When Indiana football’s defense takes the field for the Rose Bowl, it’ll be shorthanded.
Stephen Daley, one of the Hoosiers’ top edge rushers this season, will be out with an injury suffered during the aftermath
of the Big Ten Football Championship game win over Ohio State. He was one of Indiana’s most productive defenders on the season, compiling 35 total tackles, 5.5 sacks and a whopping 19 tackles for loss, which is good for first in the Big Ten and second nationally in the FBS
Some of that strong production came against Ohio State, with Daley adding three tackles and a sack against the Buckeyes as part of a defensive performance that held them to just 10 points.
Among the concerns is that Daley himself was a depth option who stepped up after Indiana previously lost a different edge rusher, Kellan Wyatt, to injury against Michigan State.
We asked Indiana fans how confident they are in the Hoosiers’ defense despite the loss of Daley in a Reacts Survey, and the vast majority indicated that they’re confident in its ability to remain productive under coordinator Bryant Haines:
No. 1-seed Indiana takes on No. 9-seed Alabama in the 2026 Rose Bowl Game on January 1st in Pasadena, California.
