By Nick Jenkinson-SCINN Sports Director
The #6 Indiana Hoosiers have accomplished a lot of first under Head Coach Curt Cignetti in the last three seasons and they will look to accomplish a couple more first this Saturday afternoon when they host the #14 USC Trojans at 3:30 PM on CBS.
This will be the fifth meeting all-time between the Hoosiers and Trojans and the first since USC beat Indiana 28-7 September 18, 1982, in Los Angeles. The Trojans lead all-time series 4-0 and will visit Bloomington for just the second time after they beat the Hoosiers 21-0 on September 19,1981. The Programs first met on October 2, 1953, in Los Angeles with the Trojans winning 27-14. The most famous meeting came on New Years Day 1968 when the Trojans beat the Hoosiers 14-3 in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.
Should Indiana win on Saturday will be the first time the Hoosiers have beaten the Trojans on the gridiron. Head Coach Curt Cignetti has a record 35-3 in three seasons at Indiana and 154-38 in 16 seasons as Head Coach. This will the first time Cignetti has faced USC since arriving in Bloomington in 2024. Cignetti has beaten every Big Ten Team at least once and should the Hoosiers win Saturday Cignetti will accomplish something that has not been done very often and that is beat every Conference Opponent at least once as he is 22-2 in the Big Ten with both losses coming to Ohio State.
Cignetti is tied with James Sheldon for fourth on the all-time Coaching list in Indiana University Football History with 35. Sheldon coached for 9 seasons at IU from 1905-13 with a record of 35-26-3. A win Saturday and Cignetti moves into fourth place by himself. Lee Corso is next on the list with 41 wins in 10 seasons from 1973-82. Bo McMillin won 63 games in 14 seasons form 1934-1947 and Bill Mallory won 69 games in 13 seasons from 1984-1996.
From 1987-2023 Indiana was considered the worst program in the FBS with a record of 500-717-46 with 2 Big Ten Championships in 1945 and 1967 and Bowl Record of 3-10. Since Cignetti took over Indiana won the Big Ten Championship in 2025 leading to an unbeaten season and a National Championship. Cignetti has taken the Hoosiers to the College Football Playoff both years and is 3-1 in the playoffs and the Hoosiers are in a great position to get to playoff once again and the school had its first Heisman Trophy winner in Fernando Mendoza in 2025 and it’s second number 1.NFL Draft Pick in School History.
The Hoosiers are coming off a much-needed bye week in which came a the right time. Indiana beat Minnesota 23-16 in overtime as the Hoosiers are 9-1 under Cignetti in one score games and 4-1 in 2026. For his career Cignetti is 35-18 in one score games. The Hoosiers have played in back-to-back overtime games after beating Michigan 13-6 in the Big House for the first time since 1967. It’s the first time in program history the Hoosiers have played in back-to-back overtime contests and the fourth time they have played multiple overtime games in a season. The Hoosiers played multiple overtimes in 2015, 2022 2023 and now 2026 and it’s the first time with multiple Big Ten Overtime contests.
The question that everyone wants to know is who will start at quarterback for the Hoosiers. Josh Hoover has been the started all year, but he struggled in the first half against Minnesota and was hit hard when he threw an interception just before halftime and did not start the second half. Backup Grant Wilson came in and completed 9 of his 17 passes for 156 yards and a touchdown. Wilson is 13-22 for 230 yards, and 3 touchdown passes along with a rushing touchdown. During the bye week Wilson was battling the flu and did not practice the entire week. Hoover is 124-206 for 1,860 yards with 19 touchdown passes and 2 interceptions. Hoover was hit hard when he threw the interception against the Golden Gophers and reportedly had a concussion.
When the injury report came out this week Hoover was not listed which means he will most likely start the game on Saturday. When asked about who we would start this week during his Monday Press Conference Indiana Head Coach Curt Cignetti declined to name a starter. “We’ll see how the week goes,” Curt Cignetti said. “And then we’ll see who we trot out there.” The Hoosiers will be without leading rusher Turbo Richard and Offensive Lineman Joe Brunner for this game. Richard has 113 carries for 745 yards and 6 touchdowns but suffered an apparent shoulder injury against Minnesota. Brunner suffered an injury at practice on Thursday. This is Indiana’s first setback along the offensive line this season. No one on the starting front has missed a game ahead of this weekend. Brunner has played a team high 542 snaps.
Where will Indiana turn in Brunner’s absence? Freshman Sam Simpson has played 23 snaps at right guard this season. Starting right tackle Adedamola Ajani played one snap right guard. He played on the interior some last year and at one point during the offseason was slated to play right guard this season. Baylor Wilkin has played some right tackle snaps and could fill in if Ajani were to be moved inside. Matt Marek, Evan Parker and Austin Leibfried are other interior options. They have all played left guard snaps this year in limited action. Leibfried has generally been IU’s sixth offensive lineman when they go with six up front. He leads all reserve offensive linemen with 49 snaps.
USC comes to Bloomington with a 7-2 record and 4-2 record in the Big Ten. The Trojans are coming off a bye week and beat Ohio State 30-18 at home two weeks ago. The Trojans have lost to Oregon at home 41-27 and at Wisconsin 24-7 but are in a six way tie for third place in the Big Ten Standings with Oregon, Ohio State, Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois as UCLA remains unbeaten at the top and Indiana is second with one loss as the top two will make the Final Big Ten Conference Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on December 5.
USC has put themselves in a position to have a shot of getting to the Big Ten Championship game, but they must beat the Hoosiers to stay alive and keep their hopes alive for the College Football Playoff as well. “We’re starting to realize and understand that how we do one thing is how we do everything,” cornerback Alex Graham said. “The things we do off the field have a big impact on what do on the field, so just knowing that as a team, we’re getting better.”
Trojan Quarterback Jayden Maiava has completed 196 of his 287 passes for 2,524 yards with 20 touchdown passes 5 interceptions along with 12 sacks. Running Back King Miller has 680 yards on 135 carries and 5 touchdowns. Wide Receiver Trent Mosley has 32 receptions for 512 yards and 6 touchdowns. On defense Linebacker Deven Bryant has 55 tackles, and Prophet Brown has 2 interceptions.
USC might not have to worry about trading its California sunshine for Indiana snow. But this November trip to Bloomington doesn’t look like it will be played in the same conditions USC usually finds in Los Angeles. The early forecast is calling for a mostly sunny day with a high temperature of 46 degrees, dropping to a low of 25. The game also will likely end after sunset. But that doesn’t bother Trojan Head Coach Lincoln Riley. “This is football weather,” he said. “This is going to be awesome. Like I can’t wait for it, our team can’t wait for it. It looks like it’s going to be a great night, especially for the big guys. I mean the big guys love this. Are you kidding me? This is as good as it gets.”