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College Football Predictions & Picks – Indiana To Win Back-To-Back Big Ten Conference Crowns
- Indiana lost 17 players to NFL ranks after a perfect season
- Coach Cignetti rebuilt fast through the transfer portal (18 new players)
- Key defensive returns and experienced transfers keep 2026 title hopes alive
Curt Cignetti of the Indiana Hoosiers (Getty Images)
Indiana’s road to national glory included a perfect Big Ten campaign a year ago, but can Curt Cignetti’s reloaded roster win back-to-back conference titles in 2026?
The easiest way to dismiss the Hoosiers’ chances of winning the conference is to look at what the Hoosiers lost in the offseason. Eight key pieces were selected in this year’s NFL draft – including Fernando Mendoza, Omar Cooper Jr, D’Angelo Ponds and Kaelon Black – while another nine landed on NFL rosters as undrafted free agents.
That is an enormous amount of talent to lose, but Indiana have something increasingly valuable in the modern college game. They have a proven ability to reload rather than rebuild via the transfer portal.
Indiana Reloaded For 2026
Cignetti has attacked the portal with the same aggressive philosophy that helped transform Indiana from a struggling program into a national champion – resulting in 18 new arrivals via the transfer portal.
The biggest transition comes at quarterback, with the Hoosiers having lost Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Mendoza to the professional ranks. They have brought in Josh Hoover from TCU – an experienced Power Four starter who threw for 3,472 yards and 29 touchdowns last season.
Indiana addressed the loss of other key pieces on offense too, luring Michigan State wide receiver Nick Marsh and Wisconsin offensive lineman Joe Brunner to the school. Brunner, who has played 39 games and made 24 starts in his college career, will help fill the void left by center Pat Coogan, who was selected by the Tennessee Titans in the sixth round of the NFL Draft.
And on defense, Cignetti has added reinforcements in the likes of Tulsa lineman Joe Hjelle and Penn State cornerback AJ Harris. In fact, the defense may be the biggest reason to believe the Hoosiers can remain atop of the conference in 2026.
Indiana have returned some integral parts of last season’s National Championship success in Tyrique Tucker and Mario Landino, while Stephen Daley and Kellan Wyatt are back after receiving additional eligibility. Daley led the Big Ten in tackles for loss in 2025, and the unit again has the benefit of defensive coordinator Bryant Haines – the reigning Broyles Award winner.
Can Hoosiers Repeat Perfect 2025 Campaign?
Despite all of this, there will be questions about whether or not Indiana can replicate their 2025 success that completed the programme’s turnaround under Cignetti.
The Big Ten is too talented to simply write off the likes of Ohio State and Oregon – but winning the conference does not require repeating that 16-0 campaign. It requires surviving the league’s biggest games, avoiding unnecessary losses and peaking in November – and Indiana has shown that they can do that.
Verdict
The Hoosiers have lost an extraordinary collection of NFL talent, but Cignetti has responded by reloading with experienced transfers, retaining important defensive pieces and building a roster designed for the realities of modern college football. The names may be different in 2026, but the standard is not.
That is precisely why Indiana should be considered a legitimate Big Ten championship contender – and why counting out the defending champions in the wake of all of the changes could be a mistake.
That is precisely why Indiana should be considered a legitimate Big Ten championship contender – and why counting out the defending champions in the wake of all of the changes could be a mistake.
Indiana
Big Ten Winner
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