Hoosiers Announce 2026 Game With Ball State

Written by: TJ Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)

The Indiana Hoosiers and Ball State Cardinals will be playing in 2026 in Bloomington. The Indiana University athletics department announced the contest on Thursday in a release. The addition to the schedule completes the non-conference portion of the slate for that season as the Cardinals join Colorado State and a road trip to Connecticut to play the UConn Huskies.

The two in-state rivals last played in 2019 with Indiana beating Ball State 34-24 at Lucas Oil Stadium in the season opener. The Hoosiers lead the Cardinals seven to three in the all-time series with IU being victorious in the last three meetings.

IU’s 2022 (Idaho, Western Kentucky and at Cincinnati), 2023 (Indiana State, Louisville, Akron), 2024 (FIU, at Louisville, Charlotte), 2025 (Old Dominion, Louisville, Indiana State) and 2026 non-conference schedules are now set.