Indiana University Football moves down in the polls after its first loss of 2026 season At least this time Indiana lost ahead of a drop in the polls. IU football moved down in both the AP and Coaches polls following its first loss of the 2026 season, a 19-15 setback against Ohio State on Saturday. Indiana was one of many top-10 teams to drop in the polls after five of the top-seven lost on Saturday. The Hoosiers fell one spot to No. 6 in this week’s AP top-25, behind No. 1 Miami, BYU, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Georgia — in that order. IU has been ranked in the AP Top-10 for 20 straight weeks — the longest streak in program history. In the Coaches Poll Indiana dropped two spots and are also No. 6 there. They currently trail Miami, Ohio State, BYU, Georgia and Texas Tech in the AP poll. Also ranked from the Big Ten along with Ohio State and IU are UCLA (AP No. 9/Coaches No. 10), Iowa (15/14), USC (16/15), Northwestern (23/24) and Oregon (RV/25). No. 6 Indiana (6-1) returns to action Saturday at unranked Michigan (4-2) (Noon ET, FOX). The Wolverines, Nebraska and Wisconsin are all receiving votes in the coach’s poll.
Indiana University Women’s Golf to Send a Trio of Individuals to Evansville The Indiana women’s golf team will send three individuals to compete in the Braun Intercollegiate. The two-day, 36-hole tournament will begin this morning at the Oak Meadow Country Club in Evansville. First-year players Zoe Arcus and Ava Bunker will join second-year Grace Heiss in the Hoosier lineup. The tournament will be the first collegiate appearance for first-year Ava Bunker, the second for first-year Zoe Arcus, and the fourth for second-year Grace Heiss.
The Braun Intercollegiate has been hosted by Evansville since the fall of 2012 as a tribute to Charles Braun Jr., formerly the women’s golf coach of the Purple Aces. Round one will tee off at 11 a.m. ET this morning and the second 18 will commence with a shotgun start at 11 a.m. ET on Tuesday, Oct. 20.
‘A game of inches’: Indiana football snaps its winning streak in showdown with Ohio State If you stood in Memorial Stadium, closed your eyes, and let the crowd reaction tell you what happened, you’d think you missed the greatest moment in the stadium’s 66-year history. Fifth-ranked Indiana football, the defending national champions, faced a fourth-and-4 against No. 4 Ohio State from the Buckeye 27-yard line, trailing 19-15 with just over a minute remaining. IU’s 6-0 start, its 22-game winning streak, and 19-game home winning streak all on the line. Curt Cignetti called a timeout to discuss the situation with his offense and ensure they called right play. Cignetti anticipated a zero blitz from Ohio State, which would create an opportunity for a home-run ball. He and Mike Shanahan called Nick Marsh’s number, and it nearly played out perfectly.
The Buckeyes did, in fact, send the house. Marsh put a double move on OSU cornerback Cam Calhoun and streaked down the sideline on the left side of the field with a full five yards of separation. Josh Hoover had to throw the ball up right as Marsh cut back upfield, when he was still even with Calhoun but was about to blow by him. Hoover’s throw wasn’t perfect, but it was right there for Marsh. The sellout crowd in Bloomington exploded into a deafening roar, thinking the Hoosiers just took the lead. But Marsh immediately put his hands on his head. He knew he’d stepped out of bounds.
The cheers died down into groans of stunned disbelief. Indiana was going to lose its biggest home game in program history. “Shoot, it’s a game of inches, right?” Hoover said after the game. “Unfortunately, the last play, when it comes down to it like that, it does stink. But shoot, we ran 75 plays. And we had a lot of opportunities to score at other moments. So it’s never about one play.” Indeed, IU (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten) had plenty of chances.
The Hoosiers put together a 66-yard drive in the middle of the second quarter, with an opportunity to create some real separation on the scoreboard. But on third down, Hoover didn’t see a wide-open Brock Schott in the end zone and threw an incomplete pass to Turbo Richard up the middle. And then Nico Radicic clanked a 32-yard field goal attempt off the left upright. What could’ve become an IU lead by 11 or seven points turned into a three-point deficit. Ohio State (6-1, 4-0) turned the missed field goal into a touchdown on the other end, running six plays inside the Indiana 5-yard-line before Julian Sayin hit Bo Jackson for the score.
“That was a tough one not to win,” Cignetti said. “I thought our kids gave great effort and fight, and hung in there and put ourselves in position to win the close game. Had so many opportunities to get it done, not only at the end of the game, but throughout the game. Just too many missed opportunities on offense.” The Hoosiers had other offensive miscues that led to their downfall, between Hoover not seeing or misfiring to open receivers, a costly Davion Chandler fumble at the beginning of the second half, and more. Cignetti even displayed some questionable game management with his handling of two fourth downs in Ohio State territory in the third quarter.
IU’s defense, on the whole, played well enough to win. Bryant Haines’ unit held Ohio State to 313 yards of offense, its lowest output of the season so far and its lowest since Oct. 11, 2025. Amare Ferrell made two crucial interceptions, his second career multi-interception game. The Hoosiers did a great job against Heisman Trophy favorite Jeremiah Smith, only to allow him to score the decisive touchdown when Ferrell and Jamari Sharpe lost the ball on a fourth-down heave down the field. “We got great coverage on the guy,” Cignetti said. “The ball was underthrown into the wind, and (Sharpe and Ferrell) just misjudged the ball.” Any takeaways from this game may depend on your outlook on life. There’s a clear glass-half-full viewpoint: Indiana had so many chances to win — potentially even in dramatic, memorable fashion — and ultimately beat itself. But those mistakes could be easier for Cignetti and his staff to address in practice than schematic and physical deficiencies.
But after a national championship season in which these sorts of mistakes rarely — if ever — happened, it’s reasonable to see what IU did against Ohio State and wonder whether or not this team has that same ceiling. That type of big-picture question will be answered in due time. This loss certainly doesn’t eliminate Indiana from College Football Playoff contention, but the margin for error is now much smaller. Football, at its core, is a game with a small margin for error. Marsh’s near-miss touchdown on Saturday is a glaring example. The minuscule difference between the Hoosiers picking up one of their all-time greatest home victories and suffering their first loss since Dec. 2024 was less than a yard. “That’s what it is. It’s a game of inches,” Charlie Becker said. “We’ll get better.”
Former Indiana University Linebacker Aiden Fisher Released by the Houston Texans The Houston Texans are releasing rookie linebacker Aiden Fisher, ending his brief stint with the organization after selecting him in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Fisher will be placed on waivers, giving other teams an opportunity to claim the former Indiana standout. Fisher entered the NFL after an All-American season with the Hoosiers, helping Indiana secure a national championship. Despite his collegiate success, the seventh-round pick was unable to lock up a lasting spot on Houston’s roster. However, there is still an opportunity for Fisher to be brought back on the practice squad, or even continue his professional career elsewhere. With the waiver process ahead, another team could take a chance on the linebacker and give him an opportunity to develop and adjust to the speed of the next level. Late-round selections often face an uphill battle to establish themselves in the league, particularly when competing for limited opportunities at positions with established veterans.
Again, the Texans’ decision does not necessarily signal the end of Fisher’s time with the organization. Although Houston will have to take the risk of him being placed on waivers, as another organization could claim him and add him to their active roster. If he clears waivers, there is a strong possibility that the Texans will want to continue developing the talented, young linebacker on the practice squad with the scout team. For Fisher, the hope is that the next step in his professional career will be with a team that is needing young talent at the linebacker position. His college experience at Indiana and his role on a championship-winning team will remain part of his résumé as he looks for another opportunity, and it won’t be taken lightly.
Houston, meanwhile, will move forward without the rookie as they continue shaping their roster. The Texans selected Fisher with the expectation that he could compete for a place on the 53-man roster after a successful college career, but the organization has now decided to move in a different direction. The waiver process will determine whether another NFL team is willing to bring Fisher aboard immediately. His release creates uncertainty about his next destination, but it also gives another organization the chance to evaluate a linebacker who is familiar with playing a significant on championship team. Fisher’s NFL career is still in its early stages, and the 22-year-old could find a better opportunity with another team looking to add depth and upside.
Bachmeier leads winning drive as No. 8 BYU outlasts No. 2 Notre Dame 28-24 Bear Bachmeier threw a go-ahead touchdown pass with 1:47 left and then No. 8 BYU stopped No. 2 Notre Dame at the goal line to preserve a riveting 28-24 victory Saturday night. The thriller capped a wild Saturday in which five of the top 8 teams in the AP Top 25 lost on the same regular-season day for the first time, per Sportradar. Paired with No. 1 Georgia’s 27-24 loss to Auburn, the top two teams in the country lost on the same day for the first time in the regular season since Nov. 17, 2012. Bachmeier ran for two TDs, caught another and had 224 yards passing to help the Cougars (6-0) beat the Irish for the first time since 2004. Preston Rex added 66 yards on 10 carries to help BYU start 6-0 for the third consecutive season. After Bachmeier’s go-ahead score, CJ Carr completed several clutch passes to drive the Irish (6-1) into Cougar territory, including a fourth-down pass to Micah Gilbert that put Notre Dame at the BYU 9 with four seconds left. His final pass fell incomplete in the end zone.
The Irish cut an 11-point halftime deficit to five going into the fourth quarter after scoring field goals following a muffed punt return and a failed fake punt by the Cougars. Jonaz Walton plowed across the goal line on a 3-yard run to put Notre Dame in front with 9:31 left. Bachmeier led BYU into Notre Dame territory, but Jayden Sanders picked off a pass at the Irish 15 with 8:05 remaining. After the Cougars forced a 3-and-out, Bachmeier drove BYU 55 yards in 10 plays and found Walker Lyons on a go-ahead 6-yard grab with 1:47 left. Carr threw for 261 yards and Nolan James Jr. added 77 yards and a touchdown on the ground for the Irish. Notre Dame ended a 16-game winning streak. Bachmeier used a combination of efficient passing and tough running to put the Irish on their heels early. He completed 72% of his passes in the first half. BYU capped its opening drive with Bachmeier’s five-yard TD run up the middle.
Notre Dame took a 10-7 lead on an 8-yard run from James. Then Bachmeier punished the Irish defense on back-to-back drives. He caught a short pass from Kyler Kasper and rumbled 15 yards to put BYU back in front. Then Bachmeier dove over the goal line from a yard out to extend the Cougars’ lead to 21-10 going into halftime. The Irish drove down to the BYU 5 in the final seconds of the first half. Carr fumbled while trying to spike the ball, and Isaiah Glasker pounced on it to help the Cougars maintain a two-score lead going into the locker room. It was just the second turnover of the season for Notre Dame. The Irish struggled to finish drives in the red zone, turning the ball over once and settling for field goals after twice starting drives in BYU territory. The Cougars had a chance to go up 28-10 in the third quarter before a pick penalty by Kasper wiped out a 39-yard touchdown catch by JoJo Phillips. The Cougars then committed back-to-back special teams gaffes that let the Irish back in the game. Notre Dame is at Navy on Oct. 31 and BYU is at UCF on Oct. 24.
Ball State Cardinals Take First Road Win Since 2024 in Overtime Thriller at Bowling Green The Ball State football team captured its first road victory since Oct. 12, 2024, taking a thrilling 32-31 win in overtime over Bowling Green inside Doyt Perry Stadium. The Cardinals (2-5, 1-2 MAC) earned their first overtime win since a double-overtime victory versus Northern Illinois in 2022 (Oct. 1). After enduring14 consecutive road losses since the 2024 season, Ball State claimed its first road win in the Mike Uremovich era. Ball State also earned its first Mid-American Conference win of the year. Down a score with just under a minute to go in the fourth quarter, the Cardinals marched 78 yards to knot the contest as time expired after a 20-yard touchdown catch by Eli Hohlt, the longest reception and first touchdown of his career.
The Falcons (2-5, 2-1 MAC) stuck first in overtime with a 4-yard rush up the middle. During Ball State’s responding drive, an eight-yard rushing touchdown by TJ Horton was called back to the one-yard line, but it didn’t matter as he ran the ball into the end zone on the ensuing play for his seventh rushing touchdown of the year, and second of the day. The score set up Ball State for a two-point conversion opportunity which was successfully caught in by tight end Alex Scherle, on a scrambling throw by Keldric Luster. The Cardinals earned the dramatic comeback win, but the victory was nearly sealed late in the fourth quarter with Ball State taking possession with 1:11 to play and a chance for a winning score. Instead, Luster fumbled on the series’ opening play and K’Dyah Banks went 35 yards with the recovery to give the Falcons their first lead of the game, and set up the late heroics.
Tied at 10 going into the second half, Ball State broke ahead late in the third quarter after Luster ran the ball for a career-long 29-yard score that was the longest run of his career. The Cardinals’ 96-yard drive was the unit’s longest drive this season. Luster’s 125 total rushing yards overall led both sides and served as a career-best performance. Along with his contributions on the ground, Luster created plenty of opportunities in the air, throwing for 195 yards with 16 completions on 24 attempts and one touchdown — plus the two-point conversion toss to Scherle after extending the play with his legs.
The Falcons attempted to answer Luster’s go-ahead touchdown run, driving 57 yards on six plays before Ball State cornerback Will Yates intercepted a pass to record Ball State’s first takeaway since a fumble recovery at Liberty in week three. The turnover put Ball State in command with 46 seconds left in the third period. The Cardinals opened the fourth quarter with the lead, but Bowling Green took over and used over seven minutes to milk the clock and score the game-tying TD with 1:15 to play on a 6-yard pass from Jay Kastantin to Eli Jacon-Duffy. Ball State’s defense made several big plays throughout the day, stunning the Falcons to 40 first half rushing yards and 41 second half rushing yards – the least number of yards allowed by the Cardinals in a half this season. The Falcons’ 98 rushing yards overall were the fewest since Ball State allowed 89 to Kent State last season. Minus a 77-yard touchdown reception from Bowling Green in the second quarter, the Falcons were limited to just 65 total yards in the first 30 minutes of game time.
During Bowling Green’s opening drive in the first period, Ball State defensive lineman Ben Marsh was credited with a pair of sacks (1 solo, 1 assisted with Layton Starks), to force the Falcons to punt. Those two sacks reflected Ball State’s consistent pressure which resulted in four sacks on the day. When the Cardinals took over, Brody Boehm put Ball State on the scoreboard with a 39-yard field goal. Boehm has scored on 4 of 5 field goals from 38 yards or longer this season. The strong defensive effort was accented by Yates’ interception and the sacks from Marsh, Starks, Ameir Glenn and Austin Stief, giving the Cardinals multiple sacks for the first time since week two versus Stony Brook.
CJ Nelson was another Cardinal who had a career-day against the Falcons, posting six receptions for 59 yards. The reception total was the most he’s recorded in a Ball State uniform. Isaiah Thacker’s career-long 29-yard reception in the second quarter, set up Horton’s eight-yard rushing score for Ball State’s first touchdown of the day. Following its momentous conference win Saturday afternoon, Ball State returns to Scheumann Stadium to celebrate 100 years of Homecoming, next week against Sacramento State. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. with broadcast available on ESPN+ and WLBC 104.1 FM in Muncie.
Strong Second Half Propels RV Taylor University Football to Win in MSFA Opener The Taylor football team wore down an opponent in the second half for the second-straight week, this time outscoring Lawrence Tech (3-4, 0-1 MSFA) by a 17-3 count after the intermission and rolling past the Blue Devils in a 34-17 victory inside Turner Stadium. One week after scoring the final 35 points of a win in its final non-league game of the season, Taylor dominated LTU down the stretch of the MSFA Mideast League opener to turn a 17-14 halftime edge into a 17-point victory. TU did it on both sides of the ball, holding Lawrence Tech to just one field goal and 80 yards of total offense over the game’s final 30 minutes, including just 37 yards through the air. The Trojans highlighted that performance with a pair of takeaways, helping to keep the ball in the hands of the Trojan offense.
Taylor’s offense was up to the task as well, extending its lead while draining the clock with successive scoring drives of 13, 12 and 10 plays to open the second half. TU began that stretch with a drive of 9:51 to open the half, before touchdown drives of 6:30 and 5:34 to put the game away. For the game, Taylor rushed 51 times for 244 yards and piled up 33:18 of possession while visibly wearing down the Lawrence Tech defense. Evan Barker and Ethan Albert combined for 31 carries, bouncing off and running through LTU defenders with physical runs throughout. Barker ended with career-highs of 17 carries and 111 yards, while scoring his ninth rushing touchdown of the season and averaging 6.5 yards per touch. Albert followed with 51 yards and a score in his 14 touches.
Aidan Zimmer caught just two passes but finished with 84 receiving yards and Cooper Sloan contributed 10 points in the kicking game for a second-straight week with field goals from 21 and 41 yards out and four point-after tries without a miss. The Taylor defense allowed just 267 total yards in the game and got several top performances. Grady Stanley finished with eight solo tackles among his team-leading 11 hits and added one tackle for lost yardage. Samuel Ringer and Reid Messer each had an interception, with Ringer adding 10 tackles and Messer ending with nine stops, and Seth Tolliver anchored the defensive line with 1.5 sacks.
TU never trailed in the contest, using a pair of rushing touchdowns from Brady Trebley and Blake Lawson in the first quarter to grab a 14-0 lead. Those scores extended an unanswered scoring streak to 90-straight points against Lawrence Tech stretching over the last three meetings between the two foes. After taking a 17-14 lead to the break, Taylor’s cushion grew to 20-14 on a 41-yard field goal from Sloan, before rushing scores from Barker and Albert capped the scoring in the 34-17 victory. RV Taylor (5-2, 1-0 MSFA) will look for a third-straight home win when it welcomes Defiance (3-4, 0-1 MSFA) to Turner Stadium for a 7:00 pm start on October 24.