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Indiana vs Northwestern Recap: Hoosiers Survive 29-23, Lee Beebe Jr. Runs Wild Sep 26, 2026

Show notes

Indiana football is 4-0 after surviving Northwestern 29-23 under the lights at Memorial Stadium. Galen Clavio and Scott Caulfield break down a sloppy but revealing Big Ten opener, including Lee Beebe Jr.’s 200-yard rushing performance, Josh Hoover’s uneven-but-clutch night, Turbo Richard’s injury and a defense that struggled to contain Aidan Chiles in the second half.

The Hoosiers made more mistakes than we are accustomed to seeing under Curt Cignetti — eight penalties, missed tackles, red-zone problems and several missed opportunities. But Indiana also responded when the game tightened. Hoover made plays with both his arm and legs, the offense scored on five of its final seven meaningful possessions, and IU leaned almost entirely on the running game to finish the night.

Galen and Scott also examine the advanced numbers, Indiana’s continuing goal-line problems, the offensive line, the officiating confusion early in the game, and why this performance may ultimately be more correctable than alarming. Plus: game balls, Memorial Stadium observations and a new batch of Scott sidebars.

Subscribe to the Back Home Network for more CrimsonCast coverage of Indiana football, IU Athletics and the Big Ten.

Indiana vs Northwestern: Friday Night Football, Fernando Mendoza & IU Expectations Sep 25, 2026

Show notes

Indiana football opens Big Ten play under the lights against Northwestern, and Galen Clavio is joined by Kamady Rudd to talk about the Friday-night atmosphere, cooler football weather, and what this matchup should reveal about the defending national champion Hoosiers.

After three games Indiana was expected to control, Northwestern represents the first conference test. Galen and Kamady discuss the expectations for Josh Hoover, Charlie Becker, Nick Marsh, Turbo Richard and an Indiana defense that fans are still waiting to see fully flex its muscle.

The conversation also turns to former IU quarterback Fernando Mendoza, whose latest partnership somehow makes fiscal responsibility entertaining. His new “Finance with Fernando” LinkedIn series continues a run of endorsement work that fits his personality remarkably well.

Plus: the eternal Indiana argument over whether fall is actually good, the latest CrimsonCast Dog of the Week, and score predictions for Indiana-Northwestern.

Subscribe to the Back Home Network for more CrimsonCast coverage of Indiana football and IU athletics.

Indiana vs Northwestern Preview: Advanced Stats, Interesting Matchups & IU’s First Big Ten Test Sep 24, 2026

Show notes

Indiana football opens Big Ten play Friday night against Northwestern, and this is the first matchup of 2026 that should tell us substantially more about the Hoosiers. Galen Clavio breaks down the Wildcats, the advanced metrics, Josh Hoover, Indiana’s running game, the secondary, and the matchups that could decide the game.

The numbers favor Indiana: the Hoosiers enter highly rated in FPI, SP+ and FEI, while Northwestern has been stronger defensively than offensively through its first two games. The most interesting areas are less straightforward, though. Indiana’s rushing success has been inconsistent, third-down efficiency needs improvement, and Northwestern’s defense has created takeaways and repeatedly kept opponents out of the end zone.

Defensively, the focus is on containing quarterback Aidan Chiles, generating pressure without giving him escape lanes, and seeing how Jamari Sharpe, Jaylen Bell and Ryland Gandy handle a more legitimate passing attack. Galen also looks at the offensive-line development, Northwestern corner Josh Fussell against Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh, and whether Turbo Richard and Lee Beebe Jr. can establish the run between the tackles.

The episode finishes with the major game-day storylines and Galen’s 34-18 Indiana prediction.

Subscribe to the Back Home Network for more CrimsonCast coverage of Indiana football, IU athletics and Big Ten football throughout the season.

Hoosier Network Preview: Nick Marsh, Kellen Wyatt & IU’s First Big Ten Test Sep 24, 2026

Show notes

Indiana football opens Big Ten play against Northwestern on Friday night, and this looks like a much different test than the Hoosiers’ first three games. Galen Clavio is joined by Hoosier Network reporters Andrew Garrison and Brooks White to break down the Wildcats, Indiana’s early-season questions, the return of Kellen Wyatt and Stephen Daley, and what to expect from Josh Hoover, Nick Marsh and Charlie Becker.

Northwestern enters conference play unbeaten under David Braun, with Chip Kelly’s offense giving the Wildcats a new identity. The group discusses how much can actually be learned from Northwestern’s small early-season sample, why Indiana should expect every opponent’s best shot as defending national champion, and whether some of IU’s uneven moments against Western Kentucky were simply part of a team still holding plenty back schematically.

On offense, the spotlight turns to Marsh and Becker against a Northwestern secondary that should tighten passing windows more than Indiana’s previous opponents. The episode also examines how Wyatt’s return raises the ceiling of Bryant Haines’ defense and what his role could look like as IU continues sorting out its personnel.

Plus, Galen checks in with Indiana volleyball before its Big Ten-opening homestand against UCLA and Maryland, including the team’s chemistry, leadership and expectations after a strong nonconference start.

CrimsonCASH: IU Betting Props, Oregon-USC & a Stupid Parlay Sep 24, 2026

Show notes

James and Scott are back to break down another college football betting card — and this week, Big Ten play takes center stage.

The guys dig into Indiana vs. Northwestern, including whether IU can cover a three-touchdown spread, first-quarter and first-half betting angles, and the Hoosier touchdown prop that could offer some value. Then it’s around the Big Ten for picks on Oregon-USC, Iowa-Michigan, Wisconsin-Penn State, Illinois-Ohio State and more.

Plus, CrimsonCASH adds a couple of new ways to make questionable financial decisions: The Stupid Parlay of the Week and Gambling With Grok, where AI gets $20 and one mission — figure out how to bet it.

🏈 On this episode:

Indiana vs. Northwestern: Is 21+ points too many?
IU first-quarter, first-half and touchdown props
Oregon at USC in one of the week’s biggest Big Ten matchups
Iowa-Michigan and an intriguing Hawkeyes spread
Nebraska-Michigan State
Notre Dame-Purdue
Wisconsin-Penn State
Illinois-Ohio State
UCLA-Maryland
The Hoosier Hot Streak
Keegan’s Slice of the Pie
The five-leg Stupid Parlay of the Week
The debut of Gambling With Grok 🤖💰

Drop your best bet of the week in the comments — and tell us whether you’re brave enough to tail the Stupid Parlay or trust your money to the robots.

CrimsonCASH is a proud podcast of the Back Home Network, presented by Homefield Apparel and Posh on Kirkwood.

Subscribe for more Indiana sports, college football talk, betting picks and plenty of questionable wagering decisions.

TIMESTAMPS / CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro / James & Scott
01:25 Nebraska at Michigan State
02:27 Minnesota at Washington
03:00 Oregon at USC
04:30 Notre Dame at Purdue
05:52 Iowa at Michigan
06:38 Wisconsin at Penn State
06:55 Howard at Rutgers
07:53 Illinois at Ohio State
08:17 UCLA at Maryland
09:25 Indiana vs. Northwestern betting preview
15:11 IU alternate betting lines
16:17 IU first-quarter & first-half bets
17:10 IU anytime touchdown props
18:13 Hoosier Hot Streak
19:30 Keegan’s Slice of the Pie: Oregon-USC
21:00 Stupid Parlay of the Week
23:18 Gambling With Grok 🤖

Chapter times above are adjusted to the actual show opening at approximately 7:55 in the source recording; pre-show setup has been excluded. Note: timestamps may not appear as clickable links for every listener depending on platform/app

Stephen Daley & Kellen Wyatt Eligible: IU Wins Major NCAA Court Ruling Sep 23, 2026

Show notes

Big news for Indiana athletics: Stephen Daley and Kellen Wyatt are eligible to play, after a Monroe County court granted temporary relief in the NCAA eligibility case. The ruling also affects Sam Alexis in men’s basketball, Avry Tatum in volleyball, IU swimmers, and other athletes involved in the case.

In this breaking CrimsonCast update, Galen Clavio explains what the court found, why the NCAA’s treatment of the 2022 recruiting class became central to the dispute, and how the organization’s move toward a five-years-to-play-five model created a major inconsistency. The ruling points specifically to how athletes from the 2022 class who had already played four seasons were excluded while redshirted athletes and later classes were treated differently.

Galen also breaks down the court’s criticism of the NCAA’s rulemaking process, previous eligibility exceptions involving COVID seasons, junior-college transfers and former professional athletes, and why the judge found immediate relief necessary with several college sports seasons already underway.

The temporary order is not necessarily the final word, but for Indiana the immediate impact is significant: Daley and Wyatt can return to the football defense, while Alexis and Tatum also regain eligibility for their respective IU programs.

Subscribe to the Back Home Network for more CrimsonCast, Indiana football, IU basketball and breaking Indiana athletics coverage.

Bison Briefing: No. 2 IU Soccer & No. 18 Volleyball in action, Indiana-Northwestern early preview, PFF Reality Check, Daley/Wyatt Update Sep 22, 2026

Show notes

Galen Clavio covers a packed week in Indiana Athletics, including No. 2 IU men’s soccer, No. 18 Indiana volleyball, Brooksley Colvin’s women’s basketball commitment and the latest on the eligibility cases involving Stephen Daley and Kellen Wyatt.

The football conversation turns toward Indiana vs. Northwestern on Friday night, when IU gets an exclusive national window on FOX. Galen discusses how dramatically the program’s place in college football has changed — and why this game provides the first major national showcase of the 2026 season.

Finally, Galen compares Indiana’s 2025 and 2026 PFF grades through the opening three games. Despite the criticism surrounding Josh Hoover and the Western Kentucky performance, the numbers show a team playing at a level remarkably similar to where last year’s national champions were at the same point. The run game still needs development, but the early data offers far more reason for patience than panic.

Indiana Basketball 2026-27 Schedule: Kentucky, Arkansas, Purdue & Big Ten Tests Sep 21, 2026

Show notes

The full Indiana basketball 2026-27 schedule is out, and it gives Darren DeVries and the Hoosiers something they badly need: meaningful résumé opportunities without an overwhelmingly difficult path. Galen Clavio and Scott Caulfield break down IU’s nonconference slate, the Big Ten schedule, the toughest stretches and what Indiana will need to do to get comfortably back into the NCAA Tournament.

The nonconference schedule is a major improvement. Kentucky is back, Arkansas awaits at Madison Square Garden, Syracuse provides another ACC opponent, and Indiana also gets power-conference games against UCF and Missouri. Rather than putting the entire résumé on one massive early-season matchup, IU has multiple opportunities to build a tournament case throughout November and December.

Then comes the Big Ten. Indiana opens conference play with Rutgers at Assembly Hall and a trip to Iowa before moving into a January stretch featuring USC, Oregon, Washington, Michigan and more. Galen and Scott discuss why the schedule looks manageable on paper — but also why Indiana’s recent history makes it dangerous to assume the Hoosiers will simply bank every game they are supposed to win.

A major theme is home-court performance. Indiana gets several of its more difficult opponents at Assembly Hall, including Michigan, Illinois, UCLA and Purdue. If this team wants to move beyond the NCAA Tournament bubble and become a legitimate upper-half Big Ten team, those home games have to become an advantage again.

The guys also dig into the current Bart Torvik projections, which see Indiana as a tournament-level team but show just how many close games could determine the season. Galen argues that this year's group needs to learn how to "exceed the median" rather than continually hovering around .500 in Big Ten play.

What would a successful regular season look like? Galen sees a path to roughly 23 wins if Indiana lives up to its talent level and takes care of business during the softer sections of the schedule. Scott agrees that the opportunity is there — but the Hoosiers have to stop turning projected wins into coin flips.

And basketball is coming quickly. Indiana's exhibition schedule begins in October, meaning football season will still be in full swing when the first real look at DeVries' second IU team arrives.

Subscribe to the Back Home Network for more CrimsonCast and Assembly Call coverage of Indiana basketball, IU football and Hoosier athletics throughout the season.

Indiana-WKU Recap: 38-0 Shutout, Josh Hoover Scrutiny, Run Game Questions, Defensive Growth & Northwestern Next Sep 20, 2026

Show notes

Indiana football is 3-0 after a 38-0 shutout of Western Kentucky, yet the reaction around the Hoosiers is surprisingly complicated. Galen Clavio and Scott Caulfield break down what Indiana actually did well, the growing scrutiny around Josh Hoover, the state of the running game and defensive front, and why a comfortable win can still leave fans wanting more.

The box score says domination: Indiana outgained Western Kentucky 513-186 and allowed only 49 yards in the second half. But the game did not always feel that way. Galen and Scott dig into the disconnect between the statistical performance and the eye test, including missed throws, third-down frustrations, inconsistent rushing lanes and a first half that felt flatter than the final score suggests.

Charlie Becker provides the highlight of the day with another explosive touchdown, while Hoover becomes the center of the larger conversation. His ball placement was uneven at times, but Galen and Scott push back on the idea that three games are enough to decide what kind of quarterback he can be. His early production remains comparable to where Kurtis Rourke and Fernando Mendoza were at the same stage of their Indiana seasons, and this offense is still learning what its most reliable answers will be.

The advanced numbers show a similar story. Indiana’s third-down performance against Western Kentucky was a legitimate weakness, but its season-long offensive efficiency remains solid. Turbo Richard flashed again in the running game, while Lee Beebe Jr. had a tougher afternoon as Western Kentucky focused heavily on stopping the run. The tight end room also remains a work in progress as Indiana searches for the kind of dependable third-down option it had in Riley Nowakowski last season.

Defensively, the Hoosiers have now pitched two shutouts in three games. Rolijah Hardy continues to emerge at linebacker, while Indiana’s defensive line and secondary are still working through personnel changes and early-season injuries. Galen and Scott discuss why there are still things to improve without losing sight of what the defense has actually accomplished.

The episode also covers the continuing eligibility uncertainty surrounding Stephen Daley and Kellen Wyatt, Charlie Becker getting a look as a punt returner, Fernando Mendoza’s latest State Farm campaign, and a first look at Indiana’s Friday-night Big Ten opener against Northwestern.

Subscribe to the Back Home Network for more CrimsonCast coverage of Indiana football, IU athletics, Curt Cignetti, Big Ten football and the Hoosiers throughout the 2026 season.

Fernando's State Farm Commerical, Indiana Hoops Schedule Vibe Check, and Dog(s) of the Week with Kamady Rudd Sep 18, 2026

Show notes

Indiana football is preparing for Western Kentucky, Fernando Mendoza is back on television in a new State Farm commercial, and the complete Indiana basketball schedule is finally here. Galen Clavio and Kamady Rudd cover all of it in a Friday CrimsonCast before another packed IU sports weekend.

The show starts with Indiana’s final nonconference football game. The Hoosiers dominated Howard and now face a Western Kentucky team that has traditionally given IU problems, even if the 2026 matchup looks much more favorable on paper. Galen and Kamady discuss what can still be learned from a heavily favored Indiana team: execution, focus, depth, and which second-unit players begin emerging before Big Ten play.

It is also going to be another hot afternoon at Memorial Stadium. They discuss the forecast, IU’s decision to allow sealed water bottles into the stadium, and what fans need to know before a long day of tailgating. A listener question leads to a larger conversation about taking young kids to an Indiana football game, including family-friendly tailgate ideas, the band and cheerleaders, the pregame walk, and the importance of letting toddlers dictate the timetable.

Then comes Fernando Mendoza’s new State Farm commercial. Galen and Kamady explain why the spot works so well, how it plays off Mendoza’s personality, and why his ability to make fun of his own wholesome reputation has made him such an enduring favorite with Indiana fans.

The second half turns to IU men’s basketball and the newly released 2026-27 schedule. The discussion covers the early neutral-site games, Arkansas at Madison Square Garden, Kentucky at Lucas Oil Stadium, UCF and Missouri, and a Big Ten slate featuring Michigan, Illinois, UCLA, Northwestern, USC, Oregon, Washington and Purdue. They also discuss the awkward timing of the late-season Purdue game and just how quickly basketball season is approaching.

The episode wraps with the CrimsonCast Dogs of the Week, as Fernando and Jordy earn this week’s honors.

Subscribe to the Back Home Network for more CrimsonCast coverage of Indiana football, IU basketball, Indiana athletics, the Big Ten and the Hoosiers all season long.

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