Indiana Hoosiers Aim to Defend Title After Undefeated Season

The Indiana Hoosiers football team, fresh off a historic undefeated national championship season, is preparing to defend its title as Big Ten Media Days concluded in Chicago on Thursday. Head coach Curt Cignetti, who orchestrated one of the most dramatic turnarounds in college football history, emphasized his focus on preventing complacency as his program transitions from hunter to hunted.

Cignetti took over a program that had struggled for years, amassing only 28 wins in the six seasons prior to his arrival. In his first two years, he led the Hoosiers to a 27-2 record, two College Football Playoff appearances, and the 2025 national title, shedding the program's long-standing status as the all-time losingest team in the sport. Speaking at the media event, Cignetti said he was eager to return from vacation and begin developing his new squad, acknowledging the significant roster turnover from last year's championship team.

The Hoosiers must replace several key players, most notably Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. Stepping into the role is TCU transfer Josh Hoover, who threw for 9,629 yards and 71 touchdowns over...