Indiana at The Voice of College Football

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Indiana at The Voice of College Football episodes

October 19INDIANA - Ohio State Postgame LIVE
Indiana vs. Ohio State Postgame LIVE
Hosts: Alec Keezer & Bradley Loomis
Guest: Jamie Jordan (IE Reactionary Hoosier Huddle)
Presented by FanDuel | IndianaVOCFB
Opening & Perception Shift (~00:00:32–00:05:00)
Hosts and guest open on the strange feeling after a heartbreaking home loss: national media and betting markets (IU +850 to win the national title, 5th on FanDuel) have largely rounded into viewing Indiana as a legitimate contender rather than writing them off.

Immediate postgame takes online were harsh, but the panel pushes back: this was an absolute rock fight, not a blowout. Both defenses were elite; IU did not get “their asses kicked.”

Contrast with last week’s Nebraska win (outplayed but found a way) vs. this game (IU largely outplayed Ohio State but failed to finish). Opportunities were there; execution was not.

Broader context of parity: multiple top-5 teams lost (some to unranked teams). “Bad win / quality loss” SEC-style framing feels odd for this IU program in the Cignetti era.
Game Overview, Should-Have-Won Narrative & Championship Caliber (~00:05:00–00:08:30)
Brad’s take: IU should have been leading or tied going into the fourth. Multiple missed opportunities; it came down to inches. Feels like a matchup of two of the best teams in the country; IU lost that day but proved championship-level capability for the first time this season in Brad’s view.

Alec and Jamie echo that the game was winnable. Not playing their absolute A-game, yet still had the ball with a chance late and a strong case they should have won.

Defense was the story. Both units were outstanding. Offenses were limited.
Quarterback Discourse: Julian Sayin & Josh Hoover (~00:08:30–00:15:00)
Sayin (OSU) struggled after the scripted opening drive and was later injured (expected to miss multiple weeks per Ryan Day). Panel does not view either QB as “bad”—both faced elite defenses and coordinators.

Hoover (IU) had clear misses (open receivers, including a wide-open Brock Schott early that set a poor tone, and the late throw to Nick Marsh that went out of bounds). He also made some good throws and avoided interceptions.

Heavy targeting of Charlie Becker (17 of 36 targets). Tunnel vision / not working through progressions is a noted issue. Passing game showed some rhythm and out-routes for first downs despite the stalled run game.

Hoover’s postgame comments were encouraging and consistent with his demeanor after wins. Panel is not overly panicked on him but clear he must execute better when the run is taken away.
Run Game Concerns & Offensive Identity (~00:15:00–00:22:00)
Major theme: IU’s run game was completely stuffed (near-zero yards after contact, zero missed tackles forced by RBs, Hoover the only first down on the ground). Nebraska blueprint was copied by Ohio State—sell out to stop the run and make Hoover beat you.

This is the first multi-game stretch in the Cignetti era where the run has looked this limited against quality opponents. Offensive line has been solid in pass protection but inconsistent in run blocking.

Missing elements from prior years: WR screens, tight-end screens, and quick lateral concepts that stretch defenses and keep safeties from walking down. Teams are now willing to give up occasional explosive plays to force IU into one dimension.

Jamie’s numbers highlight how uncharacteristic it was (e.g., Turbo Richard and others had zero forced missed tackles after strong season totals). Running backs are talented; another quality one is returning. Ceiling is limited until the run is re-established, as it remains the foundation of the Cignetti offense.

Counterpoint from Alec: against seven-man boxes and elite defenses, the run being shut down is not always “broken”—receivers were open and plays were available. Execution and timing are the bigger issues.
Defense, Jeremiah Smith, and Key Positives (~00:47:00–00:55:00)
IU defense was elite and the most impressive unit on the field. Held Jeremiah Smith to a pedestrian line (4 catches, limited yards + a TD on a contested/underthrown ball). Secondary (AJ Harris impact noted), front, and overall physicality stood out. Multiple pressures and “stops.”

Game plan for Smith was outstanding (varied brackets, looks in the slot, jet sweeps, etc.). Brian Hayes receives heavy praise as a tactician who diagnoses and adjusts in real time.

Atmosphere in Bloomington was outstanding—students, crowd, and town energy were electric despite some logistical growing pains. Crowd impacted OSU (false starts, especially late with the backup).

Other notes: fumble luck has been absent this year (another forced fumble not recovered); individual WR miscues (Davion Chandler fumble, Marsh’s late catch) are viewed as uncharacteristic rather than systemic.
Looking Ahead, Michigan, Playoff Picture & National Context (~00:55:00–01:16:00)
Both defenses looked championship-caliber. IU controls its destiny despite the loss; one loss is not disqualifying in the current landscape. Still viewed as heavy favorites in remaining games (including USC).

Michigan next: good run defense is a concern given recent struggles, but panel expects IU to respond. Historical precedent (last regular-season loss in 2024 followed by a dominant win) is referenced positively. “We’re on to Michigan.”

National parity discussion: only a handful of undefeateds remaining; dogs covering at high rates. 24-team playoff talk is viewed favorably for creating more meaningful games and allowing teams to develop. Brad and Alec discuss their betting records and current playoff field thoughts.

Guest reveal: Steve Calhoun (QB coach connected to Jordan Love / Trinidad Chambliss) upcoming for Michigan/Bryce Underwood discussion.

Closing tone: frustrating loss because opportunities were left on the field, but the program’s standing, defensive performance, and remaining path leave the panel encouraged rather than deflated. Ohio State earned the win; IU is still very much in the conversation.
Overall tone: Measured optimism. The loss stings due to missed plays and stalled run game, but the performance against a top team, elite defense, positive media/betting perception, and control of destiny dominate the discussion. Execution (especially Hoover and the run) is the clear fix needed.

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1 hr 17 min
October 14Indiana vs Ohio State: Setting the Stage w/ Galen Clavio / Indiana Hoosiers LIVE 103
Indiana Hoosiers LIVE 103 Episode Notes
Indiana vs. Ohio State: Setting the Stage w/ Galen Clavio
Hosts: Alec Keezer & Bradley Loomis | Special Guest: Galen Clavio (Crimson Cast / Back Home Network; IU Associate Dean of Undergraduate Affairs, Director of the National Sports Journalism Center, sports media professor, IU alum & native)
Intro & Guest Setup (00:00:32 – ~01:25)
Show opens with “This is Indiana Hoosiers Live!” and FanDuel presentation.

Framed as a “massive week” requiring a “massive guest.”

Galen Clavio introduced as the “Indiana Podfather.” Hosts note his Pasadena shirt (intentional continuity) and dual identity as longtime media voice + IU academic/administrator.

Clavio confirms he called this the biggest sporting event in Bloomington history on College Football with Sam earlier in the day.
Historic Scale of the Game (~01:25 – ~03:05)
Clavio expands: Big basketball games (UNC/Duke, Izzo) have always been major, but football occupies a higher echelon because of sheer in-person capacity.

Never had a top-5 vs. top-5 matchup at Memorial Stadium. Closest was the 1967 finale vs. Purdue (Purdue ~#3; IU had been ranked most of the year before a Minnesota loss knocked them out). Classic “Indiana move.” IU won, claimed a Big Ten title, and reached their only Rose Bowl.

Current gravity is underplayed nationally: recent national champions (or near-champions), last year’s Big Ten title-game rematch, elite metrics so far this year, stars on both sides, and strong coaching. Peak fall weather in Bloomington adds to the atmosphere.

Hosts emphasize football as the American sport and college football as the crown jewel; IU is finally part of that conversation at the highest level.
Bloomington as a College Town Handling a Massive Football Event (~03:09 – ~06:30)
Clavio: Classic college-town limitations (hotel capacity). Fans are spilling to Indy and Louisville.

Strength: Tailgate/party scene is tightly concentrated around the stadium and spills toward campus/Kirkwood. Noon kickoff creates a concentrated 4–5 hour buildup, the game, then a postgame party flowing back downtown.

Expect a madhouse atmosphere.

Series history: Historically one-sided; last IU home win over Ohio State was in the Reagan era. This should be the first time the crowd is predominantly Indiana. Clavio floats the possibility of ~50,000 of the ~55,000 seats being IU fans.

Ohio State fans did not overwhelm Lucas Oil for the Big Ten title game last year.
Football Success Transforming the Campus & Town Ecosystem (~06:32 – ~09:10)
Impact is campus-wide, not just town. Clavio has been tied to IU for nearly 30 years (student then faculty; attended games in the ’80s with his parents). Football was long a curiosity or something to avoid.

Current students (freshmen/sophomores, some juniors) have never seen a home loss at Memorial Stadium. Some are choosing IU specifically because of the football program.

Everyday life: His own kids (6th and 3rd grade) hear classmates talking about IU football and even listening to Crimson Cast—something unimaginable five years ago, even during the 2020 Gator Bowl / fringe-playoff season.

National title + undefeated run gave the community something basketball hadn’t delivered in years. The feeling is sticky and hard to replicate. Fewer games raise the stakes of each one.
Fan Mindset Shift After the Rapid Rise (~09:10 – ~15:00)
Hosts note the program’s stated goal when the podcast launched (post-Cignetti hire) was simply consistent 8-4 seasons and destination bowls. The jump to a national title in year two skipped steps and rewired the “same old Indiana” narrative.

Hypothetical: If Miami had scored on the final drive in the title game, the fan-base psychology would be entirely different.

Clavio’s lottery-winner analogy: From a late-2023 Ross-Ade loss to a national title ~25–26 months later is an insanely compressed timeline. Fans (and outsiders) correctly note “you people don’t know how to act.” There is beauty in the newness, but also growing pains.

First real adversity will be clarifying (Nebraska first-half panic on social media cited as an early example). Standards and passion are good; sustained success requires learning how to process non-perfect results without defaulting to old narratives.

Cignetti’s leadership, staff, and the team’s response in tough moments (Nebraska) are viewed as major advantages. Culture is still being forged; the tailgate scene was already strong, but the emotional relationship to the program is newer.

Hosts and Clavio agree the program is lucky to have Cignetti and that these high-stakes home games help build the necessary identity.
Crowd Expectations & Advice for Saturday (~15:00 – ~19:30)
Expect a heavily IU crowd with some Ohio State presence (not zero, and not the near-empty Nebraska 2024 situation). Not the 1998 environment where Ohio State chants took over late.

Fans need to be loud and timed. The stadium can get loud enough to matter, especially with the current setup. Michigan game two years ago served as a successful stress test.

Get-in prices have sat at $400–500+ since tickets went on sale in spring/summer; demand is real. Energy already palpable in town.

Goal: Make life difficult for Julian Sayin—force silent counts on third downs and create problems when Ohio State is backed up near the north end zone (student section advantage in the current configuration). Students need no extra motivation.

Early spark (block-punt style moment like last year’s Illinois game) would supercharge the building.
Takeaways on the 2026 Indiana Team So Far (~19:30 – ~23:50)
Talent is clear; full-system efficiency has been inconsistent. Closest to last year’s relentless style came against Western Kentucky, Howard, and the first half of Rutgers.

Team is rounding into form: Tobias Innes asserting himself, Stephen Daly back and effective, Josh Hoover completing ~70% with no interceptions (missed throws are normal), Nick Marsh emerging, strong backfield (possible Kobe Martin return).

Mentally resilient—handles adversity and still finds ways to win (Nebraska road environment was tougher than prior weeks).

Schedule has been harder early than last year (Northwestern and Nebraska are legitimately good offenses). Surviving those tests is meaningful.

This game is the schedule’s fulcrum point (analogous to last year’s Oregon game timing). Clavio believes the team is poised for its best performance of the year; many view it as the third round of a three-game series with Ohio State that began in 2024. Defensive front could be a difference-maker. Cignetti has a strong track record in these types of contests.
Non-Football X-Factors (~24:00 – ~26:00)
Combination of crowd confidence and weather.

If Ohio State jumps to an early lead, how do IU fans react? Can the crowd still rally the team over 60 minutes?

Weather looks ideal: ~57°, light wind—clean conditions for Indiana’s offense (contrast to the hot, windy Nebraska environment).

Clavio wants both the crowd engaged early and the offense free to operate.
Immediate Post-Interview (~26:14 – ~30:00)
Hosts praise the segment and Clavio’s credentials (pushback against any “amateur” chat comments).

Brief Goon Poll note: Expanded consideration to top-30 for quality-win tracking; little movement; several teams still need to prove themselves this weekend. Kentucky up slightly, Northwestern down slightly.

Nebraska-game players of the week: Special teams Nico; offense Nick Marsh; defense Isaiah Bones-Jones (scout team mentions of Quentin Clark and Parker Elmore).

Discussion of the Bear Alexander incident: Hosts highlight both the punch and an earlier dive at Nico’s knees as particularly dirty.
Weekend Slate Discussion & Picks (later in episode, ~1:54:40 onward)
The show transitions into a full slate rundown with leans, spreads, and commentary. Key notes from the available discussion include:
Ole Miss–Missouri: Mixed lean; one host likes the points with Missouri, the other leans Ole Miss bounce-back under Golding with Chambliss. Historical note that Ole Miss has not beaten Missouri since 1974.

UNC at Duke: Both lean UNC (rivalry, defense travel, recent results).

Auburn at Georgia: Both take Georgia (Kirby treatment, home trends).

Arizona State at Texas Tech: Split— one takes the points with ASU (Kenny Dillingham lean), the other takes Texas Tech revenge cover.

Alabama–Tennessee (Third Saturday in October): Both take Alabama (pissed-off team coming off last week, offensive mismatch concerns for Tennessee despite solid defense). Both teams wearing home jerseys.

Penn State at Michigan: Both begrudgingly take Michigan -6.5 (chaos-hardened program, noise advantage) despite broader program issues.

Louisville at Syracuse: Both lean Louisville.

Kentucky at Oklahoma: Extended discussion. Both ultimately lean Kentucky +6.5 (Will Stein buy-in, offensive answers for the QB, possible Oklahoma emotional letdown after Red River).

Arkansas at Vanderbilt: Both lean Vanderbilt.

TCU at Baylor: Both take Baylor / Aranda.

Florida State at Miami: Both expect a Miami blowout (talent, QB, rivalry context).

Oklahoma State at Houston: Both lean Oklahoma State (better team lean, offense vs. offense, coach preference).

Wisconsin at UCLA: Both take UCLA (home, run game/defense, week to prepare backup QB Ty Diefenbach; 1998 Rose Bowl revenge angle for one host).

Notre Dame at BYU: Both like BYU +10.5 / outright lean (Provo magic, tough road test for Notre Dame).

Wake Forest at Cal: Both lean Wake Forest (better team traveling west, Purdue result looks better in hindsight).

Utah at Colorado: Both take Utah (fade Colorado).

Nebraska at Oregon: Both like Nebraska outright (close result vs. Indiana, Oregon’s recent issues).
Closing notes touch on Indiana basketball adding a 2029 class commitment (Micah Moeller) and standard show plug/shoutouts.
Overall episode tone: High anticipation for Saturday’s atmosphere and the stakes of the game as a defining moment for the current Indiana program and fan base, balanced with realistic discussion of growth, adversity, and the broader slate. Clavio’s long institutional perspective is the centerpiece.

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2 hr 28 min
October 12INDIANA - Nebraska Postgame LIVE
Indiana–Nebraska Postgame LIVE (IndianaVOCFB)
Hosts: Alec Keezer & Bradley Loomis (with Jamie Jordan of IU Reactionary / Hooser Huddle)
Focus: Indiana’s road win at Memorial Stadium (now 6-0), second-half adjustments, Nebraska’s quality as an opponent, national narrative, defensive depth/performance (including Preston Zachman and AJ Harris), offensive stars (Josh Hoover, Nick Marsh, Charlie Becker, Trevor Gibbs), and the Ohio State preview. Presented by FanDuel.
Chapter 1: Opening / Nebraska Preview & Ohio State Odds (~0:32–3:39)
Keezer and Jordan note Indiana is +158 (plus money) at home vs. Ohio State next week on FanDuel. Jordan likes the “scrappy underdog” role; it often suits this team better than being the hunted.

Big game next week; ESPN’s College GameDay going to BYU–Notre Dame instead of Bloomington is “on brand” but a perceived slight. Both acknowledge BYU is legit and the full weekend is strong.

Excitement over 6-0; Jordan was “crashing out” mid-game but is glad the win happened.
Chapter 2: Analyzing the Nebraska Game (~3:39–6:56)
Indiana was never truly out of it despite not playing its best early. Caution against over-comparing 2025 (Iowa) to 2026: seasons are different even if both involved gritty road wins vs. solid teams.

Jordan viewed the Iowa parallel more as a seasonal “pocket” (gritty road win without peak form) than identical teams. Nebraska impressed him more on both sides; he came away higher on them.

Team win: adjustments, Hoover/Marsh impact late. Ceiling remains high even if dominance levels differ from last year.
Chapter 3: Playing Conditions & Impact (~6:56–10:02)
Crowd was loud and up for the game (sellout streak context noted). Wind (roughly 17–35 mph gusts) was a major factor, harder to fully convey on TV than in person.

Wind hurt Indiana’s deep passing more (Nebraska stuffed the run and dared them to throw). Hoover missed a wide-open ~98-yard TD opportunity. Nebraska’s kicker missed a FG that proved costly.

Conditions favored Nebraska’s plan of forcing Indiana into the air while limiting explosive runs. Both sides felt it, but it amplified Nebraska’s defensive approach until IU adjusted.
Chapter 4: Evaluating Nebraska as an Opponent (~10:02–13:51)
Lean: Nebraska is legitimately good (not just “Indiana struggled”). 83 offensive plays vs. IU’s 44 reflects a strong plan. Eye test + season-long performance (only loss to IU; FPI top-20 range).

Parallel to Northwestern: both teams are better than national perception suggests. Cignetti’s teams show a recognizable “look” vs. quality opponents with athletes and good coaches (Hogerson/Kelly influence noted).

Credit due for two solid wins; not coping. Oregon (or whoever) faces a tough matchup. Nebraska likely underrated post-game.
Chapter 5: National Narrative & Bias (~13:51–17:00)
Frustration with double standards: IU must “prove it” repeatedly against unranked-but-good teams. AP voters often box-score driven. Northwestern and Nebraska should carry more respect.

After 2024–2025 success and playoff dominance, residual spite/bias persists. Hypothetical: even an Ohio State win might get spun as “Ohio State isn’t that good.”

Big Noon-style justification used for other programs (e.g., BYU’s recent track record) not equally applied to Cignetti’s run (22+ straight at points).
Chapter 6: Defensive Performance Review (~17:00–22:28)
Nebraska scored 10 in Q1, only 7 the rest. Bryant Haynes’ second-half plan (dropping 7–8, pressure from the field side, forcing Kandria to the boundary) was brilliant.

Depth and athletes allowed IU to improve as snap counts rose (unusual late-game strength). AJ Harris (criticized earlier) made key plays; potential as a bigger corner who can help vs. the run if he finds form.

Preston Zachman: solid overall, interception called back on a roughing call, positioned well on another. Learning curve after limited spring/fall camp reps; not as bad as timeline criticism suggests.

Overall: defense clamped down after early issues. Jordan believes IU would have scored more (and Nebraska less) with an extra quarter. Good sign heading into Ohio State and Michigan.
Chapter 7: Preston Zachman Debate (~22:28–26:05)
Criticism often lacks film-based specifics on responsibilities (zone coverage, etc.). Staff prioritizes and continues playing him.

Physical plays (e.g., big hit on a catch), improving as he gets more reps in the system. Safeties judged on run support, deep coverage, and not getting cooked deep—hasn’t been a major issue.

Best game of his so far in this one; process takes time (limited prior playing time).
Chapter 8: Second-Half Adjustments & Brad’s Take (~26:05–34:05)
Brad (joining mid-show): Nebraska moved IU around early; gut-check game. He sees Nebraska as potentially beating Oregon and winning ~10 games (top-15/20 range, first out or bubble).

Second half: IU adjusted, outscored 17-7, better team. Depth and coaching made the difference. Nebraska’s plan (stuff run, make them throw) was strong until IU solved it.

Not overreacting: good road win vs. a quality team that may have played its best game. Physicality matched up; some missed opportunities on both sides.
Chapter 9: Team Growth Potential & Extra Gear (~34:05–38:36)
Strong disagreement with the idea that there’s “no next gear.” Mobile QBs (Kandria, earlier Aiden Childs) have forced adjustments in real time; team is still growing.

Hoover’s command, pocket presence, and scrambles (plus explosives to Marsh) show upside. Second-half dominance suggests another level remains. Pressure-cooker environments can unlock it.

Cignetti’s mid-game adjustments (rare for many coaches) were decisive.
Chapter 10: Coaching Brilliance & Strategy (~38:36–43:57)
Cignetti’s film work highlighted (stole a play from Colts/Kansas years ago with Jaylen Daniels; gave credit). Schemer rather than pure “run it anyway” ego coach.

Nebraska adjusted too in the second half; both sides competent. Measuring stick: how close other teams get to the usual top tier.

Iowa comparison revisited: 2026 Nebraska viewed as better (more explosive, mobile QB X-factor). Memorial Stadium tough; Lincoln even more so. Nebraska schedule remaining (Oregon, etc.) could put them in playoff conversation if they win out or close.
Chapter 11: Offensive Execution & Run Game (~43:57–48:20)
Run game between the guards limited (9 carries, 14 yards per PFF). Outside runs more effective; persistence inside may have been setting up one-on-ones for Marsh/Becker. Wind influenced shot selection.

Third-down disparity: Nebraska 8/11 first half, 2/7 second half; IU 1/10 overall yet still won. Time of possession heavily favored Nebraska early.

Big plays from Marsh (slant, contested catch, etc.) and Becker. Matt Rhule noted IU’s tempo caused a personnel misidentification on a key snap. Blueprint: stuff the run, force Hoover to beat you one-on-one.
Chapter 12: Depth, Turnovers & Special Teams (~48:20–59:03)
Defensive line/front depth was a strength (high snap counts but improving late: Landino, Daly, Tucker, etc. rotating). Unlike last year, horses replaced horses. Wyatt, Oseni, and others contributed.

Missed tackles (13) a concern to clean up before Ohio State’s speed.

Turnovers: Zachman’s near-INT wiped by penalty; two Nebraska fumbles unrecovered. Missed FG and turnovers on downs treated as big by Cignetti. Hoover: high TD total, zero INTs. Ball security a hallmark.

Special teams: Radic reliable; punting mixed in the wind. Field position skewed late by turnovers on downs.
Chapter 13: Statistical Nuances & Impact (~52:50–1:01:46)
Raw yardage (Nebraska more total yards on far more plays) doesn’t tell the full story. IU ~7.45 yards per play. S&P+ postgame win expectancy favored IU (~67%).

Narrative of total domination overstated; first half was the main struggle. Second half flipped the dynamic. Extra quarter likely favors IU further.

Advanced metrics still rate IU highly (top-5 range) and Nebraska on the bubble (~14).
Chapter 14: Offensive Stars & Playmakers (~1:01:46–1:10:15)
Opposing blueprint: load the box, put best corner on one receiver—Marsh or Becker will win one-on-ones. Marsh’s breakout (physical, contested catches, YAC) validated the portal addition.

Hoover’s command and decision-making strong; missed deep shots noted but overall solid.

Trevor Gibbs (true freshman TE) emerging with dump-offs and production; athletic profile noted (linebacker/defensive line versatility in high school). Looks similar to prior tight ends.

Marsh/Becker as complementary weapons (possession/reliable vs. leaper/deep threat); both block well.
Chapter 15: Looking Ahead to Ohio State & Slate (~1:10:15–end)
Ohio State at home: IU plus money viewed as disrespectful given home streak under Cignetti and matchup angles (pass rush vs. less mobile QB, secondary vs. non-Jeremiah Smith options).

GameDay to Provo accepted as reasonable given the full slate. UCLA’s win at Oregon highlighted; path and ceiling discussed (possible playoff contender but levels exist).

Big Ten playoff math: undefeateds (IU, others) and quality one-loss teams. Nebraska/Northwestern/Iowa tier could produce more contenders if they win out.

Hoover’s efficiency (high TDs, no INTs) praised relative to last year’s Mendoza start. Team still has another gear; home environment a major factor.

Closing: Preview show Tuesday night for IU–Ohio State. Strong coaching staff and growth trajectory emphasized.
Key Takeaways
Win was a team effort with clear second-half adjustments on both sides; Nebraska is a quality, underrated opponent (top-15/20 range).

Defense improved via scheme and depth; Zachman and Harris contributions underappreciated by some.

Offense has the playmakers (Marsh breakout, Hoover command, Gibbs emergence) to punish loaded boxes.

National bias/narrative remains a frustration; Cignetti’s process and mid-game adjustments are differentiators.

Ohio State is the clear next measuring stick; plus money at home is notable. Depth, tackling cleanup, and continued growth will be critical.

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1 hr 36 min
October 07Indiana vs Nebraska Preview and Predictions / Indiana Hoosiers LIVE 102
Indiana Hoosiers LIVE 102, presented by FanDuel on IndianaVOCFB. Hosts Alec Keezer and Bradley Loomis. Road preview of Indiana at Nebraska (Big Noon, Memorial Stadium), plus the Goon Poll, smoke, and the FanDuel slate.
Setup
Second road game in two weeks, and the first true road test. Lincoln is expected to pack about 90,000.

Keezer just came off Corn Nation’s Monday Night Therapy with Minnie Hunt and a NebraskaVOCFB hit. Postgame coverage note: NebraskaVOCFB goes live right after the game; Indiana does not.

Tomorrow: Mark Rogers on the national channel, then The Jacksonian.
Open / Heisman (0:00–4:16)
Cold open is Dodgers baseball (up 2-0; Yoshi Yamamoto) and a squeaking dog.

Jeremiah Smith is the FanDuel Heisman favorite at -110. Loomis says he was not the preseason favorite and now has it locked if he keeps the pace — best college receiver he has seen, ahead of Julio, Dwayne Jarrett, and Justin Blackmon, with Jalen McMillan-level peers close but Smith on top.

Tied for second at +700: Darian Mensah and Keelan Russell. Loomis’s nickname for Mensah is “the Mensiah,” the franchise savior. He would take Mensah for the Jets over Trinidad Chambliss and CJ Carr. Arch Manning is good but should consider another year.
Clip: 1:45–2:52, Smith as the Heisman favorite and “best I’ve ever seen.”
Goon Poll (4:16–9:54)
Loomis’s process is a near-full re-rank each week, not a bump-from-last-week poll. He wants other results to revalue old results.
Nebraska already at No. 10: undefeated, Big Ten.

BYU and Utah moved up as undefeateds who may be better than the Mississippi State / Missouri / Florida / Ole Miss / LSU cluster.

Northwestern wedged in at 15.

Tennessee down to 21, still top 25. Minnesota and Pitt in. Kentucky, Wisconsin, Wake Forest, and Duke on the bubble.

Oregon back to 8. The road loss was to Oklahoma State in hot weather; OSU is top 25 in his poll and then looked good at West Virginia. A USC road win should bump them again.

Outside the top group (Ohio State, Texas, Georgia, Indiana), nobody is sorted. Indiana’s best win is Northwestern. Georgia-Alabama this week is the sorting game.

Texas-Ohio State: head-to-head can justify Texas ahead right now. Loomis has not ranked Ohio State over Texas. Keezer says both looked beatable, and Texas left meat on the field. Arch had about 3.5 seconds to throw before Ohio State “sold.” An Ohio State offensive lineman called Maryland the best front they have faced, which both treat as the conference trying to memory-hole Austin.
Clip: 6:13–8:06, re-ranking vs. “hold the loss forever,” Oregon/Oklahoma State example.
Smoke (9:54–29:00)
Rutgers players of the week: offense Turbo (Kaelon Black / “Turbo”), defense Tobias Nsonmi, special teams Patty McAteer. Scout team: Clayton Allen, Luke Graham, Bruno Massel IV. Loomis had two of three. Turbo is their best player, a Big Ten RB contending nationally, top-100 draft range, likely gone next year. Comp set: Jaden Baugh, Jamal Roberts, Mark Fletcher, Nate Frazier, Bo Jackson. Nebraska “has a kid who can scoot.”

Miles Price is the Vikings’ offense and near the league lead in return yards. Visualization clip from last week; Keezer’s favorite photo is Price smiling at Wednesday practice.

Nick Saban with Theo Von: expensive boosters now making roster decisions. Both call it party-line nonsense. Boosters always existed; the money just goes to players. If a coach loses the roster to boosters, that is a coaching problem. Keezer floats the counter: Saban’s dominance was also booster-loaded rosters. Loomis’s answer is you need both, and if forced to pick one, take the coach. Tyson “chicken money, not oil money” line gets called a bad excuse. Cody Campbell is half-right that money without the right operator does not work.

Bison Drop: 2025 belt still available, Brian Haynes “I’m In for Indiana” hat, 16-0 Peter Millar pullover. Store restocked.

2022 Purdue search: Cignetti was in the mix, not taken seriously because they wanted Power Five experience, hired Ryan Walters. “Thank you, Purdue.”

Henry Olinger, the flex / emergency back, fifth on the depth chart out of the linebacker room, took pregame RB reps at Rutgers behind Turbo, Lee Beebe, Kuno, and Campbell. High-school tape is loud. Neck pad may have come off for RB work — Keezer flags that as unconfirmed.

Sean Asbury appreciation week. He is a regional account executive in Virginia.

Toby Osansami won Comeback Player of the Week. Production last year was capped by missed games (4.5 sacks).

Mike Shanahan won Shriners Children’s East-West Bowl Coach of the Week; the account tagged Sigs Inside. YouTube: about 80 percent of viewers are non-subscribers, approaching 880–1,000 subs. Keezer is 48-27 against the spreads and shooting 64 percent on the slate.

Cignetti on turnovers: margin is fine; he counts fourth-down stops as turnovers and is not worried the raw number is low. Keezer feels validated. Loomis admits he was wrong and notes he made the same complaint in 2024. Somebody pointed out eight forced turnovers in four games last year. “Comes in bunches.”

Indiana is one of a handful of teams over 100 percent stadium capacity in 2026. Sold out every conference game since conference play started last year.

Birthdays: Loomis shares with Nick Marsh and Fernando Mendoza.

UMass canceled the 2027 game. FBSchedules asked people to stop the “Indiana is running from UMass” joke. Keezer: it is business, not that deep. The flip side of a soft schedule is 9-3 or 10-2 can leave you out; Ohio State and Texas can survive 9-3 because they scheduled each other.
Clip: 13:07–14:23, Saban and boosters. Clip: 24:32–25:18, Cignetti counting fourth-down stops.
Nebraska program framing (29:44–45:00)
Loomis’s research detour is basically all football. Tom Osborne, 1973–95, no missed bowl, top 20 every year, Big Eight titles about half the time, three national titles in his last four seasons. 1995 is in the all-time conversation; Loomis is skeptical of cross-era rankings. Nebraska’s modern miss, in their telling, was the post-Osborne / Big Ten transition and the wrong hire cycle, including a 5-7 season after a takeover. Spoiler from the NebraskaVOCFB hit: both sides think Nebraska is good.
Game preview (45:00–1:02:30)
Line and total
Opened around 9.5 / 8.5 Indiana, bet down hard. By slate time it had moved two points. Keezer’s theory: big money is pushing it under a touchdown, then it swings back toward Indiana by Friday. Loomis thinks the move is real juice, not just a trap.

Over/under 50.5. Both like the under.
Nebraska
Best Rhule team. Year when it should be all his guys. Best offense and best quarterback of the Rhule era. Calandria is very good. Jamal Rule is talented; availability was a question, then treated as playing. Weapons: Jacory Barney and Quasi Gilmer.

Nebraska media case: pass defense is better than the reputation. Recent penalty issue (16 in one game) is the thing IU can hunt.

Offense is 14th in passing EPA. Indiana is 86th in defensive EPA against the pass. Keezer is not worried about the secondary; the numbers say he should be, especially with wind.

Chat called Nebraska one-dimensional. Keezer does not fully buy it.
Indiana
Clear better team, more talent, better coach. They won by 49 two years ago. Loomis does not expect a repeat and thinks Nebraska holds Indiana under 40. If Indiana scores 50, he is wrong and fine with it.

Listed weakness: secondary. Big-time players in big moments — Barney, Gilmer, Calandria can land punches.

Run game to the right is still an issue and matters on the road. OL has No. 1-in-the-country ceiling that has not fully shown.

Special teams: missed-kick scar tissue (Oregon, Ohio State, national championship) plus a spring-game procedural. If it keeps happening it is a trend, not freaky Friday. Wind may push fourth-down tries inside the 40 instead of field goals.

Nebraska’s defense is in a Brian Haynes system and has improved with time in it. Another week could be a leap. Keezer would not be surprised if stretches look like three yards and a cloud of dust even though both offenses are dynamic.
Keys
Crowd noise. Second road game, first real one.

Secondary vs. Calandria, Barney, Gilmer.

Indiana run game, both directions, to close.

Special teams and wind.

Whether Nebraska’s offense can actually move Indiana’s defense. Loomis thinks the Nebraska defense plays inspired enough to get stops.
How they think it feels
Dogfight, not a chest-beat game. Penn State / Iowa / Northwestern energy: tight, nervous, Indiana pulls away late.

Keezer: if Indiana plays poorly, they lose. That pressure is new. Excited, not worried.

“Good on good.” Outside observers should grab popcorn.
Score predictions
Keezer: Indiana 35-14. Under. Halftime could be 7-7, 14-7, or 14-14, then the run game takes over.

Loomis: Indiana 28-14, a touchdown lower, tight most of the way. A 20-14 lean is also on the table if wind kills field goals and both teams go for it.

Chat (David Johnson): 55-20 blowout. Both hosts fade that.
Clip: 50:34–51:45, “pinched behinds” if you expect a coronation. Clip: 59:00–59:50, 35-14 vs. 28-14 and the under.
FanDuel slate (from ~1:05)
Keezer filled the card Sunday and is adjusting to numbers. Loomis picked on vibe, then leaned into the number.
Iowa at Washington, Friday Fox. Washington -3.5. Keezer likes Iowa plus the points, not off the bandwagon after the Ohio State loss and DB injuries. Loomis flips to Iowa.

Virginia Tech at Cal. VT 4-1 after a painful Pitt loss. Wyoming -9.5 in a side mention. No JKS. Keezer: VT bounce-back, win by 10. Loomis agrees.

USC at Penn State, NBC, whiteout, Penn State -1.5. They read College Football with Sam: models cannot process how bad Penn State is, or that USC is the second-worst road cover team since 2022. One trend breaks. Nod to Penn State on home field and travel. Keezer: Lincoln Riley’s USC tenure is ending. Whiteout makes them like Penn State more. Non-top-seven teams lose in that building.

Minnesota at Purdue. Minnesota is a letdown spot; Purdue’s Wake Forest game explains why the line is not uglier. Keezer is on the Goon Poll: Minnesota -2.5, close game, field-goal win still cashes. Purdue is frisky, Minnesota is legit. Earlier Illinois line of -10.5 was called nuts.

Georgia at Alabama, ABC, Alabama -1.5. Keezer: the “team that doesn’t exist” is in Tuscaloosa. Rose Bowl loss taught them they were not physical enough. Alabama has closed the gap, is a semifinal contender, and should be favored against most teams. He would not move Indiana back for them, and he would not take Alabama head-to-head against Indiana. Loomis had Georgia only because he thought they were home; flips to Alabama. Simple rule: take the home team.

LSU at Kentucky. Keezer likes Kentucky plus the points at home. Will Stein believer. Sam Leavitt may not be 100 percent. LSU is overrated for importing the Lane Kiffin apparatus. Two first-year coaches. Kentucky has the road win at Texas A&M; LSU beat Texas A&M badly at home. Loomis stays LSU, will not flip.

Syracuse at Virginia. Keezer takes Syracuse plus the points out of disgust with Virginia’s last week, not love of Fran Brown. Loomis stays Virginia at home. Syracuse lost to Cal; FSU beat Cal in Tallahassee and is better than Cal.

Kansas at Utah, -15.5, ESPN. Both like Utah. Late-night blowout risk. Watch Dampier and Morgan Scalley’s program.

UCLA at Oregon, Oregon -11.5. Keezer thinks the number is ludicrous and likes UCLA outright. UCLA is the best rushing offense and first in EPA per rush; Oregon is 101st in rush defense and 129th in early-down defensive EPA. UCLA 54-3 at Maryland. Metrics say UCLA is the better team on paper. Loomis wants the points but is scarred by a lifetime of UCLA hope. They land on UCLA plus the points: Oregon can win by 10 and the bet still cashes.
Close: basketball (1:53–2:00)
Women’s: Terry Morin adds five-star AZ Jackson, class of 2027.

Men’s: five-star center Darius Wobbington, No. 9 overall in 2027, commits out of Arizona’s backyard. Loomis watched tape before the show. Better passer and shooter than Trace at the same age. Derrick Queen comp, a little taller, maybe a better rebounder after a college weight room. Athleticism is mid, skill is not. Possible defensive liability; projects as a four who can pass in the triangle next to a 7-2. Fits the two-year plan if Aiden Shirell leaves. Loomis is more sure of him than of some recent needle-movers. Trusting Darian DeVries after last year is the tell.
Outro plugs: YouTube like/subscribe, audio feeds, @AlecKieser, @Bradley_Loomis8, @SigsInside. Back Sunday morning with Jamie Jordan. Go Hoosiers.

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2 hr 3 min
October 05INDIANA - Rutgers Postgame LIVE
Indiana–Rutgers Postgame LIVE, presented by FanDuel. Hosts Alec Keezer and Bradley Loomis, with Jamie Jordan (IU Reactionary / Hoosier Huddle). Sunday morning reaction after Indiana’s road blowout of Rutgers.
Bottom line: Style-points win, not a stress game. The run game and offensive line looked like the identity. Hoover-to-Becker/Marsh finally looked like the envisioned pass game. Defense is still the best unit on the roster, but takeaways have not shown up. Nebraska is the first real gear check.
Open and first takes (0:32–3:10)
Jamie liked knowing the result was never in doubt. The question was style points.

Brad (birthday weekend, “big four-oh”) felt better about Indiana from the rest of the Saturday slate than from Rutgers itself.

His caveat: last year’s team lived in sixth gear. This one is bouncing between fifth and sixth. Not a panic, just a missing consistency gear, especially on offense. Still one of the best teams in the country, and the ceiling is still ahead of them.
Receivers and volume (3:10–5:20)
Alec wants more of an E.J. Williams-type WR3 between the 20s. Davion Chandler is producing and scored, but the targets are clustered.

Context from Nick Marsh’s postgame: in the portal he knew Charlie Becker would be a priority, but “I’m a baller too.” Both need the ball, and Hoover is the quarterback who can feed both.

Alec’s pushback: Indiana got Marsh in part by offering volume. If Hoover throws it about 20 times, most of those targets should go to Marsh and Becker.

Brad’s number: Hoover is at 107 attempts through five games, about 21–22 a game. They have not had to push the pass game.
Game plan and Turbo Richard (5:20–10:00)
Rutgers game-planned the 60–65% run look and gave free access outside, the same cushion Miami gave in the title game. Indiana took the easy throws, then pounded inside.

Turbo Richard, in four and a half games (hurt at Northwestern):
Tied for first nationally with 12 runs of 15-plus.

Second nationally with 21 runs of 10-plus.

Eighth in missed tackles forced: 29 on 63 carries.

Brad: elite back, ahead of where Hemby and Black were early last year, and the health is a big deal heading into Nebraska.

Best tandem in the country? Brad’s morning answer is yes on talent right now. De’Aaron Hill/Davidson were the preseason comps. Missouri’s Hardy/Roberts if healthy. Other duos exist (Wayman, Jordan, King, Miller), but nobody is producing like this: Richard 587, Lee Beebe 520, both around 100 a game.

Turbo is a top-100 type early, better than Kalen Black and younger. Beebe is a horse who can climb into the top 250. Chemistry is the system; production is the proof.

Kobe Martin’s absence changes the depth. Turbo’s juke that dropped a Rutgers defender is the wiggle Beebe does not have. Martin is more straight-line. You want that wiggle in the hole.

Alec’s tier: Turbo in the top-10 conversation, Beebe top 20–25. Not claiming the No. 1 back with guys like that on the board, but he belongs in the conversation.
Identity: run, defense, then the pass (10:00–12:10)
Passing is more earthbound than Mendoza’s touchdown-or-incompletion year. The run game is upgraded, and the outside explosiveness is real.

Cignetti’s line when Hoover arrived: two best friends are a run game and a defense. They may have the best of both, plus Hoover, Marsh, and Becker.

They still have not played a true 60-minute high-level opponent besides Northwestern. That result, and Northwestern looking real the next week, is the body-of-work evidence.
Offensive line and Hoover’s decision-making (12:10–16:20)
Alec called the last two weeks Joe Moore tape. “Eighteen-wheelers” through the holes.

Brad: run game has been big-time. Pass protection is the quiet part. Hoover has taken 6 sacks on 18 total pressures. Some of those are on him.

Growth from TCU: he is eating the ball instead of forcing a play that is not there. One turnover-worthy play in 107 attempts. A sack is better than a turnover, and Cignetti has hammered that. He is taking what is there.

Do not grade him against Fernando Mendoza. There is one of those.

Rutgers: 5 pressures, 3 hurries, 1 sack on 67 snaps by PFF. Clinic, even against a bad defense. Rutgers can score. Indiana stomped them.

First quarter was pass-first, which answered the “set up the pass with the run” theory. Short game inside 20, then Marsh came alive.
The Becker throw and the historic box score (16:20–22:20)
Best sign of the night: Hoover saw the Becker shot immediately, on time, laser into the bread basket. Earlier in the year he was a beat late and off-platform.

Marsh: only two missed tackles forced coming in after leading that category last year. Two in this game, 53 yards after contact in the first half. Cover Becker and he is one-on-one. Seven in the box for the run. Pick your poison.

Historic: first time since 2014, and only the second time since 1995, that two receivers and two backs each went over 100. Nebraska did it in 1995.

Alec’s “the Hoosiers arrived” tweet was about that Becker ball, not the final score. Short timing plus a crisp deep ball is the offense they signed up for.

Misses still look bad because guys are that open. Room left, and he is improving fast.

Scramble drill: Hoover pointed Marsh downfield and put it on him. Drop. Gravy play, not a stress point. The backyard gear is the extra layer for January-type games.
Tight ends (22:20–26:10)
Brad liked the tight-end room, with the usual “I tweeted it and cursed it” caveat.

Trevor Gibbs (true freshman) looked like the H-back/fullback they thought Riley Nowakowski would be, before Nowakowski became a downfield NFL piece. Not projecting that for Gibbs. Gibbs and Marsh are being used to come across and block the end. Chandler also lined up at H.

Brock Schott had a brilliant edge block that sprung a Turbo run. Schott is their best receiving tight end, so the block matters. It had been a pass tell when he was on the field.

Young room: Gibbs a true freshman, Schott a redshirt freshman. Transfers click fast. These guys have not played much. Rapid growth is the bet. Three-wide, motion a receiver into H, and call it 12 personnel.
Where does Kobe Martin fit? (26:10–29:20)
Chat question. Jamie: do not force him in. Two backs are averaging 100. Production is undeniable. Older, more experienced.

Brad/Alec disagree on the usage, not the talent. Turbo 13 carries, Beebe 18, 31 total. A 12/12/6 split works. Martin plays when healthy.

Turbo went to the tent late and was on the bike. Beebe is off an ACL and had 27 against Northwestern, then was listed questionable. Campbell and Quanto are still learning. Six to eight carries for Martin is a luxury that keeps the other two fresh for a possible 16- or 17-game season.
Best offense in the country? (29:20–32:00)
Not right now. Alabama is the comp they kept coming back to. Pieces are there to get there: line, backs, pass-game talent. Top-10 offense plus top-10 defense is enough to make the playoff and contend. That is the standard.

Chat line: “the southern Hoosiers are nowhere close to the northern Hoosiers.”
Defense, KJ Duff, and the takeaway drought (32:00–45:30)
Jeremiah Smith aside: nobody covers him. Ponds did a job in the title game and he still went for 100-plus. The only real plan is hit Julian Sayin.

KJ Duff is the Rutgers version of that worry. Not Smith, but a 6-6 first-round type who had scored in five straight and was averaging over 100 a game (628 on the year). Held to two or three catches and 78 yards while the game was in doubt. Nervousness about the secondary looks overstated off that.

Takeaways are the nitpick. Hardy and Farrell’s pass rush was supposed to create them. Right now the path is mostly strip sacks. Lonergan and Sarratt came in with about 10 combined interceptions and did not add one here. Rutgers hid the quarterback and did not make dicey throws.

Brad: do not expect last year’s bounce rate. They used up the fruit. Creating confusion in coverage can come back. Some good teams just do not get takeaways.

Northwestern had eight penalties. This game: zero. That is “Indiana football,” do not beat yourself. Northwestern also has a pulse. They could have run for 500-plus on Penn State and took the foot off.

Nebraska preview: they give it away. Calenari-type bad reads, Maryland running the other way. Alec thinks Indiana catches the ball next week. Not betting on a sudden regression off the takeaway rate.

Front has mostly been “line up and get after it.” Not much manufactured havoc because they have not needed it. Jamie’s deja vu: same takeaway nitpick he had for Brian Haynes in season one.
Nico Radicic (45:30–48:30)
Cignetti: must have been something with the moon and the stars. He looked confused, not mad.

First miss, laces in. Second, you can argue holder or angle. Career misses before this were rare, in the 30–39 and 40–49 ranges. Second-most accurate kicker in NCAA history territory, so he gets the pass.

He then blasted one from about 45 and was hitting from 49. Not an injury. Not a hip problem. Monitor it, do not spiral.
Red zone and how the game felt (48:30–58:00)
A stop, then a touchdown, and the anxiety dropped. Second-half defense had a hiccup. Offense looked meh once it was over.

Red zone is still the lingering issue. They want to pound it in, then throw off that tape. Scoring down there is better than it was, not solved.

Late detour into the picks before they closed the Indiana segment. Alec wanted the Texas Tech–Colorado hang. Brad’s escapes were Kentucky and Tennessee.
Young guys who played (58:20–1:02:20)
Backs and quarterback: nobody new.

Davion Chandler is separating as WR3 over Chaz and Tyler Morris. Playmaker. Edge, not a settled job.

Ajani: no real concerns.

Keyshawn Calhoun and Blake Smythe each flashed a good play.

Aaron Baldwin Jr. looked good again.

Savage in the four-linebacker set with Utzinger.

Jalen Hollywood-Bell got beat for a touchdown. It happens at corner.

Byron Baldwin at rover: hearing nothing is the compliment, same as Boykin last year. The spot disappears when it is played right, aside from the explosive tackles they highlight. Last year you could argue Ponds, Fisher, Boykin as the defensive spine.
Expectation vs. reality (1:02:20–1:05:50)
Nervousness is fair, not overblown. Only one team wins the title. If the odds are around 20 percent, being uneasy is rational.

Jamie’s fan mode: enjoy the details, do not get high off a five-touchdown win or low off a regular-season loss. Alabama would not look like last year’s Rose Bowl. Different teams. That day they executed and did not “classic IU” it.

Standard should be make the playoff, not championship-or-bust.

Close of the Indiana portion: five straight, 21 straight overall, 32–2 in the Cignetti era. Dominated in Brad’s home state.
Slate, picks, and the Goon Poll (1:05:50–1:26:00)
Alec: 16–9 for the third straight week, 48–27. Brad’s week was not as clean. “If Brad and I disagree, take Brad.”

Alec’s Group of Six: North Texas (Texas State loss hurts), UTSA, Oregon State handling Colorado State, North Dakota State 6–1 and poised to run it. Three teams have not trailed: Georgia, Indiana, North Dakota State.

He could not believe the room missed Texas Tech and was on Stanford. Wake Forest stays legit. UCF’s defense stalled Houston and held undefeated Pitt to 12.

Jamie moved Alabama to No. 2 and Indiana to No. 3. Wisconsin looked frisky, then got swapped for undefeated Texas Tech. Mississippi State taught a levels lesson. Do not overreact.

Ohio State looked dominant. Jeremiah Smith is the problem. Did not change how Indiana matches up, but raised Ohio State’s ceiling. They handled their week better than Indiana did coming off Illinois. Schedule echo: Illinois, then Iowa, plus the Texas non-conference.

Purdue’s first win. Felt good about Purdue and Nebraska.

Alabama: Keelon Russell the best quarterback in the country right now, Heisman favorite aside from Smith. Defense bends and does not break. They can be scored on and still put up 45. Alabama–Georgia (around Oct. 10) is the game. Jamie has it as 1 vs. 2.

SEC vs. Big Ten: Jamie has five Big Ten teams in his top 10 and only three SEC, but eight SEC teams in the top 15. Analytics may be inflating the SEC. Big Ten is closer than the September narrative.

After the top eight, it is a crapshoot. Northwestern’s resume (blew out Penn State, lost to Indiana) is in the same neighborhood as some SEC one-loss teams. UCLA is ahead of 2024 Indiana on personnel, metrics love them, Oregon is the tell. Oklahoma State stays. Pitt stays even with Mason Heintschel hurt. Virginia Tech stays on the monitor after losing the turnover battle by four and still having a chance.

Next week’s three games, different windows: Indiana–Nebraska, UCLA–Oregon, Alabama–Georgia. He would skip Texas–Oklahoma if you only watch three.
Close (1:26:00–1:28:50)
Back Tuesday night, guest TBD.

Follow Alec Keezer, Bradley Loomis, Jamie Jordan, IndianaVOCFB, and the Rutgers channel that just took the lumps.

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1 hr 30 min
October 05Indiana vs Rutgers Initial Reaction: Historic Day for the Indiana Offense
Indiana vs Rutgers initial reaction notes from Alec Keezer on IndianaVOCFB. No. 6 Indiana beat Rutgers 47-15 on Oct. 3, 2026, at SHI Stadium in Piscataway for its 21st straight win and first road win of the season. Indiana finished with 593 yards, a season high and the most against an FBS opponent in the Curt Cignetti era.
Result: Indiana 47, Rutgers 15 (IU 10-13-14-10). Indiana is 5-0, 2-0 Big Ten. The spread was 24.5; Indiana covered by 32. Rutgers managed 59 rushing yards and nine first downs.
Stat line
Josh Hoover: 20-of-27, 251 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT (15 TD, 0 INT on the season). Opened 9-for-9 or 10-for-10.

Turbo Richard: 204 yards and a TD on 13 carries (career high). Back-to-back 200-yard Indiana rushers in consecutive weeks for the first time since Tevin Coleman did it himself in 2014.

Lee Beebe Jr.: 122 yards and a TD. Looked healthy after a midweek questionable tag.

Charlie Becker: 8 catches, 107 yards, 2 TD. Hit in stride on the deep ball.

Nick Marsh: 7 catches, 120 yards, 1 TD.

First Big Ten team in 31 years with two running backs and two receivers over 100 yards in the same game (Nebraska, 1995). First Indiana receiver duo over 100 since Omar Cooper Jr. and Elijah Sarratt on Sept. 6, 2024.

Antoine Raymond: 11 carries, 31 yards (2.8 ypc).

Turnover margin 0-0. Drops by Amari Farrow and Hollywood Bell, plus at least one more. First blocked kick of 2026. Multiple fourth-down stops. 29th straight game Indiana has tied or led the turnover margin. Cignetti era: 32-2.
Thesis (0:04–1:24): This is the offense they projected in the preseason. Efficient, able to run it down your throat, and able to throw over a stacked box to Becker and Marsh. Pick your poison. Context: Rutgers was dropping players and is not a measuring-stick opponent, but the yardage total still ranks near the top of the Cignetti era and is the most against a power-conference opponent.
Defense caveat (1:24–1:54): Back end got shaky late against chunk plays, including KJ Duff. Not a shutout. Defensive line still dominated. 59 rushing yards allowed.
Five keys
1. Stop Antoine Raymond (2:02–2:54)
11 carries, 31 yards. Stuffed on second-and-short and third-and-short. Toby Osunsanmi tackle in space ended a fourth down. Not an eight-man box look — scheme and individual play. Run defense has shut it down all year, including Northwestern, which later ran wild on Penn State. Keezer calls this unit as good as any in the country against the run.
2. Take the football away (2:55–3:59)
Finished 0-0 and he is stunned. Farrow and Bell dropped picks; at least one more was there. Early-season trend of not cashing those. Still 29 straight games tied or ahead in turnover margin. Fourth-down stops count as turnovers on downs. Blocked punt is the first blocked kick of 2026. Special teams have not been fully unleashed yet.
3. Match the pass and the run (4:00–6:43)
Hoover’s best game in an Indiana uniform. Timing, command, ball placement. Deep ball finally looked crisp — Becker hit in stride, the missing piece when teams press and load the box. Marsh and Becker are both hard to cover consistently. Caution: the secondary has given up late explosive plays early this season. Next test is at Nebraska. Four skill players over 100. Historic company with that 1995 Nebraska offense and with Cooper/Sarratt.
4. Take the pressure off Lee Beebe Jr. (6:43–8:37)
Beebe was questionable Wednesday. Kobe Martin still recovering. Sean Cuno was on the report and got a carry. At one point Jerrion Campbell was the only fully healthy back, so Henry Olinger (Ohio athlete, RB/LB in high school, same as Jacob Savage) worked as the emergency back and did not have to play there. Beebe looked healthy. Richard looked healthy, got banged up late and was on the bike, but probably could have returned. Two different styles, both churning yards. Offensive line is on Joe Moore Award finalist tape.
5. Cover the number (8:38–9:24)
Not the main story. Cignetti teams usually beat expectation. A backdoor cover would not have ruined the night. 24.5 spread, 47-15 final. First cover of the year. Road win in Piscataway, handled.
Close (9:25–9:58): Live the next morning with Brad and Jamie on IndianaVOCFB for the fuller breakdown and the Nebraska projection. 5-0, road conference blowout, still things to clean up. Go Hoosiers.
Clip timestamps
0:15–0:59 — “The machine.” Offense clicked; pick your poison with Becker and Marsh.

1:43–1:52 — D-line line: Rutgers held to 59 rushing yards.

2:06–2:21 — Raymond bottled up: 11 for 31, Osunsanmi fourth-down tackle.

2:44–2:54 — “Stack somebody up against these guys” on the run defense. Northwestern contrast.

4:06–4:27 — Hoover’s best game; 9-for-9 or 10-for-10 start; Becker in stride.

5:25–5:55 — Four skill guys over 100; first time since Nebraska in 1995.

6:26–6:40 — Richard’s 200-yard day; back-to-back 200-yard rushers since Coleman in 2014.

8:14–8:37 — Beebe and Richard, two styles, Joe Moore Award tape.

9:45–9:54 — 5-0, road blowout, still things to work on.
Next: at Nebraska, Oct. 10. Watch the secondary against explosive passes as the schedule ramps up.

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11 min
September 30 Indiana vs Rutgers: Perception vs Reality w/ College Football with Sam / Indiana Hoosiers LIVE 101
Indiana vs Rutgers: Perception vs Reality w/ College Football with Sam | Indiana Hoosiers LIVE 101
Alec Keezer and Brad Loomis run through a loaded week of Hoosier news before welcoming College Football with Sam for a full Rutgers preview and a 25-game picks slate.
In the smoke: Kellen Wyatt and Stephen Daly are cleared to play (for now), Fernando Mendoza launches "Finance with Fernando," and Indiana's streak of 28 straight games winning or tying the turnover battle ties a modern record. The guys weigh in on the USC-Oregon hit and celebration, Rivals charging $500 for player evals, the proposed 24-team playoff and new conference-strength metric, the Protect College Sports Act, the Sarkisian comms flap and Cignetti response, and whether the fan base's frustration after four weeks is fair when Cignetti himself says the Hoosiers left four touchdowns on the field.
Brad's Rutgers history lesson covers the birthplace of college football, the Greg Schiano rebuild, the 2006 Louisville upset, and the program's first-ever bowl win. Then Sam breaks down why Indiana metrically profiles like Georgia, why this year's team looks like a blend of 2025 Indiana and 2025 Miami, and why Rutgers (ESPN FPI's worst team in the Big Ten) has exactly two real threats in KJ Duff and Antoine Raymond.
Keys to the game: stop Raymond, take the football away, get Josh Hoover and the receivers in rhythm, and finally cover the spread after an 0-4 ATS start. Score predictions: Sam 52-7, Brad 56-7, Alec 49-0.
Then the full slate: Penn State-Northwestern, Pitt-Virginia Tech, Michigan-Minnesota, Alabama-Mississippi State, Notre Dame-North Carolina, Ohio State-Iowa, Maryland-Nebraska, Florida-Missouri, Miami-Clemson, Texas Tech-Colorado and more, with Sam's unbiased reads on every line.
Indiana at Rutgers kicks off Saturday night on Big Ten Network. Big Noon Kickoff comes to Bloomington for Nebraska next week.
Follow Sam on X @CFBwSam and on YouTube at College Football with Sam. Follow Alec @AlecKeezer and Brad @Bradley_Loomis.
Presented by FanDuel. Gamble responsibly.

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2 hr 10 min
September 28INDIANA - Northwestern Postgame LIVE
Indiana – Northwestern Postgame LIVE
IndianaVOCFB | Alec Keezer, Bradley Loomis, Jamie Jordan (Hoosier Huddle / IU Reactionaries)
Presented by FanDuel
00:00–02:30 | Open: 4-0, enjoy it
Keezer intro with Loomis (“master of the eye test”) and new Sunday regular Jamie Jordan.

IU 4-0 after a road-to-home scare vs Northwestern. Third time a Big Ten team has started 4-0 this century (Urban Meyer twice).

Consensus: stop over-criticizing, enjoy top-10 / 4-0. Northwestern is legit; they hung around at a top-5 defending champ and showcased talent. No moral victories, but they can contend in the Big Ten.
02:30–07:30 | Cignetti presser, refs, “Northwestern is good”
Cignetti was consistent all week: Northwestern is good. Postgame he was animated/frustrated—penalties, sloppiness, refs not communicating (“Pearl Harbor” opening flags, pointing from Northwestern sideline).

Most angry Cignetti has been at IU since the Oregon Surratt PI sequence.

Chip Kelly / Jerry Neuheisel game plan more balanced than the Colorado tape (less run-heavy). Aiden Chiles (Childs) dynamic when he doesn’t turn it over; some “ridiculous” throws.

IU forced 3 fumbles, recovered 0. Still won a conference game. Message: every Big Ten team can beat you in the NIL era. Rutgers next on the road still has NFL talent.
07:30–11:30 | Physical NW front, Chicago NIL, “next gear”
Northwestern DL physical despite injuries. Chicago + possible lowered academic bar = recruiting path.

Unranked Northwestern looked better than last year’s #10 Illinois vs IU.

IU left ~11 points on the field (safety, FGs instead of TDs). Red-zone/efficiency still not last year’s “put them away” standard. Defense concerns ease if the score is 35-20 or 42-20 instead of a game that could have been tied on a 2-pt try.

Power-4 gap is tighter; IU is playing playoff-level football but still searching for the extra gear they had late last year.
11:30–16:00 | Crowd, “weird Friday night,” Hunter Littlejohn tweet
Keys: engage crowd early. 15-play goal-line stand + safety did some of that; overall vibe was off (broadcast, officials, Friday night).

Hunter Littlejohn (tagging Carter Smith) tweet: new fans cheering while IU offense has the ball. Need silence on offense (communication) and noise on defense.

Crowd still excellent at times—forced a safety and disrupted NW snaps/throws. Home games will be very hard to win against this IU team when the crowd and pass rush are locked in.

“Logo brain”: people don’t picture post-Fitzgerald Northwestern as a top-25 team. David Braun staying; Chiles/Neuheisel night-and-day from last year. NW hosts Penn State in stadium opener Friday.
16:00–22:30 | Run game, OL vs WR blocking, Beebe & Turbo
IU rushed for 200+ yards, 13 runs of 10+ yards, 13 missed tackles forced. PFF grades on OL won’t tell the full story (assignment unknown).

Best downfield blockers: Chaz Preston, Nick Marsh, Charlie Becker (receivers pancakes). “No block, no rock.” OL still moved people at the point of attack.

Shock Drew Evans holding call.

Lee Beebe: 24 carries, 203 yards, TD. Year removed from ACL. Felt his knee early, then hit another gear after Turbo Richard went down. Sealed it breaking tackles into victory formation. Cignetti compared his heart to Kalen Black (high praise; Cignetti doesn’t do that publicly often).

Turbo Richard: ~7.6–8.7 YPC, 7.78 yards after contact (PFF). Misdiagnosed as high-ankle; new reporting says possible return next week or by Nebraska. Not expected immediately.
22:30–27:30 | Passing game, Hoover timing, “building” not finished product
Next gear is the passing game. Hoover a split-second late on some reads → off-platform underthrows or overthrows.

Underthrow to Becker would have been a TD; later overthrow of Becker (who has elite track speed and is gone in 4 seconds). Coaching point: don’t overthrow. Hoover can still spin it (laser to Marsh).

No turnovers yet (Rourke had two picks vs Maryland in a tight game). Don’t compare Week 4 Hoover to finished-product Mendoza/Rourke or last year’s efficiency.

Missing Surratt / Omar Cooper Jr. / EJ Williams continuity in the offense. Marsh, Preston, Becker, Chandler still learning. It will come.
27:30–35:00 | Floor/ceiling, Big Ten grind, penalties & tackling
Floor maybe a bit lower than hoped because Power-4/Big Ten is competitive; ceiling unchanged. No more Howards/WKUs.

Defense: missed tackles (11% non-con last year vs higher this year) and uncharacteristic penalties (Tucker sideline, etc.) not typical Cignetti teams. “Pearl Harbor” flags plus sloppy ones.

IU still the best-looking Big Ten team to the panel; Ohio State defense has been masked.
~35:00–1:11:00 | Rankings / “Goon Poll,” tiers, national landscape
Long ranking debate. Panel treats it as tiers, not 1-vs-2 dogma.

Guaranteed good so far: Georgia, Texas, Ohio State, Indiana, Alabama, UCLA.

Dicey middle: Mississippi State (explosive but can be frustrated), Ole Miss (defense questions), LSU (Clemson win on fraud watch), Florida (athletes + Swamp, scary).

SEC 9-game schedule will produce 3-loss teams. Cignetti “goaded” them into it.

ACC looking weak (Miami/Notre Dame cupcake slates; Wake/Louisville overrated; Duke/Pitt/VT more interesting). Iowa rising (elite D + they can throw). Nebraska red-zone elite; now looks like IU’s hardest remaining road game.

Illinois moved the ball on Ohio State; Jeremiah Smith uncoverable. IU must run it and keep OSU D on the field.

Schedule discourse overrated: line up and play. IU’s slate already harder than Miami’s.
1:11:00–1:39:00 | Close: Rutgers, KJ Duff, final takeaways
Next: Rutgers on the road. Concern about KJ Duff.

Final: frustrated by sloppy execution and missed opportunities, but 4-0 vs a team with a pulse while not playing an A-game is the goal. Outgained NW by ~150 yards and nearly matched their entire output on the ground. Connect on 1-2 more Hoover-Becker shots and it’s a two-score game.

Teachable moments everywhere. Hoover will figure it out. Talent on OL, DL, and skill is there; secondary and TE room need to lift.

Northwestern better than advertised (and better than the Colorado tape suggested). IU still on track.

Promo: Tuesday preview vs Rutgers with special guest Sam (first appearance on the show). Follow Keezer, Loomis, Jordan (@JordanJamie), Hoosier Huddle, IU Reactionaries.

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1 hr 41 min
September 23Northwestern vs Indiana Preview & Prediction: Friday Night Lights / Indiana Hoosiers LIVE 100
Indiana Hoosiers LIVE 100 — Northwestern Preview & Prediction
Hosts: Alex Keezer & Bradley Loomis
Show: IndianaVOCFB / Indiana Hoosiers Live 100 presented by FanDuel
Focus: Friday Night Lights — Northwestern at Indiana (Big Ten opener, Bloomington)
Show rundown
Non-conference hangover + fan discourse after 38-0 vs Western Kentucky

“Goon Poll” rankings

Smoke / news roundup

First Tuesday Big Ten injury report

Northwestern preview, keys, prediction

Weekly betting slate

Outro / next content
00:00–00:10 — Intro + “perfection is an intoxicating drug”
Keezer opens Big Ten week by stepping back to Friday night vs Northwestern, then to last weekend’s fan reaction.
Keezer line: “Perfection is an intoxicating drug.”
Brad: Feeling good. Hoosiers 3-0. Two straight shutouts — first time since 1993. “Ceilings are still being shattered.”
38-0 wasn’t 55-0 or 60-0. They agree Indiana does not look like the finished championship product yet. Reminders:
This team gets better as the year goes

Chip on the shoulder is a feature, not a bug

Not ruling out Big Ten or national title

Season still barely started; “we know about 11 good teams”
Western Kentucky credit: experienced staff, likely 8-4 / conference mix team. IU handled business. Hoover: only one really bad throw (they agree). Overreacting to WKU is a miss.
Clip window: 00:01:04–00:05:15 (perfection quote + 38-0 context + “another gear”)
00:05–00:10 — Heisman board + Big Ten landscape
FanDuel Heisman board: Indiana has the most players listed of any program.
Hoover ~ +2500

Becker ~ +12,500

Turbo ~ +30,000

Marsh ~ +35,000
Keezer: not “bet them all,” but Vegas spreading credit = they expect IU success to continue.
Big Ten weaker than expected so far:
Washington / Minnesota softer

USC hasn’t shown the jump

Ohio State lost to Texas

Michigan nearly lost to Western Michigan

Nebraska the one that’s looked as advertised
Missing Pawns flagged as a bigger talking point than people admit. Defense still has another gear (DL waves, Hardy/Jones, talent at CB). Offense vanilla on purpose; O-line + two elite RBs + Chandler/Marsh/Becker still “only” 38-0.
Cignetti note (Yogi’s coaches show): This is not last year’s team. Last year he could let them go. This year he has to stay on them. Different management.
Clip window: 00:05:35–00:09:25 (most Heisman names + “we’re Ohio State, we’ll be fine”)
00:10–00:18 — Goon Poll (Brad’s board)
Order of segments they settle on: Goon Poll → Smoke → Preview → Slate.
Top 2: Georgia slightly ahead of Indiana — championship staffs, unbeaten; Georgia looks more on schedule. Brad will not drop IU to 8 over WKU. Top-five team that hasn’t looked like No. 1 yet.
Notable moves / notes:
First three out / dropped: Oregon, Texas A&M, Oklahoma (bad or ugly losses; last year’s playoff teams haven’t earned it)

Virginia out after WVU

In on road Power-4 wins: Kentucky, VT, UCLA, Florida, SMU (FSU win)

Penn State in (computers + Matt Campbell)

Louisville jumped (41 on SMU; Kleinholz)

Texas Tech stays after Houston

Utah buy-in (staff continuity after planned Whittingham step-down — parallel they draw to a future Cignetti succession)

Texas over Ohio State after the win; Ole Miss over Texas after LSU + Louisville

Notre Dame top 5; Miami / OSU / Bama / LSU the usual suspects

BYU rolling with Bachmeier
Chat: Darren Rovell — “be careful about Northwestern.” They agree; respect incoming.
Clip window: 00:11:20–00:18:20 (Goon Poll tour + IU vs Georgia)
00:18–00:30 — Smoke
Deshaun Jackson (Delaware State) clip: philosophy rhymes with Cignetti (efficiency, work). 8-4 last year; 2-0 at home after USF loss.

Fernando Mendoza State Farm commercial — already a star pre-NFL snap. Personality pairing with Cignetti compared to Mahomes/Reid. Future Collinsworth NBC call joked about.

Player towels (Mario Landino homer towel) → Hoosiers Connect / NIL. Want merch.

Daniel Jeremiah joined the Charlie Becker fan club; Becker NFL buzz.

Brandon Sharp carving Fishers HS; record-holder; hot take he may play sooner than expected.

Jersey sponsor still open — IU playing the market after OSU/ND set the floor (natty, alumni, Kelley School).

Advanced metrics: IU top-right on EPA / net graphs through 3 weeks. Don’t need off-the-charts yet — need Ws and the extra gear.

Coordinators: not putting everything on tape; Cignetti also putting looks on tape to set up later plays. Incompletions that break “same look” cleanliness frustrate staff more than the scoreboard.

Hall of Fame class 2026: Jared Jeffries, Kyle Schwarber, Terry Cole, Irina Karun / Bev Ramser, Ken Snow.

Leah Lowe thread on Grace Wellman (student defensive assistant) + women on the IU football sideline.

Week 3 players: Turbo Richard (off), Preston Zachman (def — Cignetti raved; good DB-room sign), Billy Gowers (ST), scout: Tyrone Burris, Hunter Stroud, Cade Kaiser (6-5 walk-on WR).

Rutgers next week officially 8 p.m. BTN (first Big Ten road game).
Clip windows:
00:18:51–00:21:00 (Mendoza commercial / towels)
00:21:36–00:22:10 (Jeremiah + Becker)
00:23:19–00:26:50 (metrics + “another gear” + Cignetti managing this roster differently)
00:30–00:34 — First Tuesday Big Ten injury report
Joke: Cignetti kicking and screaming handing in a Tuesday report.
Out: Carson Williams, LeBron Bond, Kobe Martin.
Bond absence was already visible; now official. (Transcript cuts mid-report; treat as partial list from the show.)
Rutgers time reminder banked for next week.
00:33–01:05 — Northwestern preview
Frame: Original Big Ten program, Evanston as “Pasadena of Chicago.” Chip Kelly. 2-0, blew out Colorado — mix of NW being good and Colorado being bad. Brad: top-40 team, at least frisky. Hard to see a 2024-Hoosiers-level leap, but they can match “pretty good.”
Spread mentioned: Indiana -20.5 at home. Friday night lights, Memorial Stadium.
How they see NW:
Ascending, not a cupcake

Offense can be explosive: Wild, Hemmon, Aiden Childs (big-run ability)

Chip Kelly play-calling still a factor

Have not played in a hostile environment yet — Memorial crowd = “nitrous” / extra gear for IU

Historical color: Rose Bowl lore, past QBs, “why does Northwestern go to the Rose Bowl” bit, Sun Bowl, coaching tree / who handed Kelly the job
IU keys (Keezer):
Crowd / start fast — get Memorial rocking early; force TFL, 3-and-out, fumble. NW hasn’t had that juice.

Tackle and limit explosives (Wild / Hemmon / Childs).

Unlock the unused gear without emptying the tape for later Big Ten games (OSU specifically mentioned in chat; they say it’s more “conference” than one opponent).
Prediction posture: IU should be a level above. Not a trap they want to need to survive, but Rovell caution is fair. Respect, don’t panic if it’s not 55-0. Championship staff + home night + two shutouts in a row = they should handle it if the extra gear shows.
Clip windows:
00:10:27–00:10:47 (Colorado blowout = both things)
00:33:50–00:35:00 (Evanston / founding-member bit)
00:50:00–01:02:15 (spread, explosives, Memorial as nitrous)
01:01:16–01:02:20 (crowd as the missing juice)
01:05–02:08 — Slate / best bets (non-IU, for the article sidebar)
They hammer “levels,” coaching continuity, letdown spots, and fade-the-vibes games.
Game
Lean (show)
Note
Ole Miss at Florida
Ole Miss / take Chambliss points
“Anytime Trinidad gets points, take them.” Letdown rule.
Oklahoma at Georgia
Georgia -13.5
Levels; Mateer not the home-run; crowd won’t help him in Athens
Tulsa at Arkansas
Miserable / lean Arkansas if forced
Ghost-town vibes; “call the hotline if you bet this”
Missouri at Miss State
Miss State
Kamario Taylor “wagon”; take them ATS rest of year
App State at NC State
App State ML / cover
NC State deflated after Vanderbilt end-zone fiasco
Arizona at Washington St.
Arizona
Pac-12 nostalgia tour then U of A
S. Carolina at Alabama
Alabama -12.5
DeBoer / Russell getting better
Kansas St. at Cincinnati
K-State
Colin Klein continuity
Oklahoma St. at WVU
West Virginia
Rich Rod / Hawkins; couches burning
Texas A&M at LSU
LSU
Bounce-back; fade Reid
Oregon at USC
Split — Keezer Oregon, debate USC +2.5
Juice-box / unserious sideline vs Lanning bounce-back; game of the day
Minnesota at Washington
Split — Brad Wash -9.5, Keezer Minnesota
Late-night Big Ten after dark
Keezer last week 6-9; “win or learn.” Closing joke: he might flip Oregon — if he does, he has to drop a video.
Clip window: 01:46:00–02:06:00 (Ole Miss rule + Georgia + Oregon/USC fight)
02:08–end — Close
Carter Smith NIL with SPG Roofing — “use NIL the way it was intended”

IU women’s basketball: Teri Moren lands Brooks Lee Colvin, highest recruit in program history (2027)

Subscribe / IndianaVOCFB / Alec Keezer / Bradley_Loomis8

Sunday morning slate + IU Big Ten opener recap

Keezer likely Friday night Northwestern reaction video

Shoutout Darren Rovell in chat
Go Hoosiers.

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2 hr 19 min
September 21INDIANA - Western Kentucky Postgame LIVE
Indiana–Western Kentucky Postgame LIVE
IndianaVOCFB | Host: Alec Keezer | Guests: Sammy Jacobs (Hoosier Huddle / radio stats) & Jamie Jordan (Crimson Audible / Hoosier Huddle)
Presented by FanDuel | ~73 minutes
Intro & Format (0:32–1:31)
Keezer flying solo without Brad. Guests: Sammy (insider — sits next to Don Fisher on the radio broadcast) and Jamie (outsider/couch view).

Quick Red Sox aside (clinched), then straight into Hoosiers. Time crunch with Sammy, so they jump in with insider vs. outsider framing.
Josh Hoover: Perception vs. Reality (1:31–9:20)
Biggest timeline topic. Sammy: hot-take society + instant-coach culture. Three bad throws cost IU points; if Hoover hits one or two, it’s 52-0 talk instead of 38-0. Off-target throws also showed up vs. North Texas and in spring. Margin is inches (Tyler Morris example).

EPA/snap numbers still elite even with limited volume (~52 attempts in 3 games). People forget Mendoza’s warts (Iowa, Oregon, Penn State near-pick, title-game throw that hit a Miami defender).

Jamie: Hoover looks similar on paper to Rourke/Mendoza but misses throws he can make. Cignetti pulled receivers after the game and took the blame. High standard because Hoover has 10k yards and ~80 TDs in his career.

Not just Hoover: Nick Marsh drop, tight-end blocking (one catch all year), right-side OL not matching Drew Evans, third-down issues, run game. Defense missed-tackle rate up (15% this year vs. 11% last year; 13% through three last season). Still “very much in” on the team — 8-4 talk is noise.
Defense: Tackling, Alignment, Personnel (9:20–14:23)
Sammy: lots of different looks from opponents; IU playing a lot of soft zone, rarely blitzing. WKU put 20 on Georgia in Sanford; IU hasn’t allowed a point since Labor Day. Isaiah Jones adjusting to green-dot. D’Angelo Ponce irreplaceable vs. the run and in coverage. Jamari Sharp back after limited snaps; AJ Harris only 7 snaps all year.

Pressure was there (9 hurries) even if only one sack — mobile QB escaping. DL (Farrell, Baldwin, etc.) still good. Issues in flats/quick outs behind LBs. Less SIM pressure than last year; Cignetti respecting Northwestern and not showing the full package yet.

Jamie: still winning and shutting teams out, but need to see the actual scheme. Extra reps for corners helpful. Biggest preseason question was replacing Ponce/Fisher/Kamara.
Tight End Room (14:23–17:09)
First drive heavy on true freshman Trevor Gibbs (banged up in camp, missed first two games). Looked like a freshman early. Barker got the official start and they moved the ball better with him. Snap counts: Shot 24, Gibbs 18, Barker 26.

Room has almost no experience (three total games, one of them one snap). Building the plane while flying it. Gibbs has the body to block; Shot better as a receiver; they’re trying to turn Gibbs into a Nowakowski-type. Trust staff to figure it out.
Most Impressive Player Through 3 Weeks (17:09–19:56)
Both: Turbo Richard. 149 rushing yards, long runs, kick-return threat (opponents scared to kick to him — extra 15 yards of field position). Slippery, falls forward, hard to square up. Bebe “all right” but lacks the burst.

Jamie shout-outs: Otsun Sami and Obizer on the DL — underrated, hard to block on obvious passing downs.
Biggest Leap Into Conference Play (19:56–23:12)
Sammy: Nick Marsh. Breakout game despite fumble (recovered) and plays he wants back. Beast blocker. Offseason vision of Becker + Marsh being uncoverable. Still learning the program.

Jamie: same room — Davion Chandler. Wiggle, YAC monster (4 catches, 3 TDs early). Cignetti already listed him in the top four. Thickness + quickness like Omar Cooper. Depth to spell Becker/Marsh/Morris/Preston is huge.
Charlie Becker, Heisman Odds, Punt Returns (23:12–27:20)
Becker +12,500 Heisman on FanDuel. 12 catches, 6 TDs. Hoover “punt” throw to him was the least egregious miss — Becker was wide open and outran everyone.

Punt returns: Cignetti said they were giving Tyler Morris a breather. Jamie not panicked long-term but doesn’t love the long-limbed star getting rolled up. Special-teams culture (Burnham covering/catching kicks) is a Cignetti trademark. Morris drops happened; just get him back on the horse.
Defense Sack Total / Pressure (27:20–early 40s, scattered)
One sack doesn’t match the tape — they were in the backfield constantly. Same “no sacks early” narrative as last year with Kamara. Otsun Sami freeze celebration after a TFL was a highlight.
True/False Rapid Fire
Best WR room Cignetti has had at Indiana? True at the top (Becker/Marsh first-round caliber), false at the bottom. Chandler emerging as the fifth. Cignetti himself pointed back to the 2024 depth (McCulley couldn’t get on the field).

Michigan toughest road game? True. Defense is good; scoring is the question. Underwood talent vs. “between the ears.” Week 1 look was ugly, Oklahoma bounce-back better.

Best defense of the Brian Haynes era? Talent-wise yes, and it can get there. Harder to replace Ponce/Fisher than expected. Back-to-back shutouts first time since 1993. Scheme growth still coming.

Should add a Power 4 non-con? Should, but don’t need to. Other sports use exhibitions; football needs competitive tape without the injury risk of extra regular-season games.

Right not to worry about Hoover? Yes. Four throws aside he was good. Happy feet / seeing it too early and throwing off-platform. Run game getting going in the second half will help. Broken-nose theory after helmet-to-dirt hit — he’s fine, just a gunslinger who thinks he can make every throw from every platform.

Jerrion Campbell RB3? Yes in the hierarchy. Wind knocked out; Kuno played more and looked night-and-day better than vs. Howard. Campbell vision + falls-forward style. Committee of Bebe/Richard then the next two.

2028 class better than 2027? Yes. Lucas Prok/Brock (Hun School) already spinning it like a five-star, video-game numbers, processes like a much older QB. 2027 still loved for immediate impact.

Should be Big Ten favorites? Should be, aren’t getting the respect. Ohio State more loaded and young/athletic. Rankings dummy who perpetually buries IU is a bit at this point.
Other Notes & Weekend Watch
WR blocking: Marsh 25-yard-downfield block on Richard’s late run — knew when to let go so it wasn’t holding. “No block, no rock.” Chandler also inserted between guard/tackle.

Recruiting momentum on 2028 offers.

Jamie (Massachusetts roots): UMass 3-0 after beating Stonehill (didn’t cover); BC beat Rutgers on Wells Crowther/red-bandana night.

Keezer at Miss State–South Carolina: Kamario Taylor “holy cow” — howitzer arm, athletic, wide-choice offense perfect for him. Needs to harness touch on intermediate throws (Mendoza comparison). LaNorris Sellers one of the worst INT throws he’s seen live.

Northwestern–Penn State next for Jamie (new stadium, family ties). Northwestern looked scrappier than the Colorado score; Colorado left points on the field.
Close (1:10+)
Crimson Audible Wednesday nights (~9 CT / 10 ET). Hoosier Huddle. IndianaVOCFB chasing 1,000 YouTube subs (215 away). Keezer + Brad back Tuesday for Indiana–Northwestern.

Go Hoosiers.

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1 hr 14 min

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