CrimsonCast

Indiana football is 2-0 and turns next to Western Kentucky, but this CrimsonCast episode is really about what the Hoosiers have learned so far — and what they still haven’t been tested on. Galen Clavio is joined again by Hoosier Network reporters Andrew Garrison and Brooks White to break down the Howard win, Indiana’s improving run game and defensive front, Josh Hoover’s mobility, injury questions, and what matters against the Hilltoppers.

The biggest positive from Howard was Indiana’s ability to get the running game back on track. Even without Khobie Martin, the Hoosiers leaned effectively on Turbo Richard and Lee Beebe Jr., while Josh Hoover’s passing volume stayed remarkably low. The group discusses how that rushing success opens up the RPO game and gives Indiana a much more flexible offensive foundation heading toward Big Ten play.

The defense also took a major step forward. After a quieter opener against North Texas, Indiana produced five sacks and 12 tackles for loss against Howard. The conversation gets into the depth of Bryant Haines’ defensive line, the emergence of more contributors, and why this group still has a chance to become the disruptive unit many expected before the season.

Injuries remain one of the bigger questions. A.J. Harris, Jamari Sharpe, Nico Radicic, and others have all dealt with issues, raising the question of whether Indiana should prioritize rest or use Western Kentucky as an opportunity to get key players valuable reps before conference play. Galen also asks about Nick Marsh, who did not start against Howard despite eventually playing and scoring.

Another major topic is Hoover’s mobility. He may not run like Fernando Mendoza, but the Howard game showed that Hoover can escape pressure, move laterally, buy time, and turn negative situations into manageable ones. The bigger unanswered question is what happens when Indiana’s pass protection faces a real Big Ten-level front.

The show closes with a Western Kentucky preview. The Hilltoppers have struggled badly through the opening weeks, and the matchup looks very different from the tight IU-WKU games of the recent past. The real goal for Indiana may be less about running up the score and more about getting cleaner reps, building chemistry, and preparing for the tougher stretch ahead.

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Indiana football turns toward Western Kentucky, and this Bison Briefing covers the Hoosiers’ next matchup, new NIL revelations involving former IU athletes, early concerns about the Big Ten, and a huge weekend for Indiana soccer and volleyball.

Galen Clavio opens with No. 2 Indiana men’s soccer preparing to host defending national champion Washington at Armstrong Stadium after the program’s best start since 1997. IU volleyball is also rolling, ranked No. 21 after wins over Cal Poly and Eastern Illinois and continuing to build on last season’s Sweet 16 run.

The football portion starts with Curt Cignetti’s latest media availability and the defensive progress Indiana showed against Howard. Galen looks at how Daniel Ndukwe, Stephen Daley, Kellen Wyatt, Tobi Osunsanmi, Chiddi Obiazor, Tyrique Tucker, and Mario Landino are fitting together up front, while Jamari Sharpe’s expected return gives the secondary another important piece heading into Western Kentucky.

The Hilltoppers have struggled badly through their opening games, giving Indiana another opportunity to sharpen personnel packages and build chemistry before Big Ten play. The larger question is how quickly IU can get its defensive front and secondary operating with the same kind of cohesion that emerged several weeks into last season.

Galen also explains why noon kickoffs continue to dominate major college football television windows, using the recent Ohio State-Texas ratings as an example of why Big Noon remains so valuable to Fox.

Then comes one of the most interesting parts of the episode: court testimony revealing NIL compensation involving Sam Alexis, Stephen Daley, and Kellen Wyatt. Galen argues that the numbers complicate the idea that Indiana simply “bought” a championship, and instead reinforce how effectively Curt Cignetti and his personnel staff identified undervalued players in the transfer market.

The listener Q&A also covers whether the Big Ten’s poor nonconference start could eventually hurt Indiana’s College Football Playoff résumé, why Khalil Benson may have slipped through the NFL evaluation process, why IU fans should stop correcting recruits who accidentally say “University of Indiana,” and whether the commitment of German center Felix Kiehlneker changes Indiana’s pursuit of five-star Darius Wabbington.

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Indiana football moved to 2-0 with a 55-0 win over Howard, and CrimsonCast breaks down what actually mattered in a game the Hoosiers controlled from start to finish. Galen Clavio and Scott Caulfield recap Charlie Becker’s three-touchdown day, the improved running game, Indiana’s defensive response, Josh Hoover’s uneven-but-promising performance, and a shortened fourth quarter at Memorial Stadium.

The show starts with the rarest part of the day: a 55-minute football game. With Indiana fully in control, the fourth quarter was shortened by five minutes, which Galen and Scott both saw as a smart, practical way to avoid unnecessary injuries after the Hoosiers had already gotten what they needed from the matchup.

From there, the “smooth and refreshing moment of the game” belongs to two very different things. Galen highlights Charlie Becker, who caught three touchdown passes and continues to look automatic in an Indiana uniform. Scott picks the five minutes that did not get played, because there was no reason to keep exposing players to hits in a game that had already been decided.

The football analysis begins with the box score and the big-picture correction from Week 1. Indiana dominated Howard statistically, with a massive yardage advantage, a shutout defense, cleaner penalties, and a more natural-looking rushing attack. Lee Beebe Jr. and Turbo Richard looked more decisive, the offensive line created better movement, and the run game felt more organic than it did against North Texas.

The defense also got the response it needed. After a frustrating opener, Bryant Haines’ group gave up almost nothing, adjusted after Howard’s opening drive, tackled better, produced pressure, and added another pick-six to Indiana’s growing defensive highlight reel. Younger players also got involved, including Keishaun Calhoun, who flashed with two sacks.

The biggest concern is still worth watching: Hoover’s downfield ball placement and ball security. Galen and Scott discuss the underthrows, missed deep-ball opportunities, the fumble that Lee Beebe Jr. recovered, and why none of it should create a quarterback controversy with Grant Wilson. Hoover is still clearly the guy, but there are correctable details that need to improve before Northwestern, Nebraska, and the heavier Big Ten schedule.

The second half of the show zooms out to the Big Ten’s rough weekend. Ohio State blew a 23-3 lead at Texas, raising familiar questions about physicality and late-game execution. Oregon looks shaky after coordinator turnover and a stunning loss to Oklahoma State. The broader league picture looks messy, with USC rising, Michigan still strange, Iowa grinding, Illinois and Purdue taking damaging losses, and the SEC conversation already looming over the national narrative.

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

Indiana football is not just winning games — it is changing how people see IU, Bloomington, and the entire Hoosier fan experience. In this CrimsonCast episode, Galen Clavio introduces Kamady Rudd to the Back Home Network family for a wide-ranging conversation about Josh Hoover, the new Indiana football culture, social media buzz, and the growing Bison Mafia movement.

Kamady brings a sports broadcasting background, IU roots, and a new role with The Media School, where she is helping lead the broadcast journalism curriculum. She and Galen start with her path from Brown County and Indiana University into television, sports coverage, sideline reporting, and now teaching the next generation of broadcasters.

From there, the conversation turns to the Hoosiers. After Indiana’s 52-16 win over North Texas and with Howard coming up, Galen and Kamady talk about what still feels surreal about IU football’s rise. The fan base is adjusting to a new reality after a Big Ten title and national championship, and there may not be a shortcut to fully understanding what Indiana has become.

The biggest on-field image from the opener was Josh Hoover’s bloody-face moment. Kamady argues that the image matters because it instantly gives fans and teammates a visual of toughness, leadership, and buy-in. Galen connects that to the larger question of team culture: each season has its own personality, and Indiana has to rebuild leadership after the unique presences of players like Fernando Mendoza, Kurtis Rourke, and Pat Coogan.

The second half of the episode moves into the cultural side of IU football’s rise. Galen and Kamady discuss influencers showing up in Bloomington, how social media can make IU look fun and exciting to prospective students, and why football success can reshape the university’s image in ways traditional media cannot. They also look at the student section, Greek life, tailgating, Bison Mafia, and whether Indiana could develop a more SEC-style football social culture while still keeping its own Big Ten identity.

The show closes with the CrimsonCast Dog of the Week contest, and this week’s co-winners: Sarah and Maximilian, submitted by Rob and Janet Baller.

Subscribe to the Back Home Network for more CrimsonCast coverage of Indiana football, IU athletics, the Hoosiers, Big Ten football, Bloomington culture, and the 2026 college football season.

Indiana football is back at Memorial Stadium for game two, and the Hoosiers’ matchup with Howard is less about proving they can win than proving they can sharpen the standard. In this live CrimsonCast preview, Galen Clavio breaks down the Howard Bison, explains the FBS/FCS divide, and looks at what Curt Cignetti’s team needs to show after a 52-16 opener against North Texas.

The show starts with the challenge of previewing an FCS opponent. Galen explains how the Football Bowl Subdivision and Football Championship Subdivision differ, why Howard’s place in the MEAC matters, and why this is still a useful game for Indiana even if the talent gap should be significant.

From there, the preview turns to Howard itself. The Bison were picked low in the MEAC, but their opening results suggest they may be more competitive than that projection. Quarterback Ja’Shawn Scroggins is the key name, giving Howard a legitimate dual-threat component with designed runs, scrambling ability, and enough passing-game activity to test Indiana’s defensive structure. The offensive line also has more size than a typical FCS front, including former Minnesota lineman De’Eric Mister.

For Indiana, the biggest storyline is the defensive response. Galen wants to see cleaner tackling, better run fits, more pressure up front, and a secondary that continues building chemistry after the North Texas opener. The point is not panic — it is that Bryant Haines’ defense has a clear opportunity to correct mistakes before the schedule gets tougher.

The episode also digs into Nick Saban’s “rat poison” concept and why this is exactly the kind of game where a top-five Indiana team has to avoid complacency. Galen discusses Cignetti’s public frustration with the defensive performance, why “stalking complacency” matters, and how the Hoosiers can use Howard week to sharpen habits, build depth, and get younger players real reps.

The live Q&A covers special teams, punt return explosiveness, Tyler Cherry as a possible QB3, Grant Wilson reps, the AP poll, Miami vs. Ohio State as future IU concerns, Stephen Daley and Kellen Wyatt, and former Hoosiers making noise in the NFL.

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

Ohio State getting points at Texas? Scott and James know which side they want. This week on CrimsonCASH, the guys break down the full Big Ten betting slate, unveil a new Hoosier Hot Streak pick, and put another questionable multi-leg parlay into the universe. 

After going 10-8 against the spread last week, Scott and James are back with their Week 2 picks and plenty of bets to sweat. James is riding Ohio State +1.5 at Texas, while the massive Indiana-Howard line forces the guys to get creative with this week’s Hoosier Hot Streak. Plus, Scott introduces his appropriately named “Stupid Parlay of the Week,” and James needs your help deciding where to put two $50 free bets. 

On this episode:

• 🏈 Big Ten Week 2 picks and betting breakdowns
• 🌰 Why James likes Ohio State as an underdog at Texas
• 🔴 Indiana vs. Howard and the Hoosier Hot Streak: Under 65.5
• 🍕 Ohio State-Texas takes center stage for Keegan’s Slice of the Pie
• 🤦 Scott’s seven-leg Stupid Parlay of the Week
• 💰 James turns sportsbook promos into free bets and parlays
• 👀 Oklahoma-Michigan, Wake Forest-Purdue, Iowa State-Iowa and more
• 🎯 James has two $50 free bets left — drop your best lock in the comments

What’s your best bet of the weekend? Give James your lock in the comments and help us put those free bets to work.

Follow CrimsonCASH and the Back Home Network for more Indiana, Big Ten and college football betting talk.

TIMESTAMPS / CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro / pre-show
03:30 Week 1 betting recap
05:25 Scott’s Stupid Parlay of the Week
06:41 Big Ten Week 2 picks begin
07:35 Oklahoma at Michigan
09:55 Wake Forest at Purdue
10:49 Penn State at Temple
11:24 Oregon at Oklahoma State
12:24 Duke at Illinois
12:39 Mississippi State at Minnesota
18:07 Iowa State at Iowa
18:47 Ohio State at Texas
20:29 Indiana vs. Howard
21:35 Hoosier Hot Streak: Under 65.5
23:30 Keegan’s Slice of the Pie: Ohio State vs. Texas
25:06 James’ free bets and parlay strategy
26:39 Help James pick his two $50 locks
27:24 Looking ahead & wrap-up

Note: timestamps may not appear as clickable links for every listener depending on platform/app.

Indiana football is 1-0, ranked higher than expected, and getting ready for game two against Howard. In this CrimsonCast episode, Galen Clavio is joined by Hoosier Network reporters Andrew Garrison and Brooks White to talk through IU’s 52-16 win over North Texas, the Hoosiers’ rise in the AP poll, injury concerns, and what to watch Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

The conversation starts with Indiana moving from No. 6 to No. 5 after the opener — a small but interesting sign of the program’s new national respect. Galen, Andrew, and Brooks discuss why the early AP poll still needs to be taken with a huge grain of salt, how voters treated Oregon after its opener, and why Indiana’s brand perception feels different than it used to.

From there, the show turns back to the North Texas game. Josh Hoover looked sharp in his first start, throwing four touchdowns on only 16 attempts, while Indiana’s short fields and strong return game helped shape the offensive numbers. The crew also digs into Hoover’s growing list of options, including Nick Marsh, Charlie Becker, Davion Chandler, and Brock Schott, and why the passing game already looks deeper than expected.

The biggest concerns come from the injury report. Khobie Martin is expected to miss time, which puts more pressure on Turbo Richard and Lee Beebe Jr. in the running back room. The cornerback injuries to A.J. Harris and Jamari Sharpe are also worth watching, especially for a secondary already replacing D’Angelo Ponds and still trying to settle into its 2026 identity.

The final segment looks ahead to Howard. The matchup may not offer a full scouting test, but it should give Indiana a chance to clean up defensive run fits, evaluate the cornerback depth, get more reps for the defensive tackles, and continue building chemistry in the tight end room. For a defending national champion, this is a week less about proving greatness and more about avoiding bad habits, sharpening execution, and getting more players ready before the schedule stiffens.

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

Indiana football turns toward Howard week, and this Bison Briefing covers the Hoosiers’ biggest watch points after the North Texas opener, plus a wide-angle look at college football’s biggest Week 2 games.

Galen Clavio opens with a reminder to check out the new CrimsonCast interview with Ben Portnoy, then moves through a packed Q&A covering IU football, the Big Ten, the College Football Playoff, and the broader Indiana athletics scene. The show also includes a quick look back at early CrimsonCast history, including the 2012 Indiana-UMass recap era and the old BlogTalkRadio days.

The football discussion starts with Indiana’s growing NFL footprint. Galen reacts to IU’s graphic of former Hoosiers on NFL rosters, including recent championship-era players like Riley Nowakowski, Elijah Sarratt, Aiden Fisher, D’Angelo Ponds, and Omar Cooper Jr., plus earlier standouts like Miles Price, Curtis Rourke, and CJ West.

From there, it’s on to the unofficial Big Ten/SEC weekend challenge: Oklahoma-Michigan, Mississippi State-Minnesota, and Ohio State-Texas. Galen gives his read on Michigan’s bounce-back chances, why Minnesota may be well-positioned against Mississippi State, and why Ohio State’s trip to Austin could tell us a lot about Julian Sayin, Arch Manning, and the early College Football Playoff race.

The IU-specific portion focuses on what to watch against Howard. Galen wants cleaner defensive execution, sharper tackling, fewer assignment issues, and more clarity in the defensive line rotations after the North Texas game. He also looks at whether Sean Cuono or another third running back gets meaningful reps with Khobie Martin injured and Turbo Richard and Lee Beebe Jr. leading the rotation.

The show closes with a reaction to an excerpt from Zach Osterman and Mike Niziolek’s upcoming book, Unthinkable to Unstoppable, including Curt Cignetti’s “pray for Oregon” line, Indiana’s defensive game plan against Dante Moore, and what that Oregon win revealed about IU’s rise into a national power. Galen also gives shoutouts to Indiana men’s soccer, now surging near the top of the national rankings, and IU volleyball, which finally comes home to Wilkinson Hall.

Subscribe to the Back Home Network for more CrimsonCast, Bison Briefing, Indiana football, IU athletics, Big Ten football, and college football coverage all season long.

College football is getting weird fast, and Ben Portnoy joins CrimsonCast to break down three of the biggest stories in the sport: the LSU-SEC standoff, the ongoing Michigan-Western Michigan clock controversy, and the next phase of College Football Playoff expansion.

Galen Clavio welcomes Portnoy back to the show after his move from Sports Business Journal to Fox Sports, where he is now covering college football and college sports on a bigger national stage. The conversation starts with the wild LSU situation, where the SEC’s fight over eligibility rules, lawsuits, governance, and potential penalties has turned into a test case for whether conferences can actually enforce their own rules in the modern college sports era.

From there, Galen and Ben turn to the Michigan-Western Michigan finish, the MAC’s public challenge, the Big Ten’s handling of replay protocol, and why the entire situation has become a black-box credibility problem for college football. They discuss whether Western Michigan has a legitimate argument, what the Big Ten did and did not clear up, and why the College Football Playoff committee may now have to deal with a very strange résumé question.

The final major topic is playoff expansion. Ben explains what it actually means for the CFP to open a window with ESPN, why a move toward a larger playoff is still procedural rather than guaranteed, how much money an expanded format might generate, and why the NFL’s next media rights cycle and the SEC’s own television deal could be hovering over the whole process.

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The Michigan-Western Michigan clock controversy is not over. In this CrimsonCast / Back Home Network short, Galen Clavio breaks down the Mid-American Conference’s statement, the Big Ten replay ruling, and why the technology behind the game clock matters.

Galen walks through the MAC’s argument that replay protocol was not properly followed at the end of the Michigan-Western Michigan game, where one second was put back on the clock and Michigan was awarded an additional play. The discussion explains why the program feed clock matters, what the Big Ten replay system appeared to use instead, and why Western Michigan’s potential College Football Playoff case could make this more than a normal officiating controversy.

From there, Galen gets into the technical side: how stadium scoreboard clocks feed broadcast graphics, how ISO feeds work, why NBC’s visible scoreboard shot matters, and why claims about latency or a separate embedded replay clock raise more questions than answers. The episode also revisits the broader issue of transparency in college football replay — especially when a timing decision can change the outcome of a game.

This is a detailed, skeptical breakdown of the “secret Michigan clock” controversy, the MAC’s response, and why the explanation needs to match both the replay protocol and the actual broadcast technology.

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