The 2026 Indiana football season is still a few months away, but it is never to early to go through the schedule and circle the Hoosiers’ most important games. In the 12-team Era of the College Football Playoff each game has a different level of importance. Let’s rank them from least important to most important.
Editor’s Note: In our ranking, we take all the stakes attached to the game into consideration and not just playoff implications. Fans only get 12 guaranteed games, so they’re all important.
12. Saturday, Sept. 12 vs. Howard Bison
Indiana will once again play an FCS foe in 2026, facing the Howard Bison for the first time in school history on the gridiron. Under head coach Curt Cignetti, Indiana has outscored FCS foes 150-3 in two games. While this game will not gain the Hoosiers any favor with the selection committee, it could harm a resume if it’s not a blowout.
11. Saturday, Sept. 19 vs. Western Kentucky Hilltoppers
The Hoosiers and Hilltoppers have played some close games since 2015, and this series has become a quasi-regular non-conference game. The last game in this matchup went to overtime in 2022. The Hilltoppers are always one of the stronger teams in Conference USA and are coming off a nine-win campaign in 2025. The CFP implications are minimal, however.
10. Saturday, Sept. 5 vs. North Texas Mean Green
This may be low for the season opener, but it’s hard to say this game carries more water than a Big Ten game. The Hoosiers have not set the world on fire in their season openers under Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers actually fell in the AP Poll after last year’s 27-14 win over Old Dominion. The Hoosiers should enter the season as a top 10 team at worst, and setting the tone early will help them roll over the momentum from 2025.
This is Indiana’s third matchup with the Mean Green (1-1). UNT is coming off a 12-2 season, but saw their coach and most of the production from that team head to Oklahoma State.
9. Saturday, October 3 at Rutgers Scarlet Knights
The first road trip for the Hoosiers is to New Jeresy where there should be a giant contingent of Indiana fans. Traveling to Rutgers is not like going to Ohio State, Michigan or Oregon, but will be against an always physical Scarlet Knight team. It is also the first of back-to-back road games and a start to the stretch that features games at Nebraska, Ohio State at home and at Michigan.
8. Friday, Sept. 25 vs. Northwestern Wildcats
The Hoosiers’ Big Ten opener comes under the lights on a Friday (wait for boos) against a retooled Northwestern squad. The Wildcats are coming off a 7-6 season where they won another bowl game. They bring in former Michigan State quarterback Aiden Chiles as well. The Hoosiers should enter this one 3-0 and highly ranked. Indiana needs a fast start to Big Ten play as the middle of their schedule has plenty of challenges.
7. Saturday, Oct. 31 Minnesota Golden Gophers (Homecoming)
Many have circled this game as a potential trap for the Hoosiers. It comes at the end of a run of nine-straight games and back-to-back games with Ohio State and Michigan. It’s also a homecoming matchup, meaning there will be many alumni in town to see a Hoosier win. Indiana could have a blemish on their record as well by the time the Gophers roll into town. Heading into a much-needed bye week with a win is very important.
6. Saturday, Oct. 10 at Nebraska Cornhuskers
The trip to Lincoln will be a great gauge to see where the Hoosiers are heading into the meat of their schedule. Nebraska will be itching for payback from the 56-7 beatdown IU put on them in 2024. Memorial Stadium holds nearly 90,000 fans and is a great environment to play in. The Hoosiers cannot get caught looking ahead to Ohio State the next week either. This game is a tone setter for the rest of the 2025 season.
5. Saturday, Nov. 21 at Washington Huskies
The Hoosiers’ final road trip of the season is their longest as they travel to the Pacific Northwest to take on a dangerous Washington team. The Huskies could very well be ranked, making an already tough place to play even tougher. This game is an underrated resume booster as well, and possibly the last “quality” game for the Hoosiers of the regular season. The stakes get higher if Indiana has trouble with the middle of their schedule as well.
4. Saturday, Nov. 28 vs. Purdue Boilermakers
The Bucket Game is always a big deal, but it falls to fourth on this list because Purdue has just three wins over the last two years. Purude would love nothing more to play Spoilermaker to Indiana and keep them out of the College Football Playoff. Indiana has the chance to create more separation in the rivalry with another blowout win. Big Ten title implications can also come into play as the end of the regular season gets closer.
3. Saturday, Oct. 24 at Michigan Wolverines
Indiana fans know the history here and it’s not good. The Hoosiers have not won at The Big House since 1967. Michigan is a mystery heading into the season with new head coach Kyle Wittingham and their success will depend on the development of sophomore quarterback Bryce Underwood. If this was any other brand, the doubters would have written them off, but it’s Michigan, so they’ll enter the year in the top 25 and a chance for IU to notch another ranked win.
2. Saturday, Nov. 14 vs. USC Trojans
This is one of the more underrated games on the Hoosier schedule. USC is a dark horse for the CFP and the Hoosiers have a chance for a head-to-head victory at home. Not only should USC be a quality team, they are also making their first trip to Bloomington since 1981 and the big brand will make for a great atmosphere at Memorial Stadium.
1. Saturday, Oct. 17 vs. Ohio State Buckeyes
This is one of, if not the most, anticipated games of the 2026 regular season (Ole Miss-LSU argues). The Hoosiers knocked off the Buckeyes in the Big Ten Championship in 2025 and this could determine who has the inside track to Indianapolis come December. IU has already announced this as the “Red Out” game (although IU’s actually crimson). The stakes in this game are as high as any in the CFP Era.