What was once just a blip on the local sports radar — release of IU's football schedule — became more interesting Tuesday with the team entering the 2026 season as defending national champions.
The Hoosiers already knew the dates and opponents for their non-conference games and which Big Ten teams they would play at home and on the road.
They did not know the dates of their conference games with the exception of a home game Oct. 17 against Ohio State in a rematch of the Big Ten Championship.
A week later, IU faces Michigan on the road.
The Hoosiers have eight home games and four road games.
They face Southern California for the first time since 1981, when they lost 21-0 to the Trojans. The USC game is Nov. 14 at Memorial Stadium.
A week later, IU has its longest road trip, to Seattle for a game against Washington.
The full schedule:
- Sept. 5 North Texas
- Sept. 12 Howard
- Sept. 19 Western Kentucky
- Sept. 26 Northwestern
- Oct. 3 at Rutgers
- Oct. 10 at Nebraska
- Oct. 17 Ohio State
- Oct. 24 at Michigan
- Oct. 31 Minnesota
- Nov. 7 Bye
- Nov. 14 Southern California
- Nov. 21 at Washington
- Nov. 28 Purdue