{"id":13130,"date":"2026-09-05T00:00:06","date_gmt":"2026-09-05T00:00:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bloomingtonnews.online\/?p=13130"},"modified":"2026-09-05T00:00:06","modified_gmt":"2026-09-05T00:00:06","slug":"local-sports-news-september-5-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bloomingtonnews.online\/?p=13130","title":{"rendered":"Local Sports News: September 5, 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"275\" height=\"309\" src=\"http:\/\/bloomingtonnews.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Local-Sports.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-8111\" style=\"width:76px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bloomingtonnews.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Local-Sports.png 275w, https:\/\/bloomingtonnews.online\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Local-Sports-267x300.png 267w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 275px) 100vw, 275px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>Indiana University Announces Series of New Experiences, Stadium Enhancements for the 2026 Hoosier Football Season<\/strong>                                                                   As Coach Curt Cignetti\u2019s IU Football team prepares for Saturday\u2019s season-opener against North Texas, IU Athletics is excited to announce a series of new fan experiences and gameday enhancements at Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium in advance of the 2026 season. From the opportunity for fans to participate in the runout with this year\u2019s team to plans to recognize last season\u2019s College Football Playoff Championship, these changes will dramatically enhance gamedays this fall in Bloomington.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>New Gameday Experience Opportunities- There\u2019s no place better to be on Saturdays than in the stands at Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium\u2026 unless you\u2019re actually on the field. Now, Hoosier fans have that chance. During each home game this year, a limited number of fans can run out with the team onto the field in the final minutes before kickoff. Experience Hoosier gameday like never before with the brand-new Team Runout Experience. This is the ultimate opportunity for any IU Football fan, so secure your spot now while spaces last.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Looking for something different?-A second new offering is the Pre-Game Tunnel Experience. Here, a limited number of fans will be able to line the Indiana Football runout tunnel, see Coach Cignetti and the players up close, and high-five the team as they take the field. Finally, there\u2019s the new Pregame Pass Trophy Tour . This ticket provides you and up to three guests with the chance to get an exclusive, behind-the-scenes look at IU Football and its facilities, go onto the field during pre-game warm-ups, and tour IU\u2019s 2025 championship trophies.  With these three additions, Hoosier fans have eight different pre-game and in-game experiences to consider. Visit here to see all the offerings. These experiences traditionally sell out, so act quickly to reserve your spot and create memories that you and your group will never forget!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Indiana Football AAA Championship Tailgate-The south lawn of Memorial Stadium is transforming into the ultimate pregame destination for the 2026 IU Football season with the debut of the Indiana Football AAA Championship Tailgate . Opening three hours prior to kickoff with free admission, this dynamic new fan gathering area is set to become the heart of pregame excitement. The tailgate area will be anchored by a towering, 15-foot-high College Football Playoff National Championship Trophy photo opportunity. Fans can enjoy a vibrant atmosphere featuring a double-deck Coors Light outdoor bar, a central stage hosting live bands, local food trucks, a dedicated kids zone, and much more. Adding to the electric energy, the AAA Championship Tailgate will be positioned right next to the live FOX Big Noon Kickoff show on Saturday and anytime FOX hosts its pregame show in Bloomington this fall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hoosier the Bison IndyCar-For the 2026 season, Indiana University&#8217;s official mascot, Hoosier the Bison, is back for his sophomore campaign in Bloomington with an exciting upgrade. Supporters can watch Hoosier roll into game days driving a specially engineered, open-wheel racing IndyCar. This custom-designed vehicle will make prominent appearances during pregame activities as the squad arrives for &#8220;The Walk,&#8221; and it will lead the team&#8217;s entrance onto the field prior to every home game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Commemorative Rally Towels &amp; Spirit Posters-The rally towels are back\u2026 with a new twist! Each week&#8217;s towel will feature a different Hoosier football player this year, starting with linebacker Isaiah Jones for Saturday\u2019s game. Fans will be able to pick up their towel as they enter the bowl of the stadium and celebrate throughout the game. Rally towels have proven to be one of the great collector\u2019s items throughout the Curt Cignetti era, and that will be the case even more with actual IU players featured on them for each home game.  Also back in 2026 are the exclusive Indiana Football spirit posters created for IU Athletics by renowned IU alumnus Jon Terzini. These collectible posters will be available during game weeks (home and away) at the west lobby of Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall and the IU Credit Union while supplies last, as well as select Bloomington retail partners including Alumni Hall, Homefield, The Indiana Shop, and the IU Team Store.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>IU Student Season Ticket Claim Process-IU students showed unprecedented interest in purchasing season tickets for the 2026 season. In response, IU adopted a new Student Season Ticket Claim Process for 2026. This new plan prioritizes opportunity, class standing, and attendance in determining which games students attend. It also ensures that students who purchased a ticket package can attend at least five of IU\u2019s eight home games. The adoption of this plan enabled 5,000 more students to purchase a season ticket package than a year ago (+45%).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Official IU Student Section T-Shirt-IU students will be in an identical location this year, filling the north end of the stadium in Sections 12R through 23L. Those students will share a unified look at every game this year, as IU recently unveiled its first official IU Student Section t-shirt. The red t-shirt features a Curt Cignetti caricature on the back along with the 2026 game schedule, and figures to be a popular item all fall on campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>CFP National Championship Signage Reveal-The 2025 season was one that no IU Football fan will ever forget, as the Hoosiers enjoyed one of the greatest campaigns in college football history on their way to a 16-0 record and a first-ever national championship. IU will officially unveil new permanent CFP Championship signage in the stadium bowl during pre-game festivities leading up to kickoff against North Texas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to these new offerings, IU Athletics has initiated additional updates to ensure it is prepared to welcome a record number of fans to a sold-out Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium this fall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>New Parking Options-IU Athletics has dramatically increased the quantity of season parking pass opportunities for season ticket holders for the 2026 season. This fall, IU Athletics made nearly 2,000 more season parking passes available than a year ago, a 27% increase from 2025. A significant number of these new parking spaces are located on the north side of the 45\/46 bypass in the North Bypass Lot, the Milo &amp; Sampson Lot, and the White House Lots, with each lot being within \u00bd mile of the stadium. The Sembower\/Tundra Lot, the Forrest Avenue Garage, and the 12th Street Lot are also new season parking pass opportunities for the 2026 season, with each being less than one mile from the football stadium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All season parking passes on the IU Athletics campus for the 2026 season are sold out (view IU Athletics Interactive Football Gameday Parking Map Here ). For those without season parking passes, the Union Street Grass Lot, the Union Court Grass Lot, and the Fee Lane Garage each offer gameday sales ($50\/car) on a first-come, first-served basis. The Bell Tower RV Lot also offers gameday sales for RVs on a first-come, first-served basis. Finally, there are free parking opportunities at the Atwater Garage on campus. A free gameday shuttle will transport fans before and after the game from Atwater Garage and from the E. Lingelbach Lane\/North Union Street intersection (just east of the Phi Kappa Psi and Alpha Epsilon Phi houses on Eagleson Avenue). Shuttle service will be available for three hours leading up to the game, and will then resume for two hours after the game\u2019s conclusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>New Tailgating Rules-To ensure vehicles of season parking pass holders have access to parking spaces on gamedays, all tailgating activities must take place either in a grass area or directly behind (or in front of) your vehicle. All chairs, grills, coolers, and tents must stay within the width of your designated parking stall. Also, you cannot use an additional parking pass to justify occupying an adjacent parking space with your tailgating items or to save a spot for someone who has not yet arrived. As always, drive aisles must also remain open for emergency vehicles and traffic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Eight Sellouts = Renewed Need to Arrive Early and Download Tickets in Advance!-Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium is sold out for the 2026 season, which means a new level of energy and excitement this fall. It also means fans need to plan ahead to maximize their gameday experience and avoid unnecessary delays or disruptions. First, plan to arrive early. All IU Athletics campus gameday parking lots open at least five hours before kickoff. If you instead plan to arrive less than two hours before kickoff, you should expect congested traffic and delayed entry into the parking lots. Secondly, download your digital tickets and parking pass(es) before you leave home and add them to your digital wallet. Do not use screenshots of your tickets\/parking pass (they won\u2019t work) or rely on strong cell service near the stadium to download your tickets. In addition, transfer tickets to other members in your group in advance if possible.  Finally, if you have any questions about who you can and cannot do and what you can and cannot bring into the parking lots and\/or stadium, please review the Memorial Stadium Policies, our Hoosier Sportsmanship Policy and our Clear Bag Policy in advance of your arrival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Food and Beverage Enhancements-Thanks to the off-season work of IU Athletics\u2019 food and beverage partner Levy, Hoosier fans will enjoy new food and beverage offerings, additional points of sale, and new concession areas in 2026. For starters, there will be 42 additional points of sale throughout the stadium, which will expedite visits to the concession areas. Additionally, all concession locations will feature stanchions for line queuing to improve traffic flow. Memorial Stadium visitors will also be able to take advantage of our new Cream and Crimson location by the E5 entrance that will feature a Pot Roast Burger, Sloppy Joe Dog and Totchos. Two new Grab and Go locations and an Ice Cream Vendor are being added to the upper west stands as well.  Speaking of new, Hoosier fans will also be able to visit the brand-new Coors Light Zone which will be in the north concourse opposite the Buffalouie\u2019s concession location. Additional new food offerings for 2026 include Buffalouie&#8217;s Flatbread pizzas, A Burnt End Loaded Baked Potato, and a Competition Brisket Sandwich, all of which will be located at food carts on the west side of the stadium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>New IU Team Store Location-A new official IU Team Store pop-up location will be positioned on the stadium\u2019s east side near the E4 entrance. This 30\u2019 x 60\u2019 space will be open on select days of game week as well as on gameday. This new space will feature the latest in officially licensed IU Football and Indiana University merchandise, and will complement the IU Team Store location found inside of the west doors of Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>New\/Upgraded Premium Spaces-Several exciting updates have been made to the premium spaces at Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium to elevate the game-day experience. Two additional field level suites have been added to the northeast and southeast corners, matching the size and layout of the popular suites that have been on the south end for the last several years. Additionally, two new Loge Box Suites are now available on the southeast and northeast sides, mirroring the configuration introduced on the west side last year. East Side Stadium Club ticket holders, meanwhile, will enjoy access to a new restroom facility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are also new premium tailgating opportunities as well. For groups of 5-40, the AAA Championship Tailgate Pod package offers a premier tailgate destination and experience. Located next to the AAA Championship Tailgate venue, this tailgate package includes your own personal 40\u2019 x 20\u2019 space (view here ) that can comfortably seat 15 and hold up to 40. Each unit includes a flatscreen TV, a fan\/heater (depending on time of year), bar\/kitchen set-up, and 24 complimentary waters\/soft drinks. Each unit has access to a shared cash bar with four other units, and catering is available as an add on. These units will also be fenced off, ensuring plenty of space for you and your guests. To book your tailgate pod or to get more information, contact IU Ticket Sales at grpsales@iu.edu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Restrooms-Improvements have been made both inside and outside Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium. Once fans enter the stadium, they will find 38 new portable restrooms positioned around the concourse to help address line concerns. In addition, portable restrooms are being repositioned in both the IU Athletics complex surface and grass lots. Finally, the East Side Club renovation includes an expanded restroom facility for the premium area that will be completed in advance of Saturday\u2019s game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Wireless Service-To improve the mobile experience for fans attending IU Football games this fall, several significant wireless infrastructure enhancements have been implemented at Memorial Stadium. AT&amp;T has added a Cell on Wheels (COW) on the south side of the stadium to boost network service and capacity for fans during pregame activities. Additionally, Verizon has upgraded its network infrastructure in the public rights-of-way surrounding the venue to improve pregame and postgame activities as well. Inside the stadium bowl, all cellular antennas have been comprehensively upgraded to handle heavy game-day crowds more effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Upgraded GoIU App-Indiana University Athletics\u2019 updated Go IU mobile app , developed in partnership with SIDEARM Sports and available for free on Apple and Android devices, delivers a modernized, streamlined, and flexible user experience designed to elevate fan engagement across all 24 varsity teams. Featuring an intuitive design and new content modules, the refreshed app eliminates deep searches by giving fans an easier path to discover live games, storytelling content, rosters, schedules, stats, and broadcasts. Furthermore, it serves as a ultimate one-stop shop where users can seamlessly access their ticket accounts, shop the IU Team Store, and stay up-to-date with high-visibility promotions, ensuring supporters can effortlessly connect with their favorite Hoosier teams and players all in the palm of their hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Ten Indiana University Hoosier Swimmers Feature in U.S. National Team<\/strong>                                                                                                                                              Ten athletes currently training with the Indiana swimming and diving program feature in the 2026-27 U.S. National Team, USA Swimming announced on Tuesday.  Seven men and three women from the IU program were listed in the respective rosters. The men&#8217;s roster includes\u00a0Alexei Avakov,\u00a0Josh Bey,\u00a0Finn Brooks,\u00a0Noah Cakir, American record holder\u00a0Van Mathias,\u00a0Owen McDonald\u00a0and\u00a0Aaron Shackell, while the women&#8217;s team lists\u00a0Liberty Clark,\u00a0Anna Peplowski\u00a0and\u00a0Alex Shackell.  Bey, Cakir and Clark are first-time national team inclusions after successful freshman seasons at Indiana.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I<strong>ndiana University Softball Announces 2026 Fall Ball Slate<\/strong>                                                                                                                                                          Indiana Softball head coach\u00a0Shonda Stanton\u00a0has announced the team&#8217;s 2026 fall schedule.  The Hoosiers will play a total of seven games in their fall slate with five of those coming at home on Andy Mohr Field. All home games offer free admission to fans. Indiana will open the fall slate with a 10-inning home game against Bryant &amp; Stratton on Sep. 13. The next weekend, Indiana will be back at Andy Mohr Field on Sep. 20 for another 10-inning contest, this time against Indiana Tech.  On Thursday, Sep. 24, Indiana will play a 10-inning outing against Louisville. On the following Saturday, Indiana will head to Louisville for a doubleheader on Oct. 3.  Indiana will wrap fall ball the following weekend with back-to-back game days. On Saturday, October 10, Indiana will play Lakeland Community College and then on Sunday (Oct. 11), the Hoosiers will face Danville Area Community College. Both games will be 10-inning contests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Indiana Softball 2026 Fall Ball Schedule (All times listed in EST)<br>Sunday, Sep. 13 | vs. Bryant &amp; Stratton (10 innings) | 1 p.m.<br>Sunday, Sep. 20 | vs. Indiana Tech (10 innings) | 1 p.m.<br>Thursday, Sep. 24 | vs. Louisville (10 innings) | 6:30 p.m.<br>Saturday, Oct. 3 | at Louisville (Doubleheader) | 1 p.m.<br>Saturday, Oct. 10 | vs. Lakeland CC (10 innings) | 1 p.m.<br>Sunday, Oct. 11 | vs. Danville Area CC (10 innings) | 2 p.m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Indiana University Baseball&#8217;s Jayden Parker Named One of the Nation\u2019s Top Newcomers<\/strong>                                                                                                             Ninth-year skipper\u00a0Jeff Mercer\u00a0received a big boost to the depth of his infield with the addition of infielder Jayden Parker to this year&#8217;s squad. The San Diego, California native was named one of Prep Baseball&#8217;s &#8220;Top 150 Freshmen Who Made It to Campus&#8221; as fall practice gets underway across the country. Parker was one of three top 500 national recruits in IU&#8217;s 2026 recruiting class. That includes fellow first-year players Johnson Dubose (Atlanta, Ga.) and Branson Crawford (Gainesville, Ga.). Parker, who&#8217;s dad played at UCLA and was an MLB draft pick of the New York Mets, was the number 273 overall recruit in the country by Perfect Game in this year&#8217;s class.  Through the transfer portal and incoming prep prospects, IU has built out a deep collection of talented infield options. Third-year infielder\u00a0Will Moore\u00a0and second-year infielder\u00a0Landen Fry\u00a0each played in over 50 games a season ago. Parker, Dubose and second-year transfer Kelvyn Paulino Jr. (Florida State) add extra juice to a deep room. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Indianapolis Station WISH-TV to exclusively air Butler basketball games against IU and Indiana State<\/strong>                                                                                            WISH-TV will exclusively broadcast two Butler University men\u2019s basketball games in October, including Indiana University\u2019s first game at Hinkle Fieldhouse in 33 years.  The games are part of a new broadcast agreement between Butler University and Circle City Broadcasting, the parent company of WISH-TV. The schedule includes:  Sunday, Oct. 11: Indiana University vs. Butler, 6:30 p.m.  Sunday, Oct. 18: Indiana State vs. Butler, 6:30 p.m.  Both games will also stream live for free on WISHTV.com, allowing fans to watch from anywhere in the world. The Oct. 11 matchup marks IU\u2019s first appearance at Hinkle Fieldhouse since Butler\u2019s 1993 season opener, bringing the Hoosiers back to one of college basketball\u2019s most historic venues for the first time in more than three decades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The games also come during the first season for new Butler head coach Ronald Nored, who returns to his alma mater to lead the Bulldogs. Nored and Butler Vice President\/Director of Athletics Grant Leiendecker were teammates during their playing careers at Butler. \u201cButler University is proud to partner with Circle City Broadcasting to bring these marquee in-state matchups to fans across Indiana and beyond. Their deep commitment to local sports and unmatched over-the-air reach make them the ideal home for Butler basketball. This partnership maximizes our exposure across Circle City Broadcasting\u2019s platforms,\u201d Leiendecker said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The following week brings another familiar Butler connection to Hinkle Fieldhouse. Indiana State head coach Matthew Graves is a former Butler player who later served on the Bulldogs\u2019 coaching staff, including as associate head coach.  \u201cWe\u2019re proud to bring these marquee rivalry matchups to Hoosiers as the exclusive home on WISH-TV and across our digital platforms,\u201d Circle City Broadcasting Owner, President and CEO DuJuan McCoy said. \u201cCollege basketball is woven into the fabric of our local communities, and these games are exactly the kind of hometown sports moments we\u2019re committed to delivering, on-air and online, for fans across Indiana.\u201d  The games will also air live on WISH-TV affiliates in Louisville, Fort Wayne, Chicago and Nashville. DIRECTV, AT&amp;T U-verse and DIRECTV Stream customers are encouraged to\u00a0Make the Switch\u00a0to Comcast\/Xfinity or Charter\/Spectrum to receive the games through a home television provider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Taylor Trojans Women&#8217;s Volleyball Sweep Crossroads League Player-of-the-Week Awards After Impressive Showing in Oregon<\/strong>                                                                   RV Taylor (10-3, 1-0 CL) had a trio of athletes take home Crossroads League Player-of-the-Week honors after an outstanding 4-1 week, which included wins over No. 5 Corban and No. 19 Bushnell on the road.  The honor was the first for Reagan Kleiman and Mackenzie Gerig, while Margo Hernandez took home her second consecutive award.  Kleiman was named the CL Attacker-of-the-Week after leading the offense to four victories. The senior swatted 64 kills for 3.6 kills per set and had a season-high 18 in the upset of No. 19 Bushnell. Kleiman was efficient, hitting .338 overall and .500 or better in two matches. Kleiman added nine blocks in a stellar week for the right-side hitter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gerig took home CL Defender-of-the-Week honors after racking up 49 digs as the Trojan libero. The Rochester, NY native has taken the libero role and excelled in her second season with TU, illustrated by an impressive 207 digs already this season, the third best mark in the NAIA. Gerig was especially effective against No. 5 Corban tallying a career-best 23 digs in a sweep of the Warriors. The back row leader also excelled at the service line with six aces. Hernandez orchestrated the offense and dished out 204 assists to earn CL Setter-of-the-Week honors for the second consecutive week. The Fishers, Indiana native crossed 1,000 career assists at Taylor throughout the week and also put up a career-best 53 in and upset of No. 19 Bushnell. An 11.33 assists per set number buoyed her season average to 9.43, which is 14th in the NAIA. The setter added 21 kills, 35 digs, nine aces and five blocks as she continues to contribute across the board for the Trojans.  Taylor athletes have already collected six CL Player of the Week awards, with volleyball carding five during the 2026-2027 year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Indianapolis Colts General Manager Chris Ballard says Keenan Allen will play in Week 1<\/strong> \u00a0                                                                                                    Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Keenan Allen was arrested Sunday morning on preliminary charges of driving while intoxicated.  Allen practiced with the team on Tuesday.  Colts general manager Chris Ballard addressed the situation.  \u201cI\u2019m not going to comment on what happened, but what I\u2019m going to tell you is good people make mistakes,\u201d Ballard said. \u201cHe\u2019s a tremendous human being. Give him some grace, and he\u2019ll work through the process of the legal system.\u201d  Ballard said that Allen will play Week 1. \u201cI think over time, he will prove to y\u2019all in this city of who he is, and I think he\u2019ll do that in a short amount of time,\u201d Ballard said.  \u201c14 years in the league and no issues,\u201d Ballard added. \u201cDecorated career, decorated teammates. As you know our relationship with Philip Rivers, I know Philip holds him in extremely high regard\u2026 After you meet his mom and dad who are just amazing people, we feel good about who he is, unequivocally feel good about who Keenan Allen is.\u201d  The Colts signed Allen on August 19. Allen has played 13 seasons in the NFL and has over 1,000 career receptions and over 12,000 career yards. He had 81 catches for 777 yards and four touchdowns last year.  The Colts will play the Baltimore Ravens in Week 1 on September 13. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Lucas Oil Stadium<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Indiana University Announces Series of New Experiences, Stadium Enhancements for the 2026 Hoosier Football Season As Coach Curt Cignetti\u2019s IU Football team prepares for Saturday\u2019s season-opener against North Texas, IU Athletics is excited to announce a series of new fan experiences and gameday enhancements at Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium in advance of the &hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"> <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/bloomingtonnews.online\/?p=13130\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Local Sports News: September 5, 2026<\/span> Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13130","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Local Sports News: September 5, 2026 - Bloomington News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/bloomingtonnews.online\/?p=13130\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Local Sports News: September 5, 2026 - Bloomington News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Indiana University Announces Series of New Experiences, Stadium Enhancements for the 2026 Hoosier Football Season As Coach Curt Cignetti\u2019s IU Football team prepares for Saturday\u2019s season-opener against North Texas, IU Athletics is excited to announce a series of new fan experiences and gameday enhancements at Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium in advance of the &hellip; 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