Curt Cignetti led Indiana to an undefeated 2025 season, capped by a 27-21 win over Miami in the College Football Playoff National Championship. However, even with a ring on every finger in Bloomington, there remains skepticism about whether the Hoosiers truly deserve to open 2026 as the nation’s top-ranked team given the sheer amount of talent departing for the NFL.
The Hoosiers enter the 2026 season having to replace Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who is projected as a top-five pick in this week’s NFL Draft. Along with Mendoza, Indiana lost several key starters including leading receivers Elijah Sarratt and Omar Cooper Jr., center Pat Coogan, and defensive standouts Aiden Fisher and D’Angelo Ponds.
RJ Young Argues Defending Champion Curt Cignetti’s Indiana Deserves Top-Five Status
FOX Sports analyst RJ Young pushed back on ESPN’s post-spring Top 25 rankings, which saw the Hoosiers slide to No. 6, on the latest episode of his “Adapt & Respond” podcast. Young argued that despite the roster turnover, the coaching staff’s pedigree earns them more respect.
“We get to number six cuz that’s where I wanted to discuss the defending national champions,” Young said. “16-0 (overall), 9-0 in the Big Ten. Fell from No. 1 to No. 6… but this is more about Curt Cignetti and his coordinators than it is about whom they got on the field. Mike Shanahan can call an offense. Bryant Haines can call a damn defense. Would I make Indiana a top-five team? Yes, I would.”
To reload, Cignetti once again utilized the transfer portal, securing a commitment from TCU standout Josh Hoover. Hoover, who passed for 3,472 yards and 29 touchdowns last season, finished with an 86 score in the PFSN College Football QB Impact Metric and is the favorite to win the starting job over Alberto Mendoza.
The Hoosiers’ top-ranked portal class also added elite talent like wide receiver Nick Marsh (Michigan State), running back Turbo Richard (Boston College), defensive lineman Tobi Osunsanmi (Kansas State), and cornerback A.J. Harris (Penn State). “On the strength of what those three men have been able to accomplish, and there’s yeah, you’re losing a lot, but the guys you’re adding don’t make me feel as if you’ve gotten less talented,” Young noted during the segment.
ESPN’s rankings placed Ohio State at No. 1, followed by Oregon, Georgia, Notre Dame, and Texas. While the Longhorns’ jump ahead of Indiana raised eyebrows, the Hoosiers will have a chance to prove the doubters wrong on the field. Indiana opens its title defense on Sept. 5 against North Texas before facing a brutal Big Ten slate that includes Ohio State, Michigan, and USC.
