“Next In Line”: Indiana Hoosiers QB Josh Hoover Ranks as the Number 1 Newcomer Entering the 2026 College Football Season
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
The Indiana Hoosiers had a historic 2025-2026 college football season with a 16-0 record. Indiana won the national title for the first time in school history, and they took down the Miami Hurricanes. Head coach Curt Cignetti has turned that program into an absolute power here. In 2026, he will be entering his third season with the football program.
In his first season, Kurtis Rourke was the starting quarterback. In his second season, Fernando Mendoza was the starting quarterback. Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy and also was the number one overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders. Well, Indiana is going to have a different starting quarterback for the third straight season. Josh Hoover comes over from the TCU Horned Frogs to be the next starting quarterback for the Hoosiers football program.
Indiana Hoosiers QB Josh Hoover Ranks as the Number 1 Newcomer Entering the 2026 College Football Season
Billy Tucker of espn.com ranked the Top 100 newcomers for the 2026 college football season. He thinks that Hoover is the best transfer player entering the 2026 college football season. Tucker said,
“With Fernando Mendoza off to the NFL and backup Alberto Mendoza having transferred to Georgia Tech, the Hoosiers needed another experienced passer capable of sustaining College Football Playoff expectations in Bloomington. Indiana has become one of the portal’s premier destinations for quarterbacks, and Hoover, who transferred from TCU, is next in line after Kurtis Rourke and national champion and Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza.”
Hoover will need to live up to expectations this season for Indiana. Tucker also said,
“Hoover gives Curt Cignetti extensive experience, skill and production after throwing for 9,629 yards and 71 touchdowns at TCU. He is a confident gunslinger who thrives pushing the ball vertically and operating within RPO concepts. His swagger and aggressiveness should unlock explosive plays through the air, albeit with some volatility. Hoover has 42 career turnovers and only one season without double-digit interceptions.”
The 2026 college football season will be his last college season most likely with Indiana. Hoover will be entering his senior season. He has not been talked about as a potential prospect for the 2027 NFL Draft, but can Hoover have a big season for the Hoosiers and climb up draft boards like Mendoza did a season ago? Quarterback play is pivotal in Cignetti’s offense. They are going to be the hunted this season, but the Hoosiers and Hoover should be able to score a bunch of points for Indiana in the 2026 college football season.
For More Great Football Content
Follow me on Twitter at @glennkaplan13 more great content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in college and professional football, click here!
The post “Next In Line”: Indiana Hoosiers QB Josh Hoover Ranks as the Number 1 Newcomer Entering the 2026 College Football Season appeared first on Gridiron Heroics.
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos