Galen Clavio hosts a live CrimsonCast preview as Indiana football gets ready to open the 2026 season against North Texas at Memorial Stadium.
This is not a normal opener. Indiana enters the season as the reigning Big Ten champion and national champion, and Galen starts by talking through what it means to finally move from the afterglow of 2025 into the first real evaluation point of 2026. The Hoosiers are still carrying the memories of a perfect season, but now the question becomes what this team actually looks like once the ball is kicked.
A major early theme is avoiding assumptions. Indiana started slowly in each of Curt Cignetti’s first two openers, against FIU and Old Dominion, before eventually finding its rhythm. Galen argues that a slower start against North Texas would not necessarily be cause for panic, especially given the unusual nature of a Week 1 game against a rebuilt opponent. At the same time, there are real things IU fans should want to see: sharp execution, clean communication, physicality, and evidence that the new pieces are fitting together.
The North Texas side of the preview centers on just how much the Mean Green have changed. After Eric Morris left for Oklahoma State, the roster was rebuilt almost from scratch, leaving Indiana with an opponent that is difficult to evaluate from last year’s numbers. Former IU quarterback Tayven Jackson returns to Bloomington as the North Texas starter, and Galen talks through what Indiana fans remember from Jackson’s time with the Hoosiers, what he brings as a passer, and why this could be an extremely difficult matchup against Bryant Haines’ defense.
The other key North Texas offensive name is Jaheim White, who gives the Mean Green a proven running back option. But beyond Jackson and White, Galen sees major questions: an offensive line full of transfers who have not played together, a receiving corps without much proven production, and a system that may still be searching for identity. Against an Indiana front seven led by players like Tyrique Tucker, Mario Landino, Tobias Nsonwu, and Chiddi Obiazor, that is a tough place to start.
On the Indiana offensive side, the main storyline is Josh Hoover. Galen talks through what he wants to see from Hoover in his first game as IU’s starting quarterback, how the relationship with Tino Sunseri could matter on the sideline, and why Indiana may not need to ask Hoover to carry the whole offense right away. Ideally, the Hoosiers build a lead, get Hoover a clean debut, and create enough space to see Grant Wilson and possibly other backup pieces later in the game.
The running game is another major watch point. Galen expects Indiana to rotate heavily among Turbo Richard, Khobie Martin, and Lee Beebe Jr., with the offensive line asked to establish physical control against a North Texas defense that has not played together. He also raises the tight end question, where Brock Schott may be the most intriguing passing-game option, but Andrew Barker could have a major early role because of what he offers as a blocker.
The preview also gets practical. Galen spends time on weather, heat, crowd flow, stadium entry, water bottles, tailgate security, and the reality that a packed Memorial Stadium will require fans to get inside earlier than usual. He also announces the first CrimsonCast Dog of the Week.
The final segment zooms out to the season-long questions that matter most. Who replaces the leadership of players like Fernando Mendoza, Pat Coogan, and Aiden Fisher? Can players like Nick Marsh, Charlie Becker, Tyler Morris, and Hoover grow into the right roles? How does the team handle injuries and conditioning under Tyson Brown? And does this Indiana team still have the same physical, grinding, break-your-will identity that carried the Hoosiers to a national championship?