IU Football
Nothing crushes a Saturday faster than scrambling for kickoff times or hunting down ticket details. A crisp fall afternoon at Memorial Stadium—cheering fans, the band filling the air, your Hoosiers about to take the field—deserves better than that. This guide puts everything IU football in one place: schedules, game day info, key players, and real answers to the questions fans actually ask. No fluff, no wasted time. Just what you need to follow Indiana football all season long.
IU Football Schedule for the 2025 Season
The 2025 IU football schedule features six home games inside Memorial Stadium and five road trips, running from late August through November. Indiana opens with three straight non-conference matchups in Bloomington before jumping into Big Ten play. Two Friday night games stand out on the calendar—September 12 versus Indiana State and the Black Friday Old Oaken Bucket showdown at Purdue on November 28.
The conference schedule tests this team early with trips to Iowa, Oregon, and Penn State, plus a late-season home date against Wisconsin. Homecoming weekend brings Michigan State to Bloomington on October 18.
2025 IU Football Schedule at a Glance
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time (ET) | TV/Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Aug 30 | Old Dominion Home | Memorial Stadium | 2:30 PM | FS1 |
| Sat, Sep 6 | Kennesaw State Home | Memorial Stadium | Noon | FS1 |
| Fri, Sep 12 | Indiana State Home | Memorial Stadium | 6:30 / 7:00 PM | Big Ten Network |
| Sat, Sep 20 | Illinois Home | Memorial Stadium | TBD | TBD |
| Sat, Sep 27 | at Iowa Away | Iowa City, IA | Noon / 3:30 / 4:00 PM | TBD |
| Sat, Oct 11 | at Oregon Away | Eugene, OR | TBD | TBD |
| Sat, Oct 18 | Michigan State Home Homecoming | Memorial Stadium | Noon / 3:30 / 4:00 PM | TBD |
| Sat, Oct 25 | UCLA Home | Memorial Stadium | TBD | TBD |
| Sat, Nov 1 | at Maryland Away | College Park, MD | TBD | TBD |
| Sat, Nov 8 | at Penn State Away | University Park, PA | TBD | TBD |
| Sat, Nov 15 | Wisconsin Home | Memorial Stadium | TBD | TBD |
| Fri, Nov 28 | at Purdue Away | West Lafayette, IN | 7:30 PM | NBC |
All times Eastern. Schedule subject to change. TV designations announced on a rolling basis by the Big Ten Conference.
The Old Oaken Bucket Game closes the regular season on Black Friday for the first time ever. Indiana and Purdue meet under the lights at 7:30 PM on NBC—a prime-time stage for college football’s most underrated rivalry.
IU Football Game Today: How to Find Real-Time Info
Nothing frustrates a fan more than hunting for “IU football game today” and landing on outdated pages. Here is how to get accurate, real-time information when game day arrives.
Visit the official IU athletics website. The athletic department updates iuhoosiers.com with confirmed kickoff times, broadcast details, and live stats links on game day. This remains the single most reliable source.
Check the Big Ten Conference website. The conference posts official game times, TV network assignments, and any schedule changes directly on bigten.org.
Use dedicated sports platforms. ESPN, CBS Sports, and Fox Sports all maintain live college football scoreboards with real-time updates for every IU football game today. These platforms show scores, stats, and drive summaries as they happen.
Follow IU football social media accounts. The team’s official X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram accounts post live updates, injury news, and behind-the-scenes content throughout game day.
Listen on the radio. The IU Sports Network carries every Indiana football game on local affiliates across the state. Don Fischer, the legendary voice of the Hoosiers, has called IU football games for decades.
Pro tip: Bookmark the official IU football schedule page on your phone before the season starts. One tap pulls up the complete slate with confirmed times.
IU Football Schedule 2025: Game-by-Game Breakdown
Non-Conference Slate (Weeks 1-3)
Indiana hosts three straight games at Memorial Stadium to open the 2025 campaign. Old Dominion visits in Week 1 for a 2:30 PM kick on FS1. Kennesaw State arrives the following Saturday at noon, also on FS1. The Friday night matchup against Indiana State on September 12 airs on Big Ten Network.
All three opponents come from lower-tier conferences. Indiana expects to enter conference play at 3-0.
September: Conference Play Begins
Illinois comes to Bloomington on September 20 in what could be a ranked matchup. Bret Bielema has the Illini program trending upward, and this game may carry early implications for the Big Ten race.
The following Saturday, Indiana travels to Iowa City. Kinnick Stadium at night ranks among the toughest environments in the sport. The Hawkeyes’ defense always presents problems, making this a critical early test.
October: The Season’s Toughest Stretch
October delivers two massive road trips: at Oregon (October 11) and at Penn State (November 8). Oregon reached the College Football Playoff in 2024 and plays at Autzen Stadium, where the crowd noise rattles even seasoned quarterbacks. Penn State’s White Out atmosphere in Beaver Stadium has humbled elite teams for decades.
Between those trips, Indiana hosts Michigan State for Homecoming (October 18) and UCLA (October 25). The Bruins travel across the country for this one—a scheduling reality of the expanded Big Ten that favors the home team.
November: The Finish Line
Maryland (November 1), Penn State (November 8), and Wisconsin (November 15) fill the first three Saturdays of November. The Camp Randall trip to Wisconsin means dealing with cold weather and a physical Badgers squad built to wear opponents down.
The regular season ends at Purdue on Black Friday, November 28, at 7:30 PM on NBC. A prime-time national broadcast. A historic rivalry. Everything on the line.
Inside the 2024-2025 Offseason: Building a Champion
The 2024 season shattered every reasonable expectation for Indiana football. An 11-2 record. A runner-up finish in the Big Ten. Then came the 2025 season—a perfect 16-0 campaign that ended with Indiana defeating Miami 27-21 in the national championship game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Head coach Curt Cignetti earned National and Big Ten Coach of the Year honors in 2024. In October 2025, Indiana rewarded him with an eight-year contract extension worth approximately $11.6 million annually, keeping him in Bloomington through 2033.
The quarterback who led that title run, Fernando Mendoza, won the Heisman Trophy—the first IU player ever to claim college football’s most prestigious individual award. Mendoza threw for 3,535 yards and 41 touchdowns during the 2025 championship season.
Key Personnel: The Architects Behind IU Football’s Rise
Head Coach Curt Cignetti. Cignetti arrived in Bloomington before the 2024 season and immediately transformed the program. After an 11-2 debut campaign, he delivered a perfect 16-0 national championship season in 2025. Through two seasons, Cignetti holds a 27-2 overall record with the Hoosiers. His philosophy emphasizes physical line play, explosive passing, and a defense built to pressure quarterbacks.
Defensive Coordinator Bryant Haines. Haines followed Cignetti from James Madison and built one of the nation’s top defenses. In 2024, Indiana finished No. 2 nationally in total defense, allowing just 256.3 yards per game. Indiana secured Haines with a contract worth $2 million annually after other programs pursued him aggressively.
Strength Coach Derek Owings. Cignetti often credits Owings as the secret weapon behind Indiana’s physical transformation. After USC attempted to hire him away, IU extended Owings with a three-year deal that boosted his salary to $925,000.
The Roster: Stars, Returners, and New Faces
The 2025 roster combined veteran leadership with key transfer additions. Three All-Americans returned to anchor the team:
- Linebacker Aiden Fisher – Recorded 124 tackles and 12 tackles for loss in 2024.
- Defensive End Mikail Kamara – Produced 10.5 sacks and 17 quarterback hurries, earning third-team All-America status.
- Cornerback D’Angelo Ponds – Grabbed 4 interceptions and broke up 13 passes in 2024.
Transfer quarterback Fernando Mendoza stepped in and delivered a Heisman Trophy campaign. Wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. led the team with 69 catches for 937 yards and 13 touchdowns during the championship run.
The offensive line returned starters Carter Smith, Bray Lynch, and Drew Evans, supplemented by transfer additions Zen Michalski (Ohio State) and Kahlil Benson (Colorado).
NFL Draft Pipeline: IU Football’s Proving Ground
The 2026 NFL Draft underscored how far Indiana football has come. A program-record eight Hoosiers heard their names called over the three-day event.
Fernando Mendoza went No. 1 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders—Indiana’s first-ever top pick and a direct reflection of Cignetti’s quarterback development system. Wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. followed as the No. 30 overall selection to the New York Jets. Cornerback D’Angelo Ponds landed with the Jets in the second round at pick No. 50. On day three, Elijah Sarratt, Riley Nowakowski, Pat Coogan, and Aiden Fisher all found NFL homes.
NFL scouts now view Bloomington as a legitimate talent pipeline. That reputation fuels recruiting and gives the coaching staff a powerful pitch to top high school prospects nationwide.
Memorial Stadium: The Home of IU Football
The Hoosiers play at Memorial Stadium, which holds 52,626 fans and ranks as the 10th-largest venue in the Big Ten Conference. Recent renovations enclosed both end zones, creating a bowl effect that traps noise and amplifies the home-field advantage.
IU Athletics has engaged the Nations Group consulting firm to explore further modernization focused on fan amenities, including upgraded concourses, new premium seating areas, and improved concessions. The 2025 season saw sellout crowds for every Big Ten home game, a trend that signals growing enthusiasm around the program.
How to Watch IU Football in 2025
Every IU football game broadcasts on national television. FS1 carries the first two non-conference matchups. Big Ten Network airs the Indiana State game. NBC handles the Old Oaken Bucket regular-season finale. Remaining conference games land on FOX, CBS, NBC, or Big Ten Network as the season progresses.
Streaming options include the Fox Sports app, Peacock (for NBC games), and Paramount+ (for CBS games). Most cable and satellite packages include the Big Ten Network, which streams live through the Fox Sports app with provider authentication.
Recruiting: The Future of IU Football
Curt Cignetti’s staff continues to build through high school recruiting and the transfer portal. The coaching staff has prioritized in-state talent while expanding its reach into talent-rich regions like Florida, Georgia, and Texas.
The 2026 recruiting cycle has seen early momentum, with several four-star prospects scheduling official visits to Bloomington. Top wide receiver prospect Tristen Sales has publicly expressed strong interest in playing for Cignetti. The combination of on-field results, NFL draft production, and facility investments makes Indiana an increasingly attractive destination for elite recruits.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is IU football?
IU football represents the Indiana University Hoosiers football program, which competes in the Big Ten Conference at the NCAA Division I FBS level. The program plays its home games at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Indiana. Under head coach Curt Cignetti, IU football captured the 2025 national championship with a perfect 16-0 record, marking the first title in program history.
Where can I find the official IU football schedule?
The official IU football schedule lives on the Indiana University Athletics website at iuhoosiers.com. Major sports platforms including ESPN, Fox Sports, and CBS Sports also maintain updated schedules with confirmed kickoff times and television assignments as the Big Ten announces them throughout the season.
Who is IU football’s head coach?
Curt Cignetti leads the IU football program. He took over in 2024 and posted an 11-2 record with a College Football Playoff berth in his first season. In 2025, he guided Indiana to a 16-0 national championship. Indiana signed Cignetti to an eight-year contract extension through 2033 worth approximately $11.6 million annually.
Is there an IU football game today?
To check if there is an IU football game today, visit iuhoosiers.com or check the Big Ten Conference website for the most current schedule information. During the season, kickoff times and TV details appear on the official schedule page. Major sports apps like ESPN and Fox Sports also show real-time game day information.
What was IU football’s record in 2024?
Indiana finished the 2024 season with an 11-2 overall record and an 8-1 mark in Big Ten Conference play. The Hoosiers earned a runner-up finish in the Big Ten and secured the program’s first-ever berth in the College Football Playoff, ending the season ranked No. 10 in the final AP Poll.
How can I buy IU football tickets?
Purchase IU football tickets through the official Indiana University Athletics website or by calling the athletic ticket office directly. Single-game tickets typically go on sale during the summer months. For sold-out matchups, verified resale platforms like StubHub and SeatGeek offer secondary market options. Season ticket packages provide the best value for fans planning to attend multiple games.
Keep Up With Every Snap of Indiana Football This Year
The 2025 IU football season delivered something no Hoosier fan will ever forget—a perfect record, a Heisman Trophy winner, and the program’s first national championship. Now the focus shifts to what comes next. Bookmark the official schedule page on your phone. Follow the program’s social channels for real-time updates throughout the year. Share this guide with fellow fans who want one reliable source for everything IU football.
Love talking Hoosier football? Drop a comment below with your take on the upcoming season—what matchup are you circling on the calendar?
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