Written by: TJ Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)

What: Indiana Hoosiers (0-1) vs. Indiana State Sycamores (0-1)

When: Friday, September 8 at 7:00 ET

Where: Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, IN

How to Watch: The game will be broadcast on BTN and can be heard on the IU Radio Network.

Series History: The Indiana Hoosiers and Indiana State Sycamores will meet for the seventh time in program history on Friday night at Memorial Stadium. Indiana is 6-0 against ISU with the most recent contest coming in 2014. IU won that game 28-10. Indiana is 16-1 all-time against FCS opponents.

What’s at Stake: The Hoosiers opened the 2023 season with a 23-3 defeat to the Ohio State Buckeyes. Overall, the performance of the defense was admirable and Indiana’s offense played a deliberate style designed to shorten the game and stay competitive. Ultimately, the offense was conservative for too long and there is really no idea where this attack stands and what the offense might be capable of. This game should not be particularly competitive but it is extremely important for the offense to put forth a good performance and for Indiana to really get a grasp of what Tayven Jackson and Brendan Sorsby are able to do. The goals are clear: winning the game is a must, with building confidence on both sides of the ball coming next.

A Few Things to Look For

1. The Offense Must Perform

Indiana State’s defense only surrendered 14 points against Eastern Illinois. The other 13 came as a result of two “pick sixes” from the Panthers. In short, Indiana State does not have a putrid defense. Still, the Hoosiers should be able to impose their will on the Sycamores and after a weak offensive showing, albeit an understandable one, against Ohio State, the time is now for the Indiana Hoosiers offense to show serious growth. Tayven Jackson is expected to start at quarterback but we will see both Jackson and Brendan Sorsby get snaps. If Indiana’s offense performs well and the Hoosiers score 40-plus points on Friday night, it will not mean all questions are answered. However, if IU cannot have a good showing against Indiana State and show some growth from last season, red flags will be raised and it would be a flashing warning sign moving forward.

2. Defense Hopes to Build On Opener

Just as it is not fair to judge the offense after one game, it is also not reasonable to declare anything definitive about the Hoosier defense after one performance. That said, the rebuilt Indiana defense looked very promising in week one against the Ohio State Buckeyes. The secondary kept the all-star duo of Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka to only 34 combined yards and five combined catches, numbers unlikely to be duplicated by anyone this season. The defensive front did a solid job getting pressure in the Buckeyes backfield and limited explosive plays all afternoon. Indiana State was shutout by Eastern Illinois. This game should be an opportunity for Indiana to play a lot of guys and work on depth but it is also a chance to put a shutout on the board.

3. The Mallory Family Returns to Memorial Stadium

Indiana’s all-time winningest head coach is Bill Mallory. He is widely known as the best football coach Indiana has had, leading the program to six of its 13 bowl appearances and winning 69 games in his tenure (1984-1996). One of Bill’s sons, Curt Mallory, will lead the Indiana State Sycamores into Memorial Stadium on Friday night. Curt Mallory, a former FCS Coach of the Year with Indiana State, is the head coach for the Sycamores and it should be a fun and emotional night for the Mallory family.