“Have Plenty of Talent”: The Athletic Ranks the Indiana Hoosiers as the Number 1 Team in College Football as the 2026 College Football Season Approaches
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
The Indiana Hoosiers have proven to be a football power over the last two seasons. In Curt Cignetti’s first season as head coach, they had an 11-2 record. The two teams they lost to were the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. They both met each other in the national title game that season. As for last season, Indiana finished with a 16-0 record and won the national title over the Miami Hurricanes.
There are a lot of ways that the Hoosiers could approach the upcoming 2026 college football season. For the last two seasons Kurtis Rourke and Fernando Mendoza have been the starting quarterbacks. Mendoza was the number one overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders. Josh Hoover will be Indiana’s starting quarterback this season and he played for the TCU Horned Frogs a season ago. Despite the Hoosiers losing some players to the NFL Draft, will they be good again in 2026?
The Athletic Ranks the Indiana Hoosiers as the Number 1 Team in College Football as the 2026 Season Approaches
Sam Khan Jr. and Austin Mock of the Athletic created its latest Top 25 rankings. They have Indiana as the number one team in the nation as the 2026 college football season approaches. Khan and Mock said about the Hoosiers football program,
“The reigning champs still have plenty of talent thanks to a handful of key returnees and the No. 2 transfer portal class. No returning FBS QB has thrown for more yards in the past three seasons than Josh Hoover when he was at TCU. Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh should form a productive receiving duo, and the return of All-America tackle Carter Smith to anchor an experienced front is huge. So is having a veteran defensive front, led by Tyrique Tucker and transfer Tobi Osunsanmi.”
Charlie Becker is projected to be the top wide receiver for Indiana this season and could be Hoover’s top target. Becker could very well be a first-round selection in the 2027 NFL Draft. Indiana’s toughest games next season will be against Ohio State and also against the Michigan Wolverines also.
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 “Have Plenty of Talent”: The Athletic Ranks the Indiana Hoosiers as the Number 1 Team in College Football as the 2026 College Football Season Approaches appeared first on Gridiron Heroics.
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos