Coming off a perfect 16-0 season that culminated in a historic National Championship, Curt Cignetti and the Indiana Hoosiers are looking to keep things rolling in the 2026-27 season. Re-stocked with a talented transfer portal class and plenty of key returners, Indiana is well-positioned to make another College Football Playoff run this season.
The start of the season is still several months away, but Hoosier football fans are already eyeing some of the biggest matchups on Indiana's schedule. Several key games immediately catch the eye, but there is no bigger upcoming matchup than when the Hoosiers host the Ohio State Buckeyes on Saturday, October 17.
In a matchup between last season's Big Ten Championship Game, this highly-anticipated meeting has the potential to deliver Game of the Year potential. Professional oddsmakers agree.
Oddsmakers torn on Indiana-Ohio State betting odds
On Monday, oddsmakers released the opening betting lines for October's Big Ten clash between Indiana and Ohio State. Not surprisingly, the game can be viewed as a toss up. Both the Hoosiers and Buckeyes have moneyline odds of -110 on FanDuel Sportsbook, indicating that the matchup is about as evenly-matched as it gets.
When it comes to the spread, Indiana is given the slightest of edges as a 1.5-point favorite. The total, or over/under, is listed at 48.5.
#iufb is the opening favorite (-1.5) for Ohio State at Indiana October 17 according to @FanDuel pic.twitter.com/ybhOVmwgsS
— Kirkwood & Dunn Podcast (@KirkwoodandDunn) May 25, 2026
When this heavyweight matchup comes around, it wouldn't be surprising at all to see both teams ranked in the top-5 of the AP Poll. Not only will that be sure to create an electric atmosphere in Bloomington, but it will make for a must-watch game for all college football fans across the country.
In his two seasons in Bloomington, Cignetti's only Big Ten loss has come to Ryan Day and the Buckeyes. That occurred during the 2024 campaign in Columbus, when Ohio State cruised to a 38-15 victory. However, Cignetti and the Hoosiers were able to get their revenge in the 2025 Big Ten Championship Game, winning by a score of 13-10 in an instant classic.
Indiana is a perfect 15-0 at home under Cignetti, and the Cream and Crimson will undoubtedly be looking to capitalize on their home field advantage against the Buckeyes. In such a contested matchup, this meeting has the potential to deliver Game of the Year vibes not just for the Big Ten, but for college football as a whole.
Indiana and Ohio State are among the National Championship favorites
Looking ahead, both Cignetti and Day have their respective teams poised to compete for the national title this upcoming season. When it comes to national title odds on FanDuel Sportsbook, both teams are near the top of the list.
Ohio State leads the pack with title odds of +550, but Indiana isn't far behind. The Hoosiers find themselves in the No. 3 spot of the national title odds board with odds of +750. The Texas Longhorns also have odds of +750, while Notre Dame is the only other team above Indiana with odds of +700.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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