2026 IUFB: CHAPTER 3

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

New trophy case.  

[68Hoosier]

21 minutes ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

New trophy case.  

Nice!

[DChoosier]

1 hour ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

New trophy case.  

I like seeing the empty space in the far right portion of the case. Let’s fill that puppy up.

[Iufan71]

Will the area that is in be open to public on game days?

 

[Hovadipo]

24 minutes ago, Iufan71 said:

Will the area that is in be open to public on game days?

 

Pretty sure that is in the NEZ in the lobby of the football and athletic dept. offices, so unfortunately not. 

[Loaded Chicken Sandwich]

My college football playoff prediction. 

[TTT]

In July last year I predicted IU at 12-0…and didn’t think into playoffs.

August 11, 2026 I predict IU to be 12-0 again.  (many think Hoover will not live up to Mendoza and they are 100 percent correct). 
The difference is IU is going to have a massive punishing running game.  And Hoover and receivers are going to complement that run game on an extremely high level.  And then the defense….some of Saban Alabama teams comparisons.

Conclusion:  Last year run game and pass game and defense elite level and 2026 pass game and run game and defense elite level. 

[str8baller]

2 hours ago, Loaded Chicken Sandwich said:

My college football playoff prediction. 

That’d be pretty close to mine. I think IU, Oregon and OSU will be 3 of the 5 best teams. Probably add in ND and Georgia to that, then everybody else. 
 

With their QB returning I can see Oregon being a slight favorite out of those 3. Also, their fans seem cool and they haven’t won before, so if a non-IU team were to win I’d probably be happiest for them.  
 

I honestly think their biggest hurdle might be avoiding Indiana in the playoffs. Last years butt kicking has to be in the back of their mind. 

[Stuhoo]

IU beat Oregon last year ... twice, when Oregon was just as talented as they will be this year.

Now Oregon lost both of their coordinators. Three other offensive staff members left with Stein to go to Kentucky.

Oregon has tons of talent? Coaching is a integral factor when players look ultra-talented. Other teams are extremely talented and don't have to deal with new people scattered all over their coaching staff.

And I don't want to hear about "payback" for last year. The time for payback for Oregon against IU was in the Peach Bowl. That was their pre-game locker room hype, and lasted only until superior coaching and preparation guided DeAngelo Ponds to jump the route on the game's first play. AFter that, Oregon wasn't thinking about payback, they were thinking "uh-oh, here we go again."

I'll take the team that had enough talent last year, has just as much talent this year, and returns its entire coaching staff.

[AZ Hoosier]

56 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

IU beat Oregon last year ... twice, when Oregon was just as talented as they will be this year.

Now Oregon lost both of their coordinators. Three other offensive staff members left with Stein to go to Kentucky.

Oregon has tons of talent? Coaching is a integra. l factor when players look ultra-talented. Other teams are extremely talented and don't have to deal with new people scattered all over their coaching staff.

And I don't want to hear about "payback" for last year. The time for payback for Oregon against IU was in the Peach Bowl. That was their pre-game locker room hype, and lasted only until superior coaching and preparation guided DeAngelo Ponds to jump the route on the game's first play. AFter that, Oregon wasn't thinking about payback, they were thinking "uh-oh, here we go again."

I'll take the team that clearly had enough talent last year and returns its entire coaching staff.

Don't forget the spin that Ponds was tipped off by spying... Oregon couldn't compete with us twice last season, and ultimately cried that we cheated...

We won't have to worry about them this year.. we don't play them on the schedule, and they'll never succeed enough to face us in the playoffs.

So, yo, Ducks - go pound sand.

[BGVille Hoosierfan]

1 hour ago, Stuhoo said:

IU beat Oregon last year ... twice, when Oregon was just as talented as they will be this year.

Now Oregon lost both of their coordinators. Three other offensive staff members left with Stein to go to Kentucky.

Oregon has tons of talent? Coaching is a integral factor when players look ultra-talented. Other teams are extremely talented and don't have to deal with new people scattered all over their coaching staff.

And I don't want to hear about "payback" for last year. The time for payback for Oregon against IU was in the Peach Bowl. That was their pre-game locker room hype, and lasted only until superior coaching and preparation guided DeAngelo Ponds to jump the route on the game's first play. AFter that, Oregon wasn't thinking about payback, they were thinking "uh-oh, here we go again."

I'll take the team that had enough talent last year, has just as much talent this year, and returns its entire coaching staff.

I've been telling everyone the same thing Stu! So many people downplaying the loss of their staff.  They will be still be good/great but the hype they are getting is unreal. Seems like 90% of media has already anointed them as National Champions. I think this is a 3 team race this year with IU, Notre Dame, and Ohio State.  However, I am still a little hesitant on OSU simply because they lost such massive key defensive pieces in Downs, Styles, and Curry and 12 starters in total. Time will tell, but I don't see how people continue to doubt Cignetti, with the best rosters he's ever had in his career.  I can't wait to shut people up again!

[str8baller]

9 minutes ago, BGVille Hoosierfan said:

I've been telling everyone the same thing Stu! So many people downplaying the loss of their staff.  They will be still be good/great but the hype they are getting is unreal. Seems like 90% of media has already anointed them as National Champions. I think this is a 3 team race this year with IU, Notre Dame, and Ohio State.  However, I am still a little hesitant on OSU simply because they lost such massive key defensive pieces in Downs, Styles, and Curry and 12 starters in total. Time will tell, but I don't see how people continue to doubt Cignetti, with the best rosters he's ever had in his career.  I can't wait to shut people up again!

OSU and Oregon both reloaded with a bunch of talent, too. From the outside looking in they are on their message boards saying the same about IU: Lost their Heisman QB, WR1 and WR2, plus an NFL DB and LB defensive capt.  

Bottom line: if you return your QB1 Heisman candidate like Oregon and OSU plus maybe the most talented player in the country in at WR, people are going to be high on you.  
 

The coordinators thing is important but it’s more important who you get to replace them. You’re high on ND but they still have a huge question mark at D coordinator. Otoh, OSU brought in Chip Kelly as OC in ‘24 and won it all. Those things are really hard to predict. 

[Pagoda]

I get our “unknowns” and think those are mostly fair.  I think our “unknowns” get a little more scrutiny than other teams’ “unknowns.”

But whatever.  I think our starting point is fine.  We’ll find out when the games are played.  Plus it gives us a little bit of something to prove again.

[JSHoosier]

https://www.thedailyhoosier.com/iu-volleyball-coach-shares-hilarious-story-of-first-time-he-met-curt-cignetti/

Steve Aird talks about the first time he met Cignetti.

[Brass Cannon]

54 minutes ago, Pagoda said:

I get our “unknowns” and think those are mostly fair.  I think our “unknowns” get a little more scrutiny than other teams’ “unknowns.”

But whatever.  I think our starting point is fine.  We’ll find out when the games are played.  Plus it gives us a little bit of something to prove again.

My one issue is if Notre Dame doesn’t win because they don’t play a single game of merit we will get the shaft. That said I hope Wisconsin kicks the **** out of the crying Irish. Hell I hope Purdue beats them then goes 0-9 in conference 

[Stuhoo]

1 hour ago, Brass Cannon said:

My one issue is if Notre Dame doesn’t win because they don’t play a single game of merit we will get the shaft. That said I hope Wisconsin kicks the **** out of the crying Irish. Hell I hope Purdue beats them then goes 0-9 in conference 

QB Colton Joseph and the Wisconsin defense are no joke. Stranger things than Wisconsin beating ND have happened.

[Brass Cannon]

47 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

QB Colton Joseph and the Wisconsin defense are no joke. Stranger things than Wisconsin beating ND have happened.

Agreed. And Notre Dame won’t have any film so could pose some real problems 

[Home Jersey]

SIAP, just saw a clip where Cig said he thinks Daley will be ready for some 11 on 11 reps next week with Wyatt a little bit behind him. Not rushing either.

[skhoosier2]

12 hours ago, Brass Cannon said:

Agreed. And Notre Dame won’t have any film so could pose some real problems 

They play them at ND though and I think that will end up being a big factor.  I know everyone is so high on them.  They play nobody essentially just like every year.  They do have a very talented roster and to me Carr is a better qb than Sayin is but his receivers are suspect and unsure if their running game will be as good with the loss of Love and Price.  I do think coaching matters and since ND lost Al Golden their defense has been pretty meh.  Aside from Carr I am unsure who they have on offense that is a game changer like Love and Price were.  I think Freeman has grown alot as a coach but he's not Cig or Smart or even Ryan Day who I think is overrated and is bailed out by his talent and coordinators.  They may go undefeated but I think their dry spell on nattys continue due to running into better teams in the playoffs.  Their easy schedule does them no favors IMO.

[LIHoosier]

The Wisky/Notre Lame game is at Lambeau