The Indiana Hoosiers finished with a 16-0 record last season. It was the first time in school history that they won the national title. The biggest story was head coach Curt Cignetti and quarterback Fernando Mendoza. Mendoza was the number one overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders. He also won the Heisman Trophy as well for Indiana.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JANUARY 09: Head coach Curt Cignetti of the Indiana Hoosiers hoists the George P. Crumbley Trophy after defeating the Oregon Ducks in the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 09, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
Entering the 2026 college football season, Indiana is ranked sixth in the AP Poll. It is the highest preseason ranking for the Hoosiers in football in school history, but there are some people who feel like that they are getting disrespected out there still. They made some nice off-season moves to keep this as a potential championship roster. Indiana will have a little tougher schedule this season in the conference when they face the Ohio State Buckeyes, the Michigan Wolverines, the Washington Huskies, and the USC Trojans.
College Football Analyst Believes That the Indiana Hoosiers are the Top Team in the Country
BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA – APRIL 23: Josh Hoover #10 of the Indiana Hoosiers throws the ball during the 2026 Indiana Spring Football Game at Memorial Stadium on April 23, 2026 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images for ONIT)
Despite Indiana being ranked sixth in the nation by the AP Poll to begin the season, there are some people who believe that the Hoosiers are still the top team in the country. Chris Vannini of the Athletic said about ranking Indiana as his number one team in the nation entering the 2026 college football season,
“The defending national champs are disrespected by their No. 6 ranking in the preseason coaches and AP polls. Would that have happened if a different logo were on the helmet? Additions like running back Turbo Richard and receiver Nick Marsh will help new quarterback Josh Hoover. The Hoosiers remain the team to beat.”
There have been viral videos of quarterback Josh Hoover making great throws in camp. If he is as good as Mendoza was a season ago, this team is going to be flirting with greatness. Hoover played for the TCU Horned Frogs last season. One of the biggest stories with Indiana was also how good the defense was. This is a well-coached football team who will look to prove themselves once again during the 2026-2027 college football season here.
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