Rise and shine Tailgaters; it’s Gameday! Welcome back to Hoosier Huddle’s newest weekly column: Tidbits for the Tailgate. Each week I’ll break down what you need to know before you head to the lots at Memorial Stadium: from players to watch, to what’s happening in other games, to tips for a successful tailgate.

What You Missed Last Week

O-H, N-O

Ryan Day and Ohio State seemed to be firmly in control when they took a 23-3 lead over Texas halfway through the Third Quarter. Buckeye fans were already saying that “they may never lose again” online. But in the wise words of Lee Corso, “Not so fast my friend.” What followed was an epic collapse that is sure to haunt Buckeyes fans for a while. A missed OSU field goal helped Arch Manning and Texas scored 24 unanswered points to beat the Buckeyes 24-23.

No Field Rush This Time

A week after Michigan’s controversial Hail Mary win over Western Michigan, the Wolverines faced #11-ranked Oklahoma. The expectation was that the Sooners would destroy the Wolverines, however Michigan shocked the college football world by beating Oklahoma 17-10 in a defensive battle. This time though, they didn’t rush the field.

Cowboys Go Duck Hunting

Surely Mighty Oregon had no problems facing off against Oklahoma State and their first-year head coach right? Wrong. The new-look Oklahoma State team full of North Texas transfers upset the Ducks last Saturday 39-31. Don’t look now but the Cowboys might be a team to watch this season.

Texas Tech Fends off Houston

Houston built a 17-7 lead over the Red Raiders early in Lubbock. However, the Red Raiders rallied in the second half, taking a 21-20 lead. Houston drove down the field in the fourth quarter and scored a touchdown to make the score 28-26. However the Cougars were unable to convert the two-point conversion as the Red Raiders held on.

Hoosiers’ Matchup

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers

Campus: Bowling Green, Kentucky

Mascot: Hilltoppers/Big Red

Record This Season: 0-2

2025 Record: 9-4 (Won the New Orleans Bowl)]

Series Record: Indiana is 5-0 against WKU

Head Coach: Tyson Helton (7th Season at WKU, 57-37 record)

Conference: Conference USA (C-USA)

What to Watch For

Hoover’s Execution

Indiana had a great offensive game against Howard, putting up 55 points on the Bison. Both Turbo Richard and Lee Beebe Jr. had over a 100 yards in the win and Charlie Becker had 3 touchdowns. Despite this, Josh Hoover made a couple of head-scratching decisions and missed a couple reads. Indiana would like to see Hoover play closer to his Indiana debut moving forward.

A Feast For the Hoosiers’ Defense

Western Kentucky’s offense has struggled through the first two games of the season, only putting up 14 and 20 points respectively. Indiana’s defense struggled a little bit against North Texas and the injuries to AJ Harris and Jamari Sharpe did not help. This game gives the defense a chance to get more comfortable while getting the backups some meaningful reps.

Get Ready for Big Ten Play

Indiana’s had some injury trouble through the first couple games of the season, Khobie Martin, AJ Harris, Jamari Sharpe, and Nico Radicic have all missed games due to injuries. The Hoosiers would love to be able to work those guys back into the lineup to get them game-ready for Big Ten play. At the same time, this is a great opportunity to get some of the younger guys some experience before conference play starts.

Tailgate Tip of the Week

Pack a Poncho

The forecast calls for rain on Saturday morning, and tailgates are always better when you are dry, so be sure to pack a poncho or umbrella before you head to Memorial Stadium. As a bonus tip, use your IU rally towel to dry off your seat.

Rain Delay Games

With heavy rain in the forecast, there’s a good chance that the game goes to a rain delay. If that happens you’ve got to keep yourself entertained. I’d vote for a Slip ‘n Slide or Rain Delay Bowling.