his 16 pass attempts for 231 yards and 4 touchdowns. Hoover looked extremely comfortable leading his new offense, and it's clear that he already has a strong connection with star WR Charlie Becker, who hauled in 4 catches for 64 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Despite losing plenty of production to the NFL, Indiana's revamped offense looked like a well-oiled machine in the season opener. The defense has some work to do, but defensive coordinator Bryant Haines is one of the best in the business. He is full capable of getting his guys where they need to be.
Looking ahead, Indiana's non-conference slate features matchups against Howard in Week 2 and Western Kentucky in Week 3. Looking to build as much momentum as possible before Big Ten play begins, Cignetti and the Hoosiers should be expected to roll in both of those contests.
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