For as long as Indiana football has been around, the Hoosiers have never opened up a season as the defending national champions.
That will all change on Sept. 5 when Curt Cignetti and the sixth-ranked Hoosiers take the field for the first time in the 2026 season.
Indiana will open its title defense against North Texas at noon ET Saturday, Sept. 5 inside Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Indiana.
The Hoosiers hand the keys to their offense over to TCU quarterback transfer Josh Hoover, who threw for 3,472 yards and a career-high 29 touchdowns last season for the Horned Frogs. Charlie Becker, who came alive for the Hoosiers down the stretch last season, will look to be
one of Hoover's top targets and weapons this season. The 6-foot-4 wide receiver had 679 receiving yards and four touchdowns a year ago, and will be joined by Michigan State transfer Nick Marsh.
Watch Indiana vs North Texas live with Fubo (free trial)
Becker isn't the only notable returner for Cignetti's squad from last season's championship team. Indiana also returns defensive lineman Tyrique Tucker and linebacker Rolijah Hardy, both of whom received Preseason All-Big Ten Team honors by USA TODAY Network writers.
North Texas enters its first season under former West Virginia coach Neal Brown. The Mean Green will start former quarterback Tayven Jackson, who transferred to North Texas from UCF this past offseason.
Here's what to know about how to watch Saturday's Week 1 college football matchup between Indiana and North Texas:
Indiana vs North Texas prediction, picks, odds
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Tuesday, Sept. 1
- Spread: Indiana (-40.5)
- Over/under: 55.5
- Moneyline: N/A
Indiana 41, North Texas 3: Indiana has started slowly in each of its last two openers. In both 2024 and 2025, Week 1 felt like an exercise in shaking off rust, with final scores to show for it. Unlike last year against Old Dominion, though, Indiana enters Week 1 by far the more settled team. North Texas has a new coach and a new quarterback, and some questions on defense. Given the talent disparity, that’s a dangerous combination. — Zach Osterman, IndyStar
Indiana 49, North Texas 13: North Texas is no Old Dominion. With a new coaching staff and very few returning players, the Mean Green will struggle to keep up. Josh Hoover should have a better Hoosiers debut than Fernando Mendoza did, and the defense will make fewer mistakes than it did a year ago. The final scoring margin will likely depend on the second and third units gelling together. They should get plenty of reps on Saturday if the game goes as expected. — Michael Niziolek, Bloomington Herald Times
More USA TODAY staff picks:
- John Brice: Indiana
- Matt Hayes: Indiana
- Jordan Mendoza: Indiana
- Paul Myerberg: Indiana
- Erick Smith: Indiana
- Eddie Timanus: Indiana
- Blake Toppmeyer: Indiana
How to watch: What TV channel is Indiana vs North Texas football on today?
- TV channel: Fox
- Streaming options: Fox Sports Go app | Fubo (free trial)
Fox will broadcast Saturday's Week 1 matchup between Indiana and North Texas. Streaming options include the Fox Sports Go app (with a TV login) and Fubo, which carries Fox and offers a free trial to new subscribers.
Indiana vs North Texas time today
- Date: Saturday, Sept. 5
- Time: Noon ET
- Location: Memorial Stadium (Bloomington, Ind.)
The Hoosiers and the Mean Green are set for a noon ET kickoff on Saturday, Sept. 5 at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Indiana.
Be sure to check out USA TODAY Sports' new College Football Unfiltered podcast, hosted by USA TODAY Sports columnist Blake Toppmeyer. You can stream on YouTube or download via Apple podcasts and Spotify.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Indiana vs North Texas prediction: Defending champs hand keys to Josh Hoover
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