| Indiana Hoosiers football | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| First season | 1887; 138 years ago | ||
| Athletic director | Scott Dolson | ||
| Head coach | Curt Cignetti 2nd season, 22–2 (.917) | ||
| Stadium | Memorial Stadium (capacity: 52,656) | ||
| Year built | 1960 | ||
| Location | Bloomington, Indiana | ||
| NCAA division | Division I FBS | ||
| Conference | Big Ten | ||
| All-time record | 523–719–46 (.424) | ||
| Playoff record | 0–1 (.000) | ||
| Bowl record | 3–11 (.214) | ||
| Playoff appearances | |||
| 2024 | |||
| Conference titles | |||
| Big Ten:1945,1967 | |||
| Consensus All-Americans | 7[1] | ||
| Rivalries | Purdue (rivalry) Illinois (rivalry) Kentucky (rivalry) Michigan State (rivalry) | ||
| Current uniform | |||
 | |||
| Colors | Crimson and cream[2] | ||
| Fight song | "Indiana, Our Indiana" | ||
| Mascot | Hoosier the Bison[3] | ||
| Marching band | Marching Hundred | ||
| Outfitter | Adidas | ||
| Website | iuhoosiers.com | ||
TheIndiana Hoosiers football program representsIndiana University Bloomington inNCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivisioncollege football (FBS) and in theBig Ten Conference. The Hoosiers have played their home games atMemorial Stadium since 1960. The team has won the Big Ten Championship twice, once in 1945 and again in 1967. The Hoosiers have appeared in 12 bowl games, including the1968 Rose Bowl. In 2024 they made theCollege Football Playoff. Six Indiana players have been inducted into theCollege Football Hall of Fame, includingZora Clevenger,Bill Ingram,Pete Pihos,George Taliaferro,John Tavener, andAnthony Thompson, who was also National Player of the Year in 1989. The Hoosiers are currently led by head coachCurt Cignetti.
In the fall of 1884 the Indiana student newspaper made its first reference to football by reporting that a team was being organized.[4] The following year, in 1885, a Yale graduate, professorArthur B. Woodford, came to Indiana to teach political and social science and during the next year he introduced football to the school.[4] Woodford coached the Hoosiers from 1887 to 1888.[4] In the only documented game of the 1889 season, Indiana lost toWabash College, 40–2. Evan Wollen led the Hoosiers to an 0–1 record.[5]
By 1891Billy Herod was head coach.[4] He had never played football but had seen it played in the East.[4] The Hoosiers continued to struggle to find wins, even forfeiting a game to in-state rivalPurdue in the 1894 season.[4] The first winning season came in 1895 under coachDana Osgood, who led the team to a 4–3–1 record.[4] This was followed by two winning seasons in 1896 and 1897 under coachMadison G. Gonterman,[4] who was hired away from Harvard.[6] After coaching the Hoosiers to winning records in 1898 and 1899, coachJames H. Horne and the football team joined the Western Conference (later theBig Ten Conference).[7] Horne led Indiana to six .500-or-better records in his seven years.[8] In 1905 coachJames M. Sheldon took over and would have the longest tenure of a football coach at Indiana until Bo McMillin coached for 14 years (1934–1947).[4][9] Sheldon proved to be one of the most successful coaches in Indiana football's early years, leading the Hoosiers to four winning seasons and as high as third in the Big Ten Conference rankings.[4][9] In 1914 Indiana hired its first full-time coach,Clarence Childs,[4] but continued to struggle to find success.[10] In 1922 construction began on theoriginal Memorial Stadium.[11] It would seat 22,000 fans and $250,000 was raised to erect the new facility.[11] The new stadium was built on the grounds of the golf course and replaced Jordan Field, which had been the home of Indiana football since 1887.[11]
Bo McMillin is the only head coach to lead Indiana football to an outrightBig Ten Championship.[4] In 1945, the Hoosiers achieved their only unbeaten season (9–0–1).[4] The achievement earned Coach McMillan the title of Man of the Year (by the Football Writers Association) and Coach of the Year (by the Football Coaches Association).[12] Part of the team's success in this period is attributable toGeorge Taliaferro, anAfrican-American who helped break down color barriers in sports and played for the Hoosiers two years beforeJackie Robinson suited up for theBrooklyn Dodgers.[13] A three-time All-American, Taliaferro led the Hoosiers in rushing twice, punting in 1945 and passing in 1948.[13] He helped lead the 1945 undefeated team.[13] Under Coach McMillin, IU had 10 winning seasons, including a stretch of six consecutive years.[12] His Big Ten record of 34–34–6 is the best of any Indiana coach, as is his overall winning percentage (.562).[4] His overall record at IU is 63–48–11.[12] On September 23, 1946, McMillin was named Indiana's athletic director.[14]Clyde Smith leftWisconsin La-Crosse and came to the Hoosiers as head football coach following McMillin's retirement.[4] The Hoosiers struggled mightily under Smith, as they failed to win more than three games in a single season with Smith at the helm.[15] Smith's final record at IU is 8–27–1.[15]Bernie Crimmins came to Indiana from his post as an assistant under legendary coachFrank Leahy atNotre Dame and brought along high hopes that IU football prominence would be restored.[4] However, it didn't happen. Like his predecessor, Crimmins failed to win more than three games in a single season, with yearly records of 2–7, 2–7, 3–6, 3–6 and 3–6 for a final record of 13–32 in five seasons.[4][16] Crimmins was fired as head coach and returned to Notre Dame as an assistant.[17]Bob Hicks came to Indiana from his post as an assistant atWyoming.[4] He took over the Hoosiers football program for one season while Phil Dickens was being investigated for alleged NCAA violations.[4] He went 1–8 in his only season as head coach, failing to win a single Big Ten game.[4][18] He returned to his post as assistant coach for the Hoosiers after Dickens was reinstated.[4]
CoachPhil Dickens, formerly head football coach atWyoming, guided Indiana to a fifth-place finish in the Big Ten and a 3–2–1 overall record in 1958, his first season at the helm (he sat out the 1957 season while under investigation by the NCAA).[4][19] That same year construction began on the newMemorial Stadium, which is still the home of the football team today.[11] In the fall of 1960 the Indiana football program was hit with devastating NCAA sanctions.[20] The sanctions resulted from violations that included the offering of free plane tickets to several athletes along with financial stipends, according to an NCAA report, while other recruits were delivered envelopes filled with cash.[20][21] Indiana denied the charges, arguing that possible recruiting violations were just the work of overzealous alumni.[20] The NCAA, however, didn't buy the claims and saddled Indiana with four years of probation.[20] During this time all Hoosier varsity sports were barred from postseason play.[20][21] The NCAA also disallowed any Indiana win during the 1960 Big Ten season because of Indiana's improper recruiting practices.[20] The sanctions were a stain on Indiana's notoriously clean record and undermined the ability to convince talented athletes to come to Bloomington.[20] However, Dickens was not held responsible for the sanctions and remained on the Hoosier sidelines for another five years until 1964.[19][22] Dickens' contract was not renewed after seven seasons.[23]
John Pont, who came to IU fromYale, took over just as the IU sanctions expired.[4][24] In 1966 the team achieved only a 1–8–1 record.[25] But the following season, in 1967, Indiana surprisingly had a 9–2 record and shared the Big Ten title withMinnesota and Purdue.[25] The team was invited to and accepted the invitation play in the1968 Rose Bowl (Indiana's only appearance), but lost toSouthern California,[24][25][26] the team which would be named national champions. Pont was named unanimous national coach of the year and head coach of the East team in the 1968Coaches All-America game.[25] With sophomore stars Harry Gonzo, John Isenbarger and Jade Butcher returning for two more years, the Hoosiers were ranked in the preseason top 10 nationally in 1968. Unfortunately, due to injuries and to the return to prominence of programs atOhio State,Michigan and Purdue, the Hoosiers finished 6–4 in 1968 and 4–6 in 1969 (also partially due to a 14-player African American team boycott).[25] Pont, after only winning five or more games in a single season twice after the Rose Bowl season (never more than six wins),[25] was asked to resign after eight seasons.[27]
Lee Corso leftLouisville and took over as IU head football coach in 1973,[28] leading the Hoosiers to two winning seasons in 1979 and 1980.[4] The 1979 regular season ended with 7–4 record and earned a trip to the 1979 Holiday Bowl;[4] there the Hoosiers would beat the previously unbeatenBYU.[4] Indiana's victory over the Cougars propelled the team to 16th in the UPI poll, the Hoosiers' first top-20 ranking since 1967.[4] During one game in the 1976 season, Corso called a time out after his team scored a touchdown early in the 2nd quarter.[29] The entire team huddled together for a photograph with the scoreboard filling the background.[29] It read: Indiana 7, Ohio State 6.[29] It was the first time in 25 years that the Hoosiers had led the Buckeyes in a football game.[30] Corso's record was 41–68–2 over his ten years at Indiana.[31] Corso was fired after ten seasons in which, other than the Holiday Bowl season, the Hoosiers only had one winning season, a 6–5 1980 season.[31][32]
For one season,Sam Wyche, formerly an assistant with theNFL'sSan Francisco 49ers, led the Indiana Hoosiers football program.[33] Wyche's Hoosiers struggled to a 3–8 record in his only season at the helm of the Hoosiers.[33] He left IU to accept an offer to become head coach of theNFL'sCincinnati Bengals.[34]
Bill Mallory, who came to IU fromNorthern Illinois, took over as head football coach following Wyche's departure.[4] Although he finished with a winless 0–11 record during his first campaign at Indiana in 1984,[35] it would take Mallory just three seasons to lead the Hoosiers to their first bowl appearance under his direction.[35] Indiana finished with a 6–5 regular-season record in 1986 and capped its season by playing a talentedFlorida State team in the1986 All-American Bowl on New Year's Eve.[35] Despite losing 27–13, the Hoosiers put up a good fight. Indiana running backAnthony Thompson, who was playing in his first bowl game, finished with 127 rushing yards on 28 carries.[36] In 1987, Mallory became the first Big Ten coach to be awarded back-to-back coach of the year honors after the Hoosiers earned an 8–4 record (with wins overOhio State andMichigan), a second-place finish in the Big Ten, and aPeach Bowl appearance againstTennessee.[37] In what was the first-ever meeting between the schools, Tennessee was victorious by a final score of 27–22. In 1988, Indiana finished the regular season with a 7–3–1 record, a 5–3 mark in the Big Ten, and a top-20 ranking.[35] It earned the team a postseason berth for the third consecutive year with a game againstSouth Carolina in the 1988Liberty Bowl.[38] The Hoosiers dominated the game and cruised to a 34–10 victory before 39,210 fans.[38] Indiana set a Liberty Bowl record with 575 yards of total offense.[38] Indiana finished with a 6–4–1 regular-season record in 1990, a mark good enough to earn the Hoosiers a berth in thePeach Bowl for a game against theAuburn Tigers, which Indiana would lose 27–23.[39] Part of Indiana's success can be attributed to star running backVaughn Dunbar.[40] In 1991 Indiana played in theCopper Bowl and dominated a highly regardedBaylor team 24–0.[41] Led by future NFL quarterbackTrent Green, it was one of the most impressive performances by any team during the 1991 bowl season. Indiana finished the 1993 season with an 8–4 record, with two of its three regular season losses by seven points or less.[35][42] The team went on to play in the 1993Independence Bowl.[35] Coach Mallory, despite his successes, was fired after thirteen seasons, ending his career at Indiana with six bowl games overall in 13 seasons.[37] He is Indiana's all-time winningest head football coach with 69 wins.[37]
Washington Redskins quarterbacks coach and Indiana alumnusCam Cameron began coaching the Hoosiers in 1997 and in five seasons compiled a record of 18–37.[43] Cameron brought a new system and logo to the school, both in style and in substance.[4] Cameron began by introducing a new oval logo for the football helmets (which has since been discarded).[4] Cameron brought an explosive offense to school with highly effective offensive players such asAntwaan Randle El.[44] Indiana averaged 23.6 points per game under Cameron's guidance.[4] In fact, Randle El became the first player in NCAA Division I history to pass for 40 career touchdowns and score 40 career rushing touchdowns. He finished his college career as fifth on the all-time NCAA total yardage list, and became the first player in college football history to record 2,500 total yards for each of four consecutive years.[45] Although Cameron's Indiana teams won less than one-third of their games, Indiana was recognized by theAmerican Football Coaches Association for its exemplary football graduation rates in each of Cameron's final four seasons. Nevertheless, Cameron was fired after the 2001 season.[46][47]
In 2002, formerVanderbilt andLSU head football coachGerry DiNardo took over as Indiana head football coach. The Hoosiers posted a 3–9 overall record. They went 1–7 in Big Ten Conference play, ending up tied for last withNorthwestern.[48]
Dinardo's Hoosiers also struggled during the 2003 season, registering a slightly worse standing than 2002. The Hoosiers turned in a 2–10 overall record with a 1–7 conference standing, good for second to last in the Big Ten.[49] Coach Dinardo later remarked that his players needed to be better organized in the offseason. Additionally, despite the losing record, that "the 2003 Hoosiers were probably the closest team he's been around".[50]
Indiana didn't fare any better under DiNardo's tutelage in 2004. The Hoosiers ended up 3–8 overall, posting another 1–7 Big Ten standing that left them tied for last withIllinois.[51]
At the conclusion of the 2004 season, DiNardo's fate was sealed. He finished with just an 8–27 overall record.[52][53] He never won more than three games in a season,[54] and was fired after the 2004 season.[55][56]
In 2005Terry Hoeppner ("Coach Hep") leftMiami (OH) and was named head coach of the Hoosiers.[57]
He quickly made an impact by nearly leading the team to a bowl appearance in 2006. With 49 true or redshirt freshmen and 72 underclassmen overall, that team was the youngest team in the Big Ten.[57] Despite such youth, the team garnered five victories, the most since the 2001 season.[58] The 2006 Hoosiers picked up three Big Ten wins for the first time since 2001.[58]
Coach Hep rejuvenated the Indiana fan base; attendance increased 39 percent, season ticket sales increased 46 percent, and student season ticket sales increased 110 percent.
In 2006, Hoeppner announced he was taking a medical leave of absence but died shortly afterward following a lengthy battle with brain cancer.[57] Hoeppner's final record at IU was 9–14.[58]
In 2007, Hoeppner's offensive coordinatorBill Lynch, a native Hoosier, took over the reins of the program.[59]
In his first season Lynch led Indiana to a 7–6 record (the most wins since 1993) and its firstOld Oaken Bucket victory since 2001.[60] The success earned the team a trip to theInsight Bowl.[60] The season marked the first time that an Indiana coach guided a team to a bowl game in his first season.
The2008 Indiana team was hampered by a number of injuries.[61] AgainstWisconsin, the Hoosiers were forced to play three quarterbacks and fourcenters.[61] 13 starters in total were injured during the year. Still, Lynch was able to pull in one of the strongest recruiting classes in recent history.
2009 showed marked improvement on the field, although the record ledger failed to show it as the team took 4th quarter leads into three Big Ten road games before falling short.[61]
During Lynch's tenure, the players established a Player's Leadership Council, which elect weekly game captains and select the community service organizations the team volunteers with.[61] The Boys and Girls Club of Bloomington and Riley Children's Hospital of Indianapolis are two favorite causes of the team. Lynch's tenure has been noted for his strong recruiting and identifying and developing high character young men who want to be part of a family atmosphere.[61]
However, after four seasons, Lynch compiled just a 19–30 overall record[60] and was fired by athletic directorFred Glass.[61]
On December 7, 2010,Oklahoma offensive coordinatorKevin Wilson was named head coach of the Hoosiers.[62]
Despite no prior college head coaching experience, Wilson arrived in Bloomington with ties to theMidwestern United States from his years as an assistant coach atMiami (OH) andNorthwestern underRandy Walker.[63] Additionally, Wilson had a reputation as a brilliant offensive mind, having overseen explosive offenses during his years with the Sooners that set school records.[64] Wilson, who won the 2008Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant coach,[65][66][67] also helped coach and developHeisman Trophy winning quarterbackSam Bradford during his time with the Sooners.[68][69][70] When he was hired by IU, Wilson signed a seven-year contract worth $1.2 million annually excluding incentives.[71] When he arrived, Wilson installed aspread offense identical to the system he ran at Oklahoma.[72]
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In Wilson's first year, the Hoosiers compiled a 1–11 record.[73] In his second year, Indiana improved to 4–8 on the year (4 losses were by seven points or fewer),[74][75] but surpassedNorthwestern's record for most losses in Football Bowl Subdivision history.[76]
Nevertheless, Wilson's team exhibited an explosive offense, going from 80th nationally in pass offense to 19th and leading the Big Ten with 311.2 yards per game, in spite of losing the starting quarterbackTre Roberson in the season's second game.[77][78] Additionally, Wilson was successful in luring five 4-starRivals.com recruits from the 2013 class to Indiana, the most in school history.
Wilson's 2013 team improved to 5–7,[74] and while the Hoosiers featured one of the Big Ten's more potent offenses (ranked 2nd in the Big Ten for 2013), the team's defense was among the conference's worst (12th in the Big Ten). The Hoosiers set school and Big Ten records for most yards and points allowed per game, and the Hoosiers lost three games in which they scored at least 35 points. Wilson fired defensive coordinator Doug Mallory following the 2013 season[79] and replaced him withBrian Knorr, the former defensive coordinator ofWake Forest and former head coach atOhio.[80][81]
After going 6–6 overall (2–6 B1G) in the2015 season, Wilson's Hoosiers would qualify for a bowl game, the first since2007.[82] The Hoosiers would eventually lose thePinstripe Bowl toDuke by a score of 44–41 in overtime.[83] Following the 2015 post season, on January 16, 2016, Wilson hired Tom Allen, the former defensive coordinator ofUSF, to replace Knorr beginning the2016 season.[84][85] On January 11, 2016, IU and Kevin Wilson agreed to terms on a six-year contract extension and raise.[86]
Following the end of the2016 regular season, the Hoosiers would again finish 6–6 overall (4–5 B1G) to become bowl eligible for the second year in a row.[87] This was the first time since 1990–1991 that the Hoosiers have gone to back-to-back bowl games.
However, Wilson resigned as head coach on December 1, 2016, amidst "philosophical differences" with athletic directorFred Glass and allegations of player mistreatment.[88][89][90][91] He later went on to be the offensive coordinator for theOhio State Buckeyes football program, under head coachUrban Meyer.[92]
Despite failing to achieve a winning record in six seasons with the Hoosiers, Wilson led IU to two bowl game appearances and oversaw explosive offenses that set IU school records.[93][94] In Wilson's last 5 seasons as head coach for the Indiana Hoosiers, his offenses led the Big Ten Conference in passing yards per game (226.7 yards), were second in total yards per game (459.3 yards), third in points per game (31.4 points), and fourth in rushing yards per game (192.7 yards).[95][96][97]
On December 1, 2016, Hoosiers defensive coordinatorTom Allen was promoted to head coach, replacing Kevin Wilson.[98][99][100]
On December 7, the IU football team was invited to play in the Foster Farms Bowl on December 28, 2016, atLevi's Stadium against the Utah Utes.[101] The bowl game served as Tom Allen's head coaching debut. On January 4, 2017, formerTennessee offensive coordinatorMike DeBord was hired to the same position for the Hoosiers.[102]
On August 3, 2017,ESPN'sCollege GameDay announced that it will hold its first show of the season in Bloomington, the first time it has been held in that city.[103]
On September 9, 2017, Allen would record his first win as the head coach of the Hoosiers, defeating theVirginia Cavaliers, inCharlottesville, by a score of 34–17.[104] Following the loss at Purdue on November 25, 2017, Allen and the Hoosiers would finish the2017 season 5–7 overall and fail to earn a bowl appearance.[105]
After the culmination of the2018 season for Indiana, Allen's Hoosiers would again finish the season 5–7 overall; Indiana failed to beat archrivalPurdue in a must-win, last game of the season, to become bowl eligible.[106] The loss to the Boilermakers would secure the Hoosiers' second-straight year without a bowl appearance.
On December 27, 2018, the Hoosiers announced the promotion ofKane Wommack from linebackers coach to defensive coordinator.[107] On December 30, 2018, Hoosiers' offensive coordinator Mike DeBord announced his retirement from football.[108][109] On January 21, 2019, former Fresno State offensive coordinatorKalen DeBoer was announced as the Hoosiers' new offensive coordinator.[110]
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The Hoosiers would finish the2019 regular season with an 8–4 overall record (5–4 Big Ten) and become bowl eligible by October 26; the 8–4 overall season record had not been accomplished since Indiana's1993 season. On November 30, 2019, the Hoosiers defeated in-state rival Purdue 44–41, in two overtimes, to win the Old Oaken Bucket for the first time since 2016.
On December 8, 2019, Indiana was selected as a participant in the2020 Gator Bowl againstTennessee; the Hoosiers would go on to lose 22–23 to the Volunteers.[111]
Following the culmination of the regular season, both Allen and DeBoer would receive watchlist nominations for their respective Coach of the Year awards, including DeBoer being named a semifinalist for theBroyles Award.
On December 17, 2019, Kalen DeBoer was hired byFresno State as its newest head coach; DeBoer had served only one year as the Hoosiers' offensive coordinator.[112] Following the departure of DeBoer to Fresno State, Indiana announced the promotion of tight ends' coach Nick Sheridan to offensive coordinator and running backs' coach Mike Hart to associate head coach.[113] On December 6, 2019, Tom Allen received a new seven-year contract worth $3.9 million annually excluding incentives.[114]
Indiana's first game of the 2020 season took place at Memorial Stadium on October 24, 2020, against the No. 8Penn State Nittany Lions. The Hoosiers defeated Penn State 36–35 inovertime.[115] The Hoosiers were awarded a ranking of No. 17 following the victory.[116] Indiana's next two games included a 37–21 victory over theRutgers Scarlet Knights and a 38–21 victory over the No. 23Michigan Wolverines, their first victory over them in 33 years.[117]
Following the win versus the Wolverines, the Hoosiers were ranked tenth in both the AP and coaches poll, their highest rankings since 1969 and 1992.[118]
Following the culmination of the regular season, the Hoosiers would be invited to theOutback Bowl, where they would lose by six points toOle Miss, 26–20.[119]
After the season concluded, defensive coordinatorKane Wommack would leave to become head coach of theSouth Alabama Jaguars. Indiana would hireCharlton Warren from theGeorgia Bulldogs to replace him.
On March 8, 2021, IU and Tom Allen agreed to terms on another new seven-year contract that came with a $1 million annual raise.[120] The new deal made Allen the 18th highest paid head college football coach in the country.[121]
Following a 2–10 overall (0–9 Big Ten) finish of the 2021 season, Indiana fired offensive coordinatorNick Sheridan on November 28, 2021.[122] The Hoosiers hired formerUMass head coachWalt Bell as Sheridan's replacement on December 9, 2021.[123][124]
The Hoosiers finished the 2022 season 4–8 overall (2–7 Big Ten), ending up second to last in the Big Ten East, just ahead ofRutgers.[125]
Indiana continued to languish under Allen in its 2023 campaign. On September 23, 2023, Indiana barely eked out a 29–27 victory in 4 overtimes over theAkron Zips, themselves a struggling team that finished its season 2–10 overall.[126][127] The Hoosiers wound up 3–9 overall (1–8 Big Ten), good for last in the Big Ten East and the worst all around Big Ten record.[128]
On November 26, 2023, IU fired Tom Allen as head coach after three straight losing seasons.[129] This was a day after the Hoosiers concluded the 2023 season with a 3–9 record, its third consecutive losing season.[130]
After the solid 2020 season, Allen was unable to sustain the momentum generated during that season and the Hoosiers struggled on the football field thereafter.[131]
Allen and IU agreed to a reduced $15.5 million buyout when Allen was terminated, the most money the Hoosiers have ever paid a fired football coach in its history and the fourth largest buyout paid in college football history.[132][133]
On November 30, 2023, Indiana athletics directorScott Dolson announced the hiring ofJames Madison head coachCurt Cignetti as the next Hoosiers head coach.[134] The 62-year-old Cignetti arrived in Bloomington with impressive credentials, never having a single losing season in 13 years as a head coach at JMU,Elon andIUP.[135] He also oversaw the Dukes' successful transition from theFCS to the FBS and served as wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator atAlabama underNick Saban from 2007 to 2010, playing a significant role in the recruitment of many of the Crimson Tide's key players as well as coaching and developing star wide receiverJulio Jones and others.[136][137] When hired, Cignetti signed a six-year contract with IU that pays about $27 million excluding incentives over the course of the deal.[138][139]
In his first season in 2024, Cignetti guided the Hoosiers to their first 8–0 start since 1967,[140] then to their first 9–0 start in school history,[141] and then to their first 10–0 start in school program history and also their first ever 10 win season in program history.[142] On November 16, 2024, the university administration and Cignetti agreed to a new eight-year contract worth $72 million excluding incentives.[143] Following the 2024 regular season, the Hoosiers made their firstCollege Football Playoff appearance in program history. The tenth seed Hoosiers were defeated by the seventh seedNotre Dame Fighting Irish atNotre Dame Stadium in the first ever on campus College Football Playoff game on December 20, 2024. On October 16, 2025, Cignetti signed his second extension with Indiana, an eight-year, $93.25 million contract running through the 2032 season, making him one of the highest paid coaches in college football.[144]
As of November 21, 2025, the Hoosiers are 11–0 and #2 in the AP poll, their highest ranking in school history.
Indiana has won two conference championships, one outright and one shared.
| Season | Conference | Coach | Overall Record | Conference Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1945 | Big Ten Conference | Bo McMillin | 9–0–1 | 5–0–1 |
| 1967† | Big Ten Conference | John Pont | 9–2 | 6–1 |
† Co-champion
Indiana has participated in 14 bowl games in 120 seasons, garnering a record of 3–11 through the 2020 season; their drought of not winning a bowl game since 1991 is thesecond-longest active streak among all Division I FBS teams.[145] An oft-spoken mantra, coined afterTerry Hoeppner's death prior to the2007 season, is to "play 13," meaning to play an extra game (a bowl game) after the 12-game regular season.
| Season | Coach | Bowl | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | John Pont | Rose Bowl † | USC | L 3–14 |
| 1979 | Lee Corso | Holiday Bowl | BYU | W 38–37 |
| 1986 | Bill Mallory | All-American Bowl | Florida State | L 13–27 |
| 1987 | Peach Bowl | Tennessee | L 22–27 | |
| 1988 | Liberty Bowl | South Carolina | W 34–10 | |
| 1990 | Peach Bowl | Auburn | L 23–27 | |
| 1991 | Copper Bowl | Baylor | W 24–0 | |
| 1993 | Independence Bowl | Virginia Tech | L 20–45 | |
| 2007 | Bill Lynch | Insight Bowl | Oklahoma State | L 33–49 |
| 2015 | Kevin Wilson | Pinstripe Bowl | Duke | L 41–44OT |
| 2016 | Tom Allen | Foster Farms Bowl | Utah | L 24–26 |
| 2019 | Gator Bowl | Tennessee | L 22–23 | |
| 2020 | Outback Bowl | Ole Miss | L 20–26 | |
| 2024 | Curt Cignetti | CFP First Round † | Notre Dame | L 17–27 |
†CFP/New Year's game
| Coach | Years | Seasons | Record | Pct | Bowls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur B. Woodford | 1887–1888 | 2 | 0–1–1 | .250 | |
| Evans Woollen | 1889 | 1 | 0–1 | .000 | |
| Billy Herod | 1891 | 1 | 1–5 | .167 | |
| None | 1892–1893 | 2 | 3–6–1 | .350 | |
| Gustave Ferbert &Joseph R. Hudelson | 1894 | 1 | 0–4–1 | .100 | |
| Winchester Osgood | 1895 | 1 | 4–3–1 | .563 | |
| Madison G. Gonterman | 1896–1897 | 2 | 12–3–1 | .781 | |
| James H. Horne | 1898–1904 | 7 | 33–21–5 | .602 | |
| James M. Sheldon | 1905–1913 | 9 | 35–26–3 | .570 | |
| Clarence Childs | 1914–1915 | 2 | 6–7–1 | .464 | |
| Ewald O. Stiehm | 1916–1921 | 5 | 20–18–1 | .526 | |
| James P. Herron | 1922 | 1 | 1–4–2 | .286 | |
| Bill Ingram | 1923–1925 | 3 | 10–12–1 | .457 | |
| Harlan Page | 1926–1930 | 5 | 14–23–3 | .388 | |
| Earl C. Hayes | 1931–1933 | 3 | 8–14–4 | .385 | |
| Bo McMillin | 1934–1947 | 14 | 63–48–11 | .561 | |
| Clyde Smith | 1948–1951 | 4 | 8–27–1 | .236 | |
| Bernie Crimmins | 1952–1956 | 5 | 13–32 | .289 | |
| Bob Hicks | 1957 | 1 | 1–8 | .111 | |
| Phil Dickens | 1958–1964 | 7 | 20–41–2 | .333 | |
| John Pont | 1965–1972 | 8 | 31–51–1 | .380 | 0–1 |
| Lee Corso | 1973–1982 | 10 | 41–68–2 | .378 | 1–0 |
| Sam Wyche | 1983 | 1 | 3–8 | .273 | |
| Bill Mallory | 1984–1996 | 13 | 69–77–3 | .473 | 2–4 |
| Cam Cameron | 1997–2001 | 5 | 18–37 | .327 | |
| Gerry DiNardo | 2002–2004 | 3 | 8–27 | .229 | |
| Terry Hoeppner | 2005–2006 | 2 | 9–14 | .391 | |
| Bill Lynch | 2007–2010 | 4 | 19–30 | .388 | 0–1 |
| Kevin Wilson | 2011–2016 | 6 | 26–46 | .361 | 0–1 |
| Tom Allen | 2016–2023 | 7 | 33–49 | .402 | 0–3 |
| Curt Cignetti | 2024–present | 2 | 22–2 | .917 | 0–1 |
Created in 1887, Indiana's first athletic grounds, Jordan Field was originally named University Athletic Field before being renamed in 1898, in honor of then-Indiana University PresidentDavid Starr Jordan. The field was a mixed-use facility utilized by both the football and baseball teams.Bleacher seating for 4,000 persons were added in 1901, with field drainage added the following year to alleviate flooding.
In 1904, atrack and field component was added to the athletic facility; however, conditions of the field continued to be a problem for the Hoosiers. The track and field portion of Jordan Field was upgraded in 1915. A proposed stadium, north of the current facility, was planned by the university; however, the outbreak ofWorld War I postponed construction. The football and baseball teams would continue play at Jordan Field through the end of 1923. The proposed stadium would begin construction in 1924 and would open in thefall of 1925. The final varsity athletic event for Jordan Field, a baseball game, would occur in 1950 prior to the facility being turned into a parking lot for the nearbyIndiana Memorial Union.[146]
Indiana's two Memorial Stadiums are entirely distinct venues and share only the same name, though never at the same time. The current Memorial Stadium was called Seventeenth Street Football Stadium until 1971, when it was renamed Memorial Stadium and the original stadium was renamed Tenth Street Stadium. Tenth Street Stadium hosted theLittle 500 bicycle race untilBill Armstrong Stadium was built in 1981. It was demolished in the same year and its former place on campus is occupied by the arboretum. Shortly before its demolition, the old stadium was featured in the 1979 cult movie classicBreaking Away – filmed primarily on the Indiana campus and the surrounding Bloomington, Indiana area.[147]
The current iteration of Memorial Stadium opened in 1960 as part of a new athletics area at the university and has a capacity of 52,656. It replaced the original Memorial Stadium, built in 1925, a 20,000-seat stadium located on 10th Street where the arboretum now stands. The stadium has been expanded twice since the original construction. The $38 million, 138,000-square-foot, North End Zone Student-Athlete Development Center opened in 2009. The $53 million, 66,575-square-foot, South End Zone Student-Athlete Excellence Center opened in 2018.
The John Mellencamp Pavilion is the primary indoor athletics training facility of the Indiana Hoosiers's football program. It was dedicated on April 12, 1996, following a donation of $1.5 million from singer-songwriterJohn Mellencamp, to facilitate the project. The indoor practice facility contains a regulation-sized football field, featuring a Sportexe Momentum 41 artificial surface which was installed in 2007.[148]
Indiana's biggest, oldest and most prominent rivalry is with in-state opponentPurdue.[149] The teams compete for theOld Oaken Bucket, most recently held by Indiana after defeating the Boilermakers during the 2024 season. Purdue leads the series 77–43–6 through the 2024 season.[150] When the Big Ten split into geographical divisions in 2014,[151][152] the Hoosiers and Boilermakers were placed in opposite divisions but the conference protected this rivalry as an annual contest.[153][154] The series was designated as a protected rivalry when the conference expanded to 18 schools in 2024.
While not as intense as the men's basketball rivalry between the schools, the football rivalry betweenIllinois and Indiana dates back to 1899 and has been played 73 times.[155][156] When the Big Ten split into non-geographical divisions in 2011,[157] both the Fighting Illini and Hoosiers were placed in the "Leaders" division, thereby ensuring an annual meeting on the football field.[158] However, when the Big Ten opted for a divisional format based on geography three years later,[159] Illinois was placed in the "West" division with Indiana placed in the "East", making the series intermittent once again.[160] Illinois leads the all-time series 46–25–2.[161]
The Hoosiers have a nonconference rivalry with bordering-state opponentKentucky that is most prominent in men's basketball but also extends to football as well.[162] The Hoosiers played the Wildcats annually from 1987 until 2005 in what was known as the "Bourbon Barrel" game.[163][164] The two teams played for a trophy called the "Bourbon Barrel" from 1987 until both schools mutually agreed to retire the trophy in 1999 following the alcohol-related death of a Kentucky football player.[165] The two teams last met on September 17, 2005, with Indiana winning 38–14; Indiana leads the overall series (18–17–1).[166] As of August 2025, there are no future plans for the schools to meet on the football field.
Indiana has a football trophy game (for theOld Brass Spittoon) against bordering-state opponentMichigan State.[167][168] The Spartans were Indiana's dedicated cross-divisional rival in the Big Ten during the era of the Legends and Leaders divisions (2011–2013).[158][169] From 2014 to 2023, the Hoosiers and Spartans were in the Big Ten East division and played each other annually.[159][151] Michigan State leads the all-time series 50–18–2.[170][171]
The football series between Indiana and bordering-state opponentOhio State dates back to 1901 and has been played 97 times.[172] Both schools have been longtime members of the Big Ten Conference with the Hoosiers joining in 1899 and the Buckeyes following suit in 1912.[173] The series has been dominated by Ohio State, who lead the all-time series 80–12–5.[174][175] The Buckeyes held a 23-game winning streak in the rivalry between 1960 and 1986 and currently hold a 28-game winning streak over the Hoosiers dating back to 1991, which is thelongest active winning streak in NCAA Division I FBS for one team over another.[176][177] There was a brief period in the late 1980s where Indiana upset Ohio State in consecutive meetings then tied the Buckeyes in 1990.[178] Then-Buckeyes head coachEarle Bruce called Indiana's 1987 win over the Buckeyes "the darkest day in Ohio State football history".[179][180][181] When the Big Ten first split into non-geographical divisions in 2011, both the Hoosiers and Buckeyes were placed in the league's "Leaders" division which ensured an annual meeting on the football field.[158] Three years later, when the Big Ten scrapped that divisional format in favor of a format based on geography, both schools were placed in the league's East division, once again ensuring an annual meeting.[151][182] The series will become intermittent starting in 2024 when divisions are abolished and the conference expands to 18 schools. Ohio State is Indiana's second most-played opponent all-time behind onlyPurdue[183] while Indiana is Ohio State's third behindMichigan andIllinois.[184][185][186][187]
Legendary former Ohio State head coachWoody Hayes had a particular disdain for Indiana.[178] After losing to the Hoosiers in his first year coaching the Buckeyes in 1951, Hayes was so bitterly dismayed and appalled by his team's performance in that game that he publicly vowed any Buckeyes team he coached from that point forward would never again lose to the Hoosiers.[179][188] Hayes stayed true to his word, going 22–0–1 against Indiana between 1952 and 1978, his final season at Ohio State.[189][190]
From September 2012[191] until November 2025, the Indiana University football program had themost all-time losses (719 as of the 2024 season)[192] in the history of NCAA Division I (now FBS) football until Northwestern re-claimed this feat with a loss to USC.[193] In addition, the Hoosiers hold the fifth worst all-time winning percentage (.420) among FBS schools with over 1000 games played. Since 1895, only six of the 25 head coaches have left Indiana University with a winning record, the last one beingBo McMillan in 1947.
The Hoosiers began to find consistent success, however, after making it to their first bowl game since 2007, theNew Era Pinstripe Bowl, in 2015. They followed the 2015 season with appearances in theFoster Farms Bowl in 2016, theGator Bowl in 2019, and theOutback Bowl in 2020. The Hoosiers finished 8–4 in 2019, their best record since the 1993 season.[194] The Hoosiers experienced an even stronger season during the shortened 2020 season, going 6–2 overall and 6–1 in the Big Ten Conference. They finished the season tied with the second best record in the Big Ten behind Ohio State.[195] Coach Tom Allen was named the 2020 Big Ten Coach of the Year and was a finalist for the 2020 Paul "Bear" Bryant Award. In 2024, the Hoosiers made their first appearance in the College Football Playoff. During a bye week, after signing a contract extension, Coach Curt Cignetti claimed Indiana was, "the emerging superpower in college football". Coach Cignetti finished the 2024 season with seven coach of the year honors.
As of the 2024 season, four different Hoosiers head coaches have won theAFCA Coach of the Year Award in Division I FBS, tied for the most in the awards' 90-year history.[196]
| Indiana Hoosiers retired numbers | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Player | Pos. | Tenure | Ref. | |
| 32 | Anthony Thompson | RB | 1986–1989 | [197] | |
| College Football Hall of Fame | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Pos. | Year Inducted | |||
| Bo McMillin | Coach | 1951 | |||
| Pete Pihos | DE/FB | 1966 | |||
| Zora Clevenger | HB | 1968 | |||
| Bill Ingram | Coach | 1973 | |||
| George Taliaferro | HB | 1981 | |||
| John Tavener | C | 1990 | |||
| Anthony Thompson | RB | 2007 | |||
| Pro Football Hall of Fame | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Pos. | Year Inducted | |||
| Pete Pihos | WR/DE | 1970 | |||
Players
| Coaches
|
Players
|
Coaches
Records from the 1956 season through the 2018 season.[citation needed]
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The Indiana football team has primarily worn a home uniform of red jerseys (usually a variation ofcrimson red) with either red or white pants for most of the program's history. There have also been different designs incorporated into the main jerseysand pants, which have largely utilized the Block-I logo or interlocking-IU logo,[201] striping and different variations and placement on the words 'Indiana' or 'Hoosier'. For away games the Hoosiers utilize white jerseys with white pants. Notable exceptions have also included the use of red-on-red color combinations for the jersey and pants, as well as white jerseys with red pants.[202][203]
While the Hoosiers do not have designated alternate uniforms, there have been times when the uniforms were altered from their traditional design.During the Cam Cameron era (1997–2001), the jerseys and Block-I logo were changed to a red, black and white color scheme, while also incorporatingan original design for the traditional IU athletics logo; the design and color combination were reverted to the interlocking-IU logo and official colors of Indiana following the departure of Cameron.[4]
For the 2018 season, the rear name-plate on the jerseys were not included to keep the uniforms standardized to Indiana's tradition of "honoring "Team Over Self" by not including the players' names on backs of jerseys in any sport"; however, the rear name-plate was added back to the jersey beginning in the 2019 season.[204]
Indiana has historically used a variation of its red and white scheme in its helmet design. These designs have included, but are not limited to: placing the Block-I logo on either side of the helmet (as well as on the front of the helmet - 1959-1961),[205] an all red or all white helmet, the inclusion of the aforementioned redesigned IU logo from the Cam Cameron era (1997-2001),[205] the use of the Indiana State Flag logo on one side of the helmet,[206] as well as an alternating red and chrome-striped helmet.[207] Additionally, striping on the helmet have also been included on the varied designs.
Announced schedules as of September 24, 2025.[218]
| 2026 | 2027 | 2028 | 2029 | 2030 | 2031 | 2032 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| vsNorth Texas | vsKennesaw State | vsAustin Peay | vsBall State | atNotre Dame | vsNotre Dame | atUConn |
| vsHoward | vsIndiana State | vsEastern Michigan | vsEastern Illinois | vsIndiana State | ||
| vsWestern Kentucky | vsUMass | vsMiami (OH) | vsWestern Kentucky | vsDelaware |
