By Nick Jenkinson-SCINN Sports Director <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Indiana Hoosiers wrap up the 2026 Non-Conference Schedule Saturday Afternoon when the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers come to Bloomington for 4 PM kickoff on Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium with the game Televised on NBC Sports Network and streaming on Peacock.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Indiana started the season ranked Sixth and Through the first two weeks they have climbed up to number four in the polls with a 52-16 win over North Texas which put them fifth and then a 55-0 win over Howard which now makes them fourth in the poll this week. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Indiana has been ranked in the Associated Press Poll Top Ten for the 14th consecutive week which is a program record and 22nd time under Curt Cignetti. Prior to that the Hoosiers have only been ranked in the AP Top Ten 21 Times in program history. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Curt Cignetti is 29-2 overall and 17-1 in the Big Ten. Cignetti’s 27 wins in the first two years is the most by any FBS Head Coach at School. With win on Saturday Cignetti would become the eighth Head Coach in Indian Hoosier Football History to win 30 games in his career. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There have been 30 Head Coaches in program history and Cignetti has jumped up the wins list in a short amount of time and with the success he has had in a short amount of time in Bloomington will continue to climb that ladder quickly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cignetti trails John Pont-31 Wins, James Horne and Tom Allen who both have 33 Wins, James Sheldon 35 Wins , Lee Corso 41 Wins Bo McMillin 63 wins and Bill Mallory 69 wins on the all-time wins list. None of them have won as many games in a short amount of time as Cignetti or Big Ten or National Championships. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bo McMillin led the Hoosiers to the 1945 Big Ten Conference Title with 9-0-1 Record and the only other season in Hoosier Football History that Indiana did not lose a game. John Pont took the Hoosiers to the 1967 Rose Bowl after splitting the Big Ten Conference Championship with Minnesota and Purdue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Lee Corso became the first Hoosier Head Coach to win a Bowl Game in 1979 when Indiana beat BYU 38-37 on the Holiday Bowl. Bill Mallory beat South Carolina in the 1988 Liberty Bowl 34-10 and Baylor in the Copper Bowl 24-0.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Curt Cignetti has taken the Hoosiers to new heights after an 11-2 record in 2024 and College Football Playoff Appearance. He set the bar in 2025 going 16-0 for the schools first National Championship but a Big Ten Championship along with 2 Bowl Wins and CFP National Championship Game win along with the schools first Heisman Trophy winner in Fernando Mendoza in 2025 and he became just the second Number 1 Pick in the NFL Draft from Indiana and the first since Corbett Davis in 1938. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Saturday’s 55-0 win over Howard is the 13th time that the Hoosiers have scored 50 or more points in a game since Cignetti arrived in the Bloomington the Hoosiers did it four times in 2024 and 7 a season ago and twice this year. Indiana led 41-0 at halftime and that was the sixth time in program history that the Hoosiers have scored 40 or more points in a half, and they have all come in the first halves of games. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Indiana Safety Preston Zachman spoke with the Media Tuesday Night and said he takes a lot of pride as defensive player shutting down the opposing offense. “Yeah, I mean, we take a lot of pride in that, giving up no points every single week. We feel strongly about our team, and our defense, and it feels pretty good to be able to do that at the end.” Zachman also talk about the improvement from the win over North Texas to a shutout win over Howard. I think it was just more of our attention to the detail, just being intentional with our tackling, communication, everything like that. All the little details, we weren’t very clean the first week. We were a little sloppy. I think we made good improvement, and we had to continue to do that.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Indiana has produced the most 50 point plus wins of Any FBS team since 2024 with seven and the next closest team is Tennessee with four followed by Alabama, Ohio State, Texas and UCF with 3 each. The Hoosiers have outscored their first two opponents 107-16 and posted their third shutout in the Curt Cignetti Era and all at home. The Hoosiers are 17-0 at home under Curt Cignetti and have the longest current winning streak in the FBS at 18 games. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
After the Hoosiers allowed 367 yards of total offense to North Texas the defense showed out limiting Howard to 57 yards and 12 tackles for loss. The 57 yards are the fewest allowed by the Hoosiers defense since 1950 and the 7th time that the Hoosiers allowed fewer than 100 yards in a game and the third time in the Cignetti Era. The 12 tackles for loss on Saturday is the Eight Time since 2024 the Hoosiers have had double digit tackles for loss in a game. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Hoosiers gave up 152 yards rushing to North Texas and against Howard the Bison could only gain 13 yards making the 10th time since 1958 Indiana has allowed 15 yards or less of rushing in a game. This was the fewest in a game since last year when Illinois only had 2 yards and fifth time under Curt Cignetti. Indiana held Howard to 44 yards passing which is the fewest allowed since 2023 when they held Rutgers to 39 Yards. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Rolijah Hardy had a pick six against Howard the Hoosier defense has forced at least one turnover in 11 straight games dating back to 2025 and the 27th time in 31 games under defensive coordinator Bryant Haines. Coming into Saturday’s game the Hoosiers have 6 sacks 2 interceptions a pick six and a forced fumble. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Curt Cignetti who was not pleased with the defense in week 1 told the Media Monday during his weekly press conference that the made great strides this week. “They got us on a naked bootleg and a RPO earlier in the game. But then once the game became a box game, we stuffed the run, harassed the quarterback. Had 12 tackles for loss and five sacks. Deflected a pass, ran back for a touchdown. I think the defense in general, the D-Line, the linebacker, and the Defensive Backs all took a major step forward.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Josh Hoover has thrown 8 touchdown passes in his first two games and four apiece against North Texas and Howard. The eight touchdown passes through the first two games tie him with Nate Sudfeld who did it 2013 against Indiana State and Navy. Hoover became the sixth quarterback and the Ninth Time in Program History with eight plus touchdowns in a two game span. Hoover is 19-27 for 376 yards 8 Touchdowns, No interceptions. And has been sacked twice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00a0 Indiana’s Rushing attack has been dangerous with Lee Bebee Jr. and Turbo Richard going for 117 and 108 yards respectively and became the Hoosiers first 100-yard rushing duo in the same game when Morgan Ellison had 149 yard and Cole Gest had 104 yards in a win over Rutgers in 2017.\u00a0The pair is becoming one of the best 1-2 punches in college football in terms of running back combinations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Both Bebee Jr. and Richard spoke with the media Tuesday night and talked about how they complement each other. “Turbo is great. As far as the one, two punches go, we do a great job of feeding off each other’s energy. Turbo is fast, explosive, and elusive. I’m more of a physical guy, which makes us complement each other well” Lee Beebe Jr said. I feel like we kind of match each other pretty well. We’re both able to go in and bring production to the offense. We keep each other fresh. “I feel like we kind of match each other pretty well. We’re both able to go in and bring production to the offense. We keep each other fresh” Turbo Richard added. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Bebee Jr missed most of last season with an injury and said he feels great and is ready to go every game. Richard transferred from Boston College to IU and was asked about his transition and from Chestnut Hill to Bloomington and playing in ACC to now being in the Big Ten. “I feel like it’s been pretty good; I’ve always had that winner’s mentality. Just coming here plays a big part in my success. The only difference is, the Big Ten is a little faster paced than the ACC, which isn’t a bad thing. It’s just more competition.” <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Indiana Wide Receiver Charlie Becker had his first three receiving touchdown game with 3 just three catches in the first half. Becker became the first IU Player with multiple-touchdown catches in consecutive games since Ty Fryfogle in 2020 when he had 2 at Michigan State and 3 against Ohio State. Becker is the first Hoosier since Omar Cooper Jr. to record a three plus touchdown game since Omar Cooper Jr. had four against Indiana State on September 12, 2025. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It’s been a rough start for Western Kentucky which will end it’s three game road trip to begin this season after a 49-14 loss at Nevada two weeks ago and 70-20 loss to #2 Georgia last week. The Hilltoppers have 1 passing touchdown and have 4 rushing touchdowns on the season. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Quarterbacks Rodney Tisdale Jr and Brock Glenn are a combined 42-77 for 318 yards passing with 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions and along with 5 sacks. Glenn has 2 rushing touchdowns for 70 yards that were both scored against Georgia. Ajay Allen has 32 carries for 121 yards and 2 touchdowns. Allen had 102 and 2 touchdowns against Nevada with 21 carries. Allen was held to 19 yards on 11 carries against Georgia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tight End Colton Arends has the only receiving touchdown of the season for the Hilltoppers when he found the end zone against Georgia from Brock Glenn. Cameron Flowers is the leading receiver with 8 catches for 74 yards. Jaylen Lewis leads the defense with 13 tackles and Justin Brown has an interception. The Hilltoppers have no sacks and 4 forced fumbles on the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00a0 \u00a0Head Coach Tyson Helton is 57-38 overall in 8 seasons at Western Kentucky with a 5-2 record in Bowl Games. The 49-Year-Old who was born in Gainesville, Florida played Quarterback at the University of Houston from 1996-99 and has been Assistant Coach at Hawaii, Memphis, UAB, Cincinnati, Western Kentucky, USC and Tennessee from 2001-18. Western Kentucky won the Conference USA East Division Championship in 2021 and was named Conference USA Coach of the Year in 2019.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The last three meetings between Indiana and Western Kentucky were decided by a combined eight points, including a 33-30 overtime game the last time the two played on Sept. 17, 2022, in Bloomington. Tyson Helton was the head coach of WKU for that overtime game in 2022, along with with a 33-31 loss to the Hoosiers in Bowling Green in 2021. He has witnessed from afar the transformation of IU football, and the significantly greater challenge the Hoosiers pose this Saturday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTheir head football coach (Curt Cignetti) is one of the best in the business. He is really a guy who knows what he wants, knows the blueprint to winning, and knows the personnel he needs to win,\u201d Helton said this week. \u201cHis coordinators have been with him for a while, and they do a fantastic job. \u201cThey get their players to play at a high level. They don\u2019t make mistakes or mental errors; instead, they take advantage of situations and play really good situational football. They are always in the right places doing the right thing, which goes back to coaching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOn top of that, Indiana has done a great job of investing in their program. In today\u2019s world where everybody wants to spend a ton of money, they have invested, but they are not necessarily throwing $50 million at it. Still, they are up there. I have tremendous respect from the top down for how they approach this, how much they want to invest, and who they want to invest in. \u201cThey are doing everything right, and it is glaring. It shows top to bottom, from the president and the alumni base to the head football coach, his staff, and the players. Everything fits, everybody is in line, and everybody is pulling in the same direction. That is why you see the tremendous success they have had. They are a great example of doing it the right way. It will be fun and great to go up there and get to play the best of the best. We have gone up there before and had some competitive games, and hopefully, we will have another competitive game.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As is often the case in the transfer portal era, Saturday\u2019s opponent will include a former Hoosier on the roster. Venson Sneed should be on the field plenty as a defensive end.\u00a0 Wearing No. 55, Sneed has played 48 snaps through the first two games for the Hilltoppers. Sneed was on the IU team when the Hoosiers played WKU in 2022, and he was a regular in the defensive line rotation for Indiana in 2023, appearing in all 12 games.\u00a0 But he saw limited action in 2024 and hit the transfer portal following the season. So far Sneed has three tackles, and a quarterback pressure this season.\u00a0 He finished 2025 with 16 total tackles for WKU, including 0.5 for loss. He also had two pass breakups and one quarterback hurry. He recorded multiple tackles in three games, with a season-best four at Missouri State.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This will be the sixth meeting between Indiana and Western Kentucky with the Hoosiers winning the previous five. Indiana won the Last Meeting in 2022 in Bloomington 33-30 in overtime. This will be the fourth trip to Bloomington for the Hilltoppers. The Hoosiers won 31-13 in 2008 and 38-35 in 2015. Indiana has traveled to Bowling Green, Kentucky twice which is the home of Western Kentucky University and won 38-21 in 2010 and 33-31 in 2021.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u00a0 Indiana is a 44 and half point favorite on Saturday while these two teams played close games in the past this will likely be the biggest margin of victory in this series. Head Coach Curt Cignetti told the Media on Monday that the Hilltoppers have struggled the first two games, and he wants to keep them on the struggle bus on Saturday.\u00a0 “The goal is to continue to make ’em\u00a0 struggle defensively. Have given up some points, 280 yards rushing a game.”\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
By Nick Jenkinson-SCINN Sports Director The Indiana Hoosiers wrap up the 2026 Non-Conference Schedule Saturday Afternoon when the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers come to Bloomington for 4 PM kickoff on Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium with the game Televised on NBC Sports Network and streaming on Peacock.\u00a0 Indiana started the season ranked Sixth …<\/p>\n