The defending national champions return home Saturday looking to continue their strong start to the 2026 season when No. 5 Indiana hosts Howard at Memorial Stadium.
Indiana enters the matchup 1-0 after opening the season with a 52-16 victory over North Texas. Howard comes into the game 1-1 and will face one of the biggest challenges on its schedule.
Hoosiers Look to Keep Rolling
Indiana’s offense was impressive in its season opener, scoring 52 points and producing enough explosive plays to pull away from North Texas.
Quarterback Josh Hoover will once again be at the center of the offense. The Hoosiers also have plenty of depth in the backfield, with Turbo Richard rushing for 58 yards and two touchdowns in the opener.
Indiana’s defense, however, will be looking to clean up some mistakes. The Hoosiers allowed 16 points to North Texas, and head coach Curt Cignetti will want his team to be sharper before Big Ten play arrives.
Injury Adds Another Storyline
Indiana will be without running back Khobie Martin for a significant portion of the season.
Martin suffered an arm injury and is expected to return around midseason. He was an important contributor during Indiana’s undefeated national championship campaign in 2025, rushing for 505 yards and six touchdowns.
With Martin unavailable, Richard and Lee Beebe Jr. will continue to receive opportunities in the Hoosiers’ backfield.
Howard Faces A Huge Challenge
Howard enters Bloomington hoping to pull off one of the biggest upsets of the weekend.
The Bison will have to find a way to slow down an Indiana offense that already scored 52 points in its opener. Meanwhile, Howard’s offense needs to avoid turnovers and sustain drives if it hopes to keep the game competitive.
Indiana has a major talent advantage, but Howard will have the opportunity to play spoiler against the defending national champions.
Can Indiana Make Another Statement?
This is the type of game Indiana should control from the opening kickoff.
The Hoosiers are ranked No. 5 nationally and have championship expectations once again. After an impressive offensive performance in Week 1, this game gives them an opportunity to improve defensively while giving younger players valuable experience.
Indiana should have too much firepower for Howard, and the Hoosiers are expected to pull away early.
The defending champions are back home and another dominant performance could send an early warning to the rest of the Big Ten.
