It was a day layered with meaning for Indiana football. The Hoosiers celebrated their Salute to Service game, honored a senior class that helped reshape the program, and capped it all with a dominant 31–7 win over Wisconsin. The victory pushed Indiana to 11–0 for the first time in school history, adding even more weight to an already emotional afternoon.
For the seniors, it felt like the perfect sendoff. And while many of them delivered strong performances, one who stood out on the defensive side was senior D-lineman Stephen Daley. He soaked in every moment, especially the energy from a home crowd that has traveled and supported the team all season.
“It feels amazing, especially for our crowd,” Daley said after the win. “They’ve been amazing all year long. They travel well wherever we go. I know they traveled to Oregon, they traveled to Penn State, so I was just really happy to finish the season out undefeated at home for the fans.”
Several Indiana defenders made their presence felt, but Daley made the biggest impact against the Badgers. He finished with four tackles, three of them for loss, and forced a fumble that set up a Hoosier touchdown on the very next play. His rise has been one of the most important developments for Indiana’s defense this season.
Daley transferred to Indiana in late April from Kent State, the same program that produced former Hoosier standout and 2025 fourth-round draft pick CJ West. He did not enter the season as a starter. Learning a new defensive system took time, and his early role was limited. Everything changed when standout lineman Kellan Wyatt suffered a season-ending injury against Michigan State. Daley stepped into a bigger role and quickly proved he was ready for it. Over the past several weeks he has become one of Indiana’s most reliable playmakers up front.
“[I’m] really just trusting myself more in the plays I can make and know I can make,” Daley said. “[It’s] also just getting to know the playbook more, just knowing my responsibility and what my job is in the defense. [There’s] times where I just have to do grunt work, take on a double team and all of that, and there’s also times where I get a one-on-one situation, I (have) to just go in and just believe in the playbook and myself a bit more.”
So far this season, Daley has recorded 29 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and a forced fumble. Even though he still sees some areas he wants to improve, his impact on Indiana’s defense has been undeniable, especially down the stretch.
Daley wasn’t the only senior who helped drive Indiana’s historic day. Veteran defensive back Devan Boykin came up with a crucial interception that added to the Hoosiers’ momentum and set up more points off turnovers. Indiana scored 14 points off takeaways on Saturday, bringing their total to 48 over the last three games and 96 on the season. Senior linebacker Aiden Fisher also closed out his home career in style, leading the team with seven tackles. After the game, Fisher reflected on what Bloomington has meant to him and the other seniors.
“It’s just been great being here,” Fisher said. “I really love this place. I have never really been a place over people type of person, but this place is special, and I think it is the people that make it… Just knowing it is probably my last home game here, I am just extremely grateful for everybody at Indiana and how special it has been so far.”
The seniors, whether they arrived as transfers or spent their whole careers in Bloomington, have been at the core of Indiana’s transformation. They helped rebuild the program into what it is today, and seeing them take the field in what was likely their final home game added a bittersweet layer to an otherwise joyful afternoon. But their story isn’t finished. With one regular season game left and a strong chance at both a Big Ten title appearance and a College Football Playoff berth, Indiana still has everything to play for.
The Hoosiers will now take a well-deserved week off as they prepare for their Week 14 matchup against Purdue on Friday, Nov. 28 at 7:30 p.m. in West Lafayette. Indiana’s last win at Purdue came in 2019 in a 44–41 double-overtime thriller. Last season, the Hoosiers shut out the Boilermakers 66–0, and they will do everything they can to bring the Old Oaken Bucket back to Bloomington once again.