Indiana Hoosiers Football
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The Indiana Hoosiers football program represents
Indiana University Bloomington Indiana University Bloomington (IU Bloomington, Indiana University, IU, or simply Indiana) is a public university, public research university in Bloomington, Indiana. It is the flagship university, flagship campus of Indiana University and, with ...
in
NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision The NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), formerly known as Division I-A, is the highest level of college football in the United States. The FBS consists of the largest schools in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). As ...
college football College football (french: Football universitaire) refers to gridiron football played by teams of student athletes. It was through college football play that American football rules first gained popularity in the United States. Unlike most ...
and in the
Big Ten Conference The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference) is the oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representati ...
. The Hoosiers have played their home games at Memorial Stadium since 1960. The team has won the Big Ten Championship twice, once in 1945 and again in 1967. The Hoosiers have appeared in 12 bowl games, including the 1968 Rose Bowl. Six Indiana players have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, including Zora Clevinger,
Bill Ingram William Austin Ingram (June 14, 1898 – June 2, 1943) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at The College of William & Mary (1922), Indiana University (1923–1925), the United States Naval Academy (1 ...
,
Pete Pihos Peter Louis Pihos (; October 22, 1923August 16, 2011) was an American football player and coach. Pihos played college football, principally as an end and fullback, for Indiana University from 1942 to 1943 and 1945 to 1946. He was selected as a ...
,
George Taliaferro George Taliaferro (January 8, 1927 – October 8, 2018) was a professional American football player who was the first African American drafted by a National Football League (NFL) team. Beginning his football career at Indiana University for the ...
,
John Tavener Sir John Kenneth Tavener (28 January 1944 – 12 November 2013) was an English composer, known for his extensive output of choral religious works. Among his best known works are '' The Lamb'' (1982), ''The Protecting Veil'' (1988), and '' Song ...
, and Anthony Thompson, who was also National Player of the Year in 1989. The Hoosiers are coached by Tom Allen.


History


Early history (1887–1957)

In the fall of 1884 the Indiana student newspaper made its first reference to football by reporting that a team was being organized. The following year, in 1885, a Yale graduate, professor Arthur B. Woodford, came to Indiana to teach political and social science and during the next year he introduced football to the school. Woodford coached the Hoosiers from 1887 to 1888. In the only documented game of the 1889 season, Indiana lost to
Wabash College Wabash College is a private liberal arts men's college in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Founded in 1832 by several Dartmouth College graduates and Midwestern leaders, it enrolls nearly 900 students. The college offers an undergraduate liberal arts cu ...
, 40–2. Evan Wollen led the Hoosiers to an 0–1 record. By 1891
Billy Herod Billy Herod was an American football coach. He served as the head football coach at Indiana University Bloomington Indiana University Bloomington (IU Bloomington, Indiana University, IU, or simply Indiana) is a public research university i ...
was head coach. He had never played football but had seen it played in the East. The Hoosiers continued to struggle to find wins, even forfeiting a game to in-state rival Purdue in the 1894 season. The first winning season came in 1895 under coach Dana Osgood, who led the team to a 4–3–1 record. This was followed by two winning seasons in 1896 and 1897 under coach Madison G. Gonterman, who was hired away from Harvard. After coaching the Hoosiers to winning records in 1898 and 1899, coach James H. Horne and the football team joined the Western Conference (later the
Big Ten Conference The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference) is the oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representati ...
). Horne led Indiana to six .500-or-better records in his seven years. In 1905 coach
James M. Sheldon James Milton Sheldon Sr. (c. 1880 – July 7, 1965) was an American football player, coach of football and basketball, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Indiana University from 1905 to 1913, while also se ...
took over and would have the longest tenure of a football coach at Indiana until Bo McMillin coached for 14 years (1934–1947). Sheldon proved to be one of the most successful coaches in Indiana football's early years, leading the Hoosiers to four winning seasons and as high as third in the Big Ten Conference rankings. In 1914 Indiana hired its first full-time coach,
Clarence Childs Clarence Chester Childs (July 24, 1883 – September 16, 1960) was an American athlete who competed mainly in the hammer throw. He served as the head football coach at Indiana University from 1914 to 1915, compiling a record of 6–7–1. Biog ...
, but continued to struggle to find success. In 1922 construction began on the original Memorial Stadium. It would seat 22,000 fans and $250,000 was raised to erect the new facility. The new stadium was built on the grounds of the golf course and replaced Jordan Field, which had been the home of Indiana football since 1887.
Bo McMillin Alvin Nugent "Bo" McMillin (January 12, 1895 – March 31, 1952) was an American football player and coach at the collegiate and professional level. He played college football at Centre College in Danville, Kentucky, where he was a three-tim ...
is the only person to coach Indiana to an outright Big Ten Championship. In 1945, the Hoosiers achieved their only unbeaten season (9-0-1). The achievement earned Coach McMillan the title of Man of the Year (by the Football Writers Association) and Coach of the Year (by the Football Coaches Association). Part of the team's success in this period is attributable to
George Taliaferro George Taliaferro (January 8, 1927 – October 8, 2018) was a professional American football player who was the first African American drafted by a National Football League (NFL) team. Beginning his football career at Indiana University for the ...
, an
African-American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...
who helped break down color barriers in sports and played for the Hoosiers two years before Jackie Robinson suited up for the Brooklyn Dodgers. A three-time All-American, Taliaferro led the Hoosiers in rushing twice, punting in 1945 and passing in 1948. He helped lead the 1945 undefeated team. Under Coach McMillin, IU had 10 winning seasons, including a stretch of six consecutive years. His Big Ten record of 34–34–6 is the best of any Indiana coach, as is his overall winning percentage (.562). His overall record at IU is 63–48–11. On September 23, 1946, McMillin was named Indiana's athletic director. Clyde Smith left Wisconsin La-Crosse and came to the Hoosiers as head football coach following McMillin's retirement. The Hoosiers struggled mightily under Smith, as they failed to win more than three games in a single season with Smith at the helm. Smith's final record at IU is 8–27–1.
Bernie Crimmins Bernard Anthony Crimmins (April 19, 1919 – March 19, 1993) was an American football player and coach. He played college football at the University of Notre Dame and was second-team All-America at guard on the 1941 United Press and International ...
came to Indiana from his post as an assistant under legendary coach
Frank Leahy Francis William Leahy (August 27, 1908 – June 21, 1973) was an American football player, coach, college athletics administrator, and professional sports executive. He served as the head football coach at Boston College from 1939 to 1940 and at ...
at Notre Dame and brought along high hopes that IU football prominence would be restored. However, it didn't happen. Like his predecessor, Crimmins failed to win more than three games in a single season, with yearly records of 2–7, 2–7, 3–6, 3–6 and 3–6 for a final record of 13–32 in five seasons. Crimmins was fired as head coach and returned to Notre Dame as an assistant. Bob Hicks came to Indiana from his post as an assistant at
Wyoming Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...
. He took over the Hoosiers football program for one season while Phil Dickens was being investigated for alleged NCAA violations. He went 1–8 in his only season as head coach, failing to win a single Big Ten game. He returned to his post as assistant coach for the Hoosiers after Dickens was reinstated.


Phil Dickens era (1958–1964)

Coach
Phil Dickens William Phillip Dickens (June 29, 1914 – November 16, 1983) was an American football player, coach of football, basketball and baseball, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Wofford College (1947–1952), ...
, formerly head football coach at
Wyoming Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...
, guided Indiana to a fifth-place finish in the Big Ten and a 3–2–1 overall record in 1958, his first season at the helm (he sat out the 1957 season while under investigation by the NCAA). That same year construction began on the new Memorial Stadium, which is still the home of the football team today. In the fall of 1960 the Indiana football program was hit with devastating NCAA sanctions. The sanctions resulted from violations that included the offering of free plane tickets to several athletes along with financial stipends, according to an NCAA report, while other recruits were delivered envelopes filled with cash. Indiana denied the charges, arguing that possible recruiting violations were just the work of overzealous alumni. The NCAA, however, didn't buy the claims and saddled Indiana with four years of probation. During this time all Hoosier varsity sports were barred from postseason play. The NCAA also disallowed any Indiana win during the 1960 Big Ten season because of Indiana's improper recruiting practices. The sanctions were a stain on Indiana's notoriously clean record and undermined the ability to convince talented athletes to come to Bloomington. However, Dickens was not held responsible for the sanctions and remained on the Hoosier sidelines for another five years until 1964. Dickens' contract was not renewed after seven seasons.


John Pont era (1965–1972)

John Pont John Pont (November 13, 1927 – July 1, 2008) was an American football player and coach. He served as head coach at Miami University, Yale University, Northwestern University and Indiana University. Early life Pont was born on November 13, 1927 ...
, who came to IU from
Yale Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wor ...
, took over just as the IU sanctions expired. In 1966 the team achieved only a 1–8–1 record. But the following season, in 1967, Indiana surprisingly had a 9–2 record and shared the Big Ten title with
Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
and Purdue. The team was invited to and accepted the invitation play in the 1968 Rose Bowl (Indiana's only appearance), but lost to
Southern California Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal) is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural region that generally comprises the southern portion of the U.S. state of California. It includes the Los Angeles metropolitan area, the second most po ...
, the team which would be named national champions. Pont was named unanimous national coach of the year and head coach of the East team in the 1968 Coaches All-America game. With sophomore stars Harry Gonzo, John Isenbarger and Jade Butcher returning for two more years, the Hoosiers were ranked in the preseason top 10 nationally in 1968. Unfortunately, due to injuries and to the return to prominence of programs at
Ohio State The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best public ...
,
Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
and Purdue, the Hoosiers finished 6–4 in 1968 and 4–6 in 1969 (also partially due to a 14-player African American team boycott). Pont, after only winning five or more games in a single season twice after the Rose Bowl season (never more than six wins), was asked to resign after eight seasons.


Lee Corso era (1973–1982)

Lee Corso Lee Richard Corso (born August 7, 1935) is an American sports broadcaster and football analyst for ESPN and a former coach. He has been a featured analyst on ESPN's '' College GameDay'' program since its inception in 1987. Corso served as the he ...
left
Louisville Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border. ...
and took over as IU head football coach in 1973, leading the Hoosiers to two winning seasons in 1979 and 1980. The 1979 regular season ended with 7–4 record and earned a trip to the 1979 Holiday Bowl; there the Hoosiers would beat the previously unbeaten
BYU Brigham Young University (BYU, sometimes referred to colloquially as The Y) is a private research university in Provo, Utah. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day S ...
. Indiana's victory over the Cougars propelled the team to 16th in the UPI poll, the Hoosiers' first top-20 ranking since 1967. During one game in the 1976 season, Corso called a time out after his team scored a touchdown early in the 2nd quarter. The entire team huddled together for a photograph with the scoreboard filling the background. It read: Indiana 7, Ohio State 6. It was the first time in 25 years that the Hoosiers had led the Buckeyes in a football game. Corso's record was 41–68–2 over his ten years at Indiana. Corso was fired after ten seasons in which, other than the Holiday Bowl season, the Hoosiers only had one winning season, a 6–5 1980 season.


Sam Wyche era (1983)

For one season,
Sam Wyche Samuel David Wyche (; January 5, 1945 – January 2, 2020) was an American football quarterback and coach. He was a quarterback and head coach for the Cincinnati Bengals and a quarterbacks coach for the San Francisco 49ers. As head coach, he ...
, formerly an assistant with the NFL's
San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
, led the Indiana Hoosiers football program. Wyche's Hoosiers struggled to a 3–8 record in his only season at the helm of the Hoosiers. He left IU to accept an offer to become head coach of the NFL's
Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The c ...
.


Bill Mallory era (1984–1996)

Bill Mallory William Guy Mallory (May 30, 1935 – May 25, 2018) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Miami University (1969–1973), the University of Colorado at Boulder (1974–1978), Northern Illinois Universi ...
, who came to IU from
Northern Illinois Northern Illinois is a region generally covering the northern third of the U.S. state of Illinois. The region is by far the most populous of Illinois with nearly 9.7 million residents as of 2010. Economics Northern Illinois is dominated by t ...
, took over as head football coach following Wyche's departure. Although he finished with a winless 0–11 record during his first campaign at Indiana in 1984, it would take Mallory just three seasons to lead the Hoosiers to their first bowl appearance under his direction. Indiana finished with a 6–5 regular-season record in 1986 and capped its season by playing a talented
Florida State Florida State University (FSU) is a public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida. Founded in 1851, it is located on the oldest continuous site of higher e ...
team in the
1986 All-American Bowl The 1986 All-American Bowl featured a meeting between the Florida State Seminoles and the Indiana Hoosiers. FSU, coached by Bobby Bowden, had a 6-4-1 record going into the bowl game and Indiana, coached by Bill Mallory had a 6–5 record. Game ...
on New Year's Eve. Despite losing 27–13, the Hoosiers put up a good fight. Indiana running back Anthony Thompson, who was playing in his first bowl game, finished with 127 rushing yards on 28 carries. In 1987, Mallory became the first Big Ten coach to be awarded back-to-back coach of the year honors after the Hoosiers earned an 8–4 record (with wins over
Ohio State The Ohio State University, commonly called Ohio State or OSU, is a public land-grant research university in Columbus, Ohio. A member of the University System of Ohio, it has been ranked by major institutional rankings among the best public ...
and
Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
), a second-place finish in the Big Ten, and a
Peach Bowl The Peach Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played in Atlanta, Georgia since December 1968. Since 1997, it has been sponsored by Chick-fil-A and is officially known as the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. From 2006 to 2013, it was officially ...
appearance against
Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
. In what was the first-ever meeting between the schools, Tennessee was victorious by a final score of 27–22. In 1988, Indiana finished the regular season with a 7–3–1 record, a 5–3 mark in the Big Ten, and a top-20 ranking. It earned the team a postseason berth for the third consecutive year with a game against
South Carolina )''Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...
in the 1988
Liberty Bowl The Liberty Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in late December or early January since 1959. For its first five years, it was played at Philadelphia Municipal Stadium in Philadelphia before being held at Atlantic City ...
. The Hoosiers dominated the game and cruised to a 34–10 victory before 39,210 fans. Indiana set a Liberty Bowl record with 575 yards of total offense. Indiana finished with a 6–4–1 regular-season record in 1990, a mark good enough to earn the Hoosiers a berth in the
Peach Bowl The Peach Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played in Atlanta, Georgia since December 1968. Since 1997, it has been sponsored by Chick-fil-A and is officially known as the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. From 2006 to 2013, it was officially ...
for a game against the
Auburn Tigers The Auburn Tigers are the athletic teams representing Auburn University, a public four-year coeducational university located in Auburn, Alabama, United States. The Auburn Tigers compete in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Associat ...
, which Indiana would lose 27–23. Part of Indiana's success can be attributed to star running back Vaughn Dunbar. In 1991 Indiana played in the
Copper Bowl The Guaranteed Rate Bowl is an annual college football bowl game that has been played in the state of Arizona since 1989. Played as the Copper Bowl from inception through 1996, it was known as the Insight.com Bowl from 1997 through 2001, then ...
and dominated a highly regarded Baylor team 24–0. Led by future NFL quarterback
Trent Green Trent Jason Green (born July 9, 1970) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for fifteen seasons. He played college football for Indiana University. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in ...
, it was one of the most impressive performances by any team during the 1991 bowl season. Indiana finished the 1993 season with an 8–4 record, with two of its three regular season losses by seven points or less. The team went on to play in the 1993
Independence Bowl The Independence Bowl is a post-season National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)-sanctioned Division I college football bowl game that is played annually each December at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana. The Independence Bowl ...
. Coach Mallory, despite his successes, was fired after thirteen seasons, ending his career at Indiana with six bowl games overall in 13 seasons. He is Indiana's all-time winningest head football coach with 69 wins.


Cam Cameron era (1997–2001)

Washington Redskins The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) N ...
quarterbacks coach and Indiana alumnus
Cam Cameron Malcolm "Cam" Cameron (born February 6, 1961) is an American football coach. He is the former offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach of the LSU Tigers football program. Cameron attended Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana and playe ...
began coaching the Hoosiers in 1997 and in five seasons compiled a record of 18–37. Cameron brought a new system and logo to the school, both in style and in substance. Cameron began by introducing a new oval logo for the football helmets (which has since been discarded). Cameron brought an explosive offense to school with highly effective offensive players such as
Antwaan Randle El Antwaan Randle El (; born August 17, 1979) is an American football coach and former player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He is currently the wide receivers coach for the Detroit Lions of the Nati ...
. Indiana averaged 23.6 points per game under Cameron's guidance. In fact, Randle El became the first player in NCAA Division I history to pass for 40 career touchdowns and score 40 career rushing touchdowns. He finished his college career as fifth on the all-time NCAA total yardage list, and became the first player in college football history to record 2,500 total yards for each of four consecutive years. Although Cameron's Indiana teams won less than one-third of their games, Indiana was recognized by the
American Football Coaches Association The American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) is an association of over 11,000 American football coaches and staff on all levels. According to its constitution, some of the main goals of the American Football Coaches Association are to "mainta ...
for its exemplary football graduation rates in each of Cameron's final four seasons. Nevertheless, Cameron was fired after the 2001 season.


Gerry DiNardo era (2002–2004)

In 2002, former Vanderbilt and
LSU Louisiana State University (officially Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, commonly referred to as LSU) is a public land-grant research university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The university was founded in 1860 near ...
head football coach
Gerry DiNardo Gerard Paul DiNardo (born November 10, 1952) is a former American football player and coach. He played college football as a guard for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish where he was selected as an All-American in 1974. DiNardo served as the head f ...
took over as Indiana head football coach, but finished with just an 8–27 overall record. He never won more than three games in a season, and was fired after the 2004 season.


Terry Hoeppner era (2005–2006)

In 2005
Terry Hoeppner Terry Lee Hoeppner (August 19, 1947 – June 19, 2007) was an American college football coach who served as head coach of the Miami RedHawks from 1999 to 2004 and the Indiana Hoosiers from 2005 to 2006. Shortly after announcing that he would be ...
("Coach Hep") left Miami (OH) and was named head coach of the Hoosiers. He quickly made an impact by nearly leading the team to a bowl appearance in 2006. With 49 true or redshirt freshmen and 72 underclassmen overall, that team was the youngest team in the Big Ten. Despite such youth, the team garnered five victories, the most since the 2001 season. The 2006 Hoosiers picked up three Big Ten wins for the first time since 2001. Coach Hep rejuvenated the Indiana fan base; attendance increased 39 percent, season ticket sales increased 46 percent, and student season ticket sales increased 110 percent. In 2006, Hoeppner announced he was taking a medical leave of absence but died shortly afterward following a lengthy battle with brain cancer. Hoeppner's final record at IU was 9–14.


Bill Lynch era (2007–2010)

In 2007, Hoeppner's offensive coordinator
Bill Lynch Bill Lynch (born June 12, 1954) is a former American football coach. He was most recently the head football coach at DePauw University, a position he held in 2004 and re-assumed in December 2012 until his retirement after the 2019 season. Lynch ...
, a native Hoosier, took over the reins of the program. In his first season Lynch led Indiana to a 7–6 record (the most wins since 1993) and its first
Old Oaken Bucket The Old Oaken Bucket is a traveling trophy awarded in American college football as part of the rivalry between the Indiana Hoosiers football team of Indiana University and Purdue Boilermakers football team of Purdue University. It was first awa ...
victory since 2001. The success earned the team a trip to the
Insight Bowl The Guaranteed Rate Bowl is an annual college football bowl game that has been played in the state of Arizona since 1989. Played as the Copper Bowl from inception through 1996, it was known as the Insight.com Bowl from 1997 through 2001, then ...
. The season marked the first time that an Indiana coach guided a team to a bowl game in his first season. The 2008 Indiana team was hampered by a number of injuries. Against
Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...
, the Hoosiers were forced to play three quarterbacks and four
centers Center or centre may refer to: Mathematics * Center (geometry), the middle of an object * Center (algebra), used in various contexts ** Center (group theory) ** Center (ring theory) * Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentrici ...
. 13 starters in total were injured during the year. Still, Lynch was able to pull in the one of the strongest recruiting classes in recent history. 2009 showed marked improvement on the field, although the record ledger failed to show it as the team took 4th quarter leads into three Big Ten road games before falling short. During Lynch's tenure, the players established a Player's Leadership Council, which elect weekly game captains and select the community service organizations the team volunteers with. The Boys and Girls Club of Bloomington and Riley Children's Hospital of Indianapolis are two favorite causes of the team. Lynch's tenure has been noted for his strong recruiting and identifying and developing high character young men who want to be part of a family atmosphere. However, after four seasons, Lynch compiled just a 19–30 overall record and was fired by athletic director Fred Glass.


Kevin Wilson era (2011–2016)

Kevin Wilson, formerly offensive coordinator at
Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
, was named head coach on December 7, 2011. Wilson arrived in Bloomington with a reputation as a brilliant offensive mind, having overseen explosives offenses during his years with the Sooners and had coached 2009
Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy (usually known colloquially as the Heisman Trophy or The Heisman) is awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard ...
winning quarterback
Sam Bradford Samuel Jacob Bradford (born November 8, 1987) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons, most notably with the St. Louis Rams and Minnesota Vikings. He was also a member of the ...
. In Wilson's first year, the Hoosiers compiled a 1–11 record. In his second year, Indiana improved to 4–8 on the year (4 losses were by seven points or fewer), but surpassed Northwestern's record for most losses in Football Bowl Subdivision history. Nevertheless, Wilson's team exhibited an explosive offense, going from 80th nationally in pass offense to 19th and leading the Big Ten with 311.2 yards per game, in spite of losing the starting quarterback
Tre Roberson Trerein "Tre" E. Roberson (born October 22, 1992) is a professional gridiron football defensive back for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent following the ...
in the season's second game. Additionally, Wilson was successful in luring five 4-star
Rivals.com Rivals.com is a network of websites that focus mainly on college football and basketball recruiting in the United States. The network was started in 1998 and employs more than 300 personnel. History Rivals.com was founded in 1998 by Jim Heckma ...
recruits from the 2013 class to Indiana, the most in school history. Wilson's 2013 team improved to 5–7, and while the Hoosiers featured one of the Big Ten's more potent offenses (ranked 2nd in the Big Ten for 2013), the team's defense was among the conference's worst (12th in the Big Ten). The Hoosiers set school and Big Ten records for most yards and points allowed per game, and the Hoosiers lost three games in which they scored at least 35 points. Wilson fired defensive coordinator Doug Mallory following the 2013 season and replaced him with
Brian Knorr Brian Knorr (born December 20, 1963) is an American college football coach. He was most recently the defensive coordinator for the Indiana Hoosiers football team. He graduated from the Air Force Academy and played quarterback. He also was an a ...
, the former defensive coordinator of Wake Forest and former head coach at
Ohio Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
. After going 6–6 overall (2–6 B1G) in the 2015 season, Wilson's Hoosiers would qualify for a bowl game, the first since 2007. The Hoosiers would eventually lose the
Pinstripe Bowl The Pinstripe Bowl is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) college football bowl game that is held at Yankee Stadium in The Bronx, New York City. First played in 2010, the game is organized ...
to
Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...
by a score of 44–41 in overtime. Following the 2015 post season, on January 16, 2016, Wilson hired Tom Allen, the former defensive coordinator of USF, to replace Knorr beginning the 2016 season. Following the end of the 2016 regular season, the Hoosiers would again finish 6–6 overall (4–5 B1G) to become bowl eligible for the second year in a row. This was the first time since 1990–1991 that the Hoosiers have gone to back-to-back bowl games. However, Wilson resigned on December 1, 2016, amidst "philosophical differences" with athletic director Fred Glass and allegations of player mistreatment. He later went on to be the offensive coordinator for the
Ohio State Buckeyes football The Ohio State Buckeyes football team competes as part of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision, representing Ohio State University in the East Division of the Big Ten Conference. Ohio State has played their home games at Ohio Stadium in ...
program, under Head Coach
Urban Meyer Urban Frank Meyer III (born July 10, 1964) is a college football TV commentator and former American football coach. He spent most of his coaching career at the collegiate level, having served as the head coach of the Bowling Green Falcons fro ...
.


Tom Allen era (2016–present)

On December 1, 2016, Tom Allen was named head coach. He previously served as Indiana's defensive coordinator. On December 7, the football team was invited to play in the Foster Farms Bowl on December 28, 2016, at
Levi's Stadium Levi's Stadium is an American football stadium located in Santa Clara, California, just outside San Jose in the San Francisco Bay Area. It has served as the home venue for the National Football League (NFL)'s San Francisco 49ers since 2014. T ...
against the Utah Utes. The bowl game served as Tom Allen's head coaching debut. On January 4, 2017, former
Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
offensive coordinator
Mike DeBord Mike DeBord (born February 7, 1956) is an American football coach who was most recently the offensive coordinator at the University of Kansas. He was previously the offensive coordinator of the San Diego Fleet of the Alliance of American Football ...
was hired to the same position for the Hoosiers. On August 3, 2017, ESPN's '' College GameDay'' announced that it will hold its first show of the season in Bloomington (and the first time it has been held in that city). On September 9, 2017, Allen would record his first win as the head coach of the Hoosiers, defeating the Virginia Cavaliers, in
Charlottesville Charlottesville, colloquially known as C'ville, is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is the county seat of Albemarle County, which surrounds the city, though the two are separate legal entities. It is named after Queen Ch ...
, by a score of 34–17. The following week, Indiana University Athletics reached a mutual agreement with
Florida International University Florida International University (FIU) is a public university, public research university with its main campus in Miami-Dade County. Founded in 1965, the school opened its doors to students in 1972. FIU has grown to become the third-largest uni ...
to cancel its September 16 matchup, following the aftermath of
Hurricane Irma Hurricane Irma was an extremely powerful Cape Verde hurricane that caused widespread destruction across its path in September 2017. Irma was the first Category 5 hurricane to strike the Leeward Islands on record, followed by Maria two ...
in southern
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
. Following the loss at Purdue on November 25, 2017, Allen and the Hoosiers would finish the 2017 season 5-7 overall and fail to earn a bowl appearance. After the culmination of the 2018 season for Indiana, Allen's Hoosiers would again finish the season 5–7 overall; Indiana failed to beat Purdue in a must-win, last game of the season, to become bowl eligible. The loss to the Boilermakers would secure the Hoosiers' second-straight year without a bowl appearance. On December 27, 2018, the Hoosiers announced the promotion of
Kane Wommack Kane Wommack (born April 19, 1987) is an American football coach and former player who is currently the head coach at the University of South Alabama. He previously served as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Indiana from 2018 t ...
from linebackers coach to defensive coordinator. On December 30, 2018, Hoosiers' offensive coordinator Mike DeBord announced his retirement from football. On January 21, 2019, former Fresno State offensive coordinator
Kalen DeBoer Kalen Douglas DeBoer (born October 24, 1974) is an American football coach. He is the head football coach at the University of Washington. DeBoer served as the head football coach at the University of Sioux Falls from 2005 to 2009 and California S ...
was announced as the Hoosiers' new offensive coordinator. The Hoosiers would finish the 2019 regular season with an 8–4 overall record (5–4 B1G) and become bowl eligible by October 26; the 8–4 overall season record had not been accomplished since Indiana's
1993 season File:1993 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The Oslo I Accord is signed in an attempt to resolve the Israeli–Palestinian conflict; The Russian White House is shelled during the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis; Czechoslovakia is peace ...
. On November 30, 2019, the Hoosiers defeated in-state rival Purdue 44–41, in two overtimes, to win the Old Oaken Bucket for the first time since 2016. On December 8, 2019, Indiana was selected as a participant in the 2020 Gator Bowl against
Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...
; the Hoosiers would go on to lose 22–23 to the Volunteers. Following the culmination of the regular season, both Allen and DeBoer would receive watchlist nominations for their respective Coach of the Year awards, including DeBoer being named a semifinalist for the
Broyles Award The Broyles Award is an annual award given to honor the best assistant coach in college football. First awarded in 1996, it was named after former University of Arkansas men's athletic director Frank Broyles. The award is presented in Little R ...
. On December 17, 2019, Kalen DeBoer was hired by
Fresno State California State University, Fresno (Fresno State) is a public university in Fresno, California. It is one of 23 campuses in the California State University system. The university had a fall 2020 enrollment of 25,341 students. It offers bachelo ...
as its newest head coach; DeBoer had served only one year as the Hoosiers' offensive coordinator. Following the departure of DeBoer to Fresno State, Indiana announced the promotion of tight ends' coach Nick Sheridan to offensive coordinator and running backs' coach Mike Hart to associate head coach. Indiana's first game of the 2020 season took place at Memorial Stadium on October 24, 2020, against the No. 8
Penn State Nittany Lions The Penn State Nittany Lions are the athletic teams of Pennsylvania State University, except for the women's basketball team, known as the Lady Lions. The school colors are navy blue and white. The school mascot is the Nittany Lion. The interc ...
. The Hoosiers defeated Penn State 36–35 in
overtime Overtime is the amount of time someone works beyond normal working hours. The term is also used for the pay received for this time. Normal hours may be determined in several ways: *by custom (what is considered healthy or reasonable by society) ...
. The Hoosiers were awarded a ranking of No. 17 following the victory. Indiana's next two games included a 37–21 victory over the
Rutgers Scarlet Knights The Rutgers Scarlet Knights are the athletic teams that represent Rutgers University's New Brunswick campus. In sports, Rutgers is famously known for being the "Birthplace of College Football", hosting the first ever intercollegiate football ...
and a 38–21 victory over the No. 23 Michigan Wolverines, their first victory over them in 33 years. Following the win versus the Wolverines, the Hoosiers were ranked tenth in both the AP and coaches poll, their highest rankings since 1969 and 1992. Following the culmination of the regular season, the Hoosiers would be invited to the
Outback Bowl The ReliaQuest Bowl is an annual college football bowl game played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, usually on New Year's Day. The event has been formerly called the Hall of Fame Bowl from 1986 to 1995 and the Outback Bowl from 1996 to ...
, where they would lose by six points to Ole Miss, 26–20. Following the season defensive coordinator
Kane Wommack Kane Wommack (born April 19, 1987) is an American football coach and former player who is currently the head coach at the University of South Alabama. He previously served as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Indiana from 2018 t ...
would leave to become head coach of the
South Alabama Jaguars The South Alabama Jaguars represent the University of South Alabama in NCAA Division I intercollegiate athletics. USA competes in the Sun Belt Conference; it is the conference's only remaining charter member from its inception. USA's athletics t ...
. Indiana would hire Charlton Warren from the Georgia Bulldogs to replace him. Following a 2–10 overall (0–9 Big Ten) finish of the 2021 season, Indiana fired Offensive Coordinator
Nick Sheridan Nick William Sheridan (born May 21, 1988) is an American football coach and former quarterback who is currently the TE coach for the Washington Huskies. He previously served as the offensive coordinator at Indiana University. He played college f ...
on November 28. The Hoosiers hired former UMass headcoach
Walt Bell Walter A. Bell IV (born June 7, 1984) is an American football coach and former wide receiver. He is the offensive coordinator of the Indiana Hoosiers football team. He played college football at Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders football, Middle Tenne ...
as Sheridan's replacement on December 9.


Conference affiliations

* Independent (1887–1899) *
Big Ten Conference The Big Ten Conference (stylized B1G, formerly the Western Conference and the Big Nine Conference) is the oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the United States. Founded as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representati ...
(1900–present) ** Western Conference (1900–1952) ** Big Ten Conference (1953–present)


Conference championships

Indiana has won two conference championships, one outright and one shared. † Co-champion


Bowl games

Indiana has participated in 13 bowl games in 120 seasons, garnering a record of 3–10 through the 2020 season. An oft-spoken mantra, coined after
Terry Hoeppner Terry Lee Hoeppner (August 19, 1947 – June 19, 2007) was an American college football coach who served as head coach of the Miami RedHawks from 1999 to 2004 and the Indiana Hoosiers from 2005 to 2006. Shortly after announcing that he would be ...
's death prior to the 2007 season, is to "play 13," meaning to play an extra game (a bowl game) after the 12-game regular season.


Head coaches


Facilities


Jordan Field (1887–1924)

Created in 1887, Indiana's first athletic grounds, Jordan Field was originally named University Athletic Field before being renamed in 1898, in honor of then-Indiana University President
David Starr Jordan David Starr Jordan (January 19, 1851 – September 19, 1931) was the founding president of Stanford University, serving from 1891 to 1913. He was an ichthyologist during his research career. Prior to serving as president of Stanford Univer ...
. The field was a mixed-use facility utilized by both the football and baseball teams.
Bleacher Bleachers (North American English), or stands, are raised, tiered rows of benches found at sports fields and other spectator events. Stairways provide access to the horizontal rows of seats, often with every other step gaining access to a ro ...
seating for 4,000 persons were added in 1901, with field drainage added the following year to alleviate flooding. In 1904, a
track and field Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping events ...
component was added to the athletic facility; however, conditions of the field continued to be a problem for the Hoosiers. The track and field portion of Jordan Field was upgraded in 1915. A proposed stadium, north of the current facility, was planned by the university; however, the outbreak of
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
postponed construction. The football and baseball teams would continue play at Jordan Field through the end of 1923. The proposed stadium would begin construction in 1924 and would open in the fall of 1925. The final varsity athletic event for Jordan Field, a baseball game, would occur in 1950 prior to the facility being turned into a parking lot for the nearby
Indiana Memorial Union The Indiana Memorial Union (IMU) is a student union building at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana Bloomington is a city in and the county seat of Monroe County in the central region of the U.S. state of Indiana. It is the seventh-la ...
.


Memorial Stadium (1925–1959)

Indiana's two Memorial Stadiums are entirely distinct venues and share only the same name, though never at the same time. The current Memorial Stadium was called Seventeenth Street Football Stadium until 1971, when it was renamed Memorial Stadium and the original stadium was renamed Tenth Street Stadium. Tenth Street Stadium hosted the
Little 500 The Little 500 (also known popularly as the "Little Five"), is a track cycling race held annually during the third weekend of April at Bill Armstrong Stadium on the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana. It is attended by more tha ...
bicycle race until Bill Armstrong Stadium was built in 1981. It was demolished in the same year and its former place on campus is occupied by the arboretum. Shortly before its demolition, the old stadium was featured in the 1979 cult movie classic ''
Breaking Away ''Breaking Away'' is a 1979 American coming of age comedy-drama film produced and directed by Peter Yates and written by Steve Tesich. It follows a group of four male teenagers in Bloomington, Indiana, who have recently graduated from high sc ...
'' – filmed primarily on the Indiana campus and the surrounding Bloomington, Indiana area.


Memorial Stadium (1960–present)

The current iteration of Memorial Stadium opened in 1960 as part of a new athletics area at the university and has a capacity of 52,656. It replaced the original Memorial Stadium, built in 1925, a 20,000-seat stadium located on 10th Street where the arboretum now stands. The stadium has been expanded twice since the original construction. The $38 million, 138,000-square-foot, North End Zone Student-Athlete Development Center opened in 2009. The $53 million, 66,575-square-foot, South End Zone Student-Athlete Excellence Center opened in 2018.


John Mellencamp Pavilion (1996–present)

The John Mellencamp Pavilion is the primary indoor athletics training facility of the Indiana Hoosiers's football program. It was dedicated on April 12, 1996, following a donation of $1.5 million from singer-songwriter
John Mellencamp John J. Mellencamp (born October 7, 1951), previously known as Johnny Cougar, John Cougar, and John Cougar Mellencamp, is an American singer-songwriter. He is known for his catchy brand of heartland rock, which emphasizes traditional instrument ...
, to facilitate the project. The indoor practice facility contains a regulation-sized football field, featuring a Sportexe Momentum 41 artificial surface which was installed in 2007.


Rivalries


Purdue

Indiana's most prominent rivalry is with in-state school Purdue. The teams compete for the
Old Oaken Bucket The Old Oaken Bucket is a traveling trophy awarded in American college football as part of the rivalry between the Indiana Hoosiers football team of Indiana University and Purdue Boilermakers football team of Purdue University. It was first awa ...
, most recently held by Indiana after defeating the Boilermakers during the 2019 season. Purdue leads the series 75-42–6 through the 2021 season.


Michigan State

Indiana has a second trophy game (for the
Old Brass Spittoon Old or OLD may refer to: Places * Old, Baranya, Hungary * Old, Northamptonshire, England *Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, ...
) against
Michigan State Michigan State University (Michigan State, MSU) is a public land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, the first of its kind in the United States. It i ...
. The Spartans were Indiana's dedicated cross-divisional rival in the Big Ten during the era of the Legends and Leaders divisions (2011–2013). Both teams now play in the Big Ten East division and compete annually. Michigan State leads the all-time series 48-17-2. I


Kentucky

The Hoosiers also have an out-of-conference rivalry with
Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...
. The Hoosiers played the Wildcats annually from 1987 until 2005 in what was known as the "Bourbon Barrel" game. The two teams played for a trophy called the "Bourbon Barrel" from 1987 until both schools mutually agreed to retire the trophy in 1999 following the alcohol-related death of a Kentucky football player. The two teams last met on September 17, 2005, with Indiana winning 38–14; Indiana leads the overall series (18-17-1).


Legacy

The Hoosier football program has the most all-time losses (686 as of the end of the 2020 season) in the history of NCAA Division I (now FBS) football, in addition to the tenth worst all-time winning percentage (.423) out of 128 FBS schools. Fellow Big Ten program Northwestern is ranked 2nd in all time losses with 677, and Purdue is ranked 29th with 579 losses. The Hoosiers have seen significant recent success, however, making it to their first bowl game since 2007, the New Era Pinstripe Bowl, in 2015, the Foster Farms Bowl in 2016, the
Gator Bowl The Gator Bowl is an annual college football bowl game held in Jacksonville, Florida, operated by Gator Bowl Sports. It has been held continuously since 1946, making it the sixth oldest college bowl, as well as the first one ever televised natio ...
in 2019, the 2020 Outback Bowl, and finishing the 2019 regular season 8–4. The Hoosiers experienced a very successful 2020 season, going 6–2 overall and 6–1 in the Big Ten Conference, finishing tied for 2nd for the best Big Ten record and 2nd in the Big Ten East division behind Ohio St. Coach Tom Allen was named the 2020 Big Ten Coach of the Year and was a finalist for the 2020 Paul "Bear" Bryant Award.


Individual awards and honors


Retired numbers


National

Players *
Maxwell Award The Maxwell Award is presented annually to the college football player judged by a panel of sportscasters, sportswriters, and National Collegiate Athletic Association head coaches and the membership of the Maxwell Football Club to be the best al ...
: Anthony Thompson - 1989 *
Walter Camp Award The Walter Camp Player of the Year Award is given annually to the collegiate American football player of the year, as decided by a group of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I FBS head coaches and sports information directo ...
: Anthony Thompson - 1989 Coach *
Paul "Bear" Bryant Award The American Heart Association (AHA) Paul "Bear" Bryant Awards are an annual awards banquet that is hosted each year in January, in Houston, Texas, by the AHA.For a list of American Heart Association offices, by state, go to: There are two aw ...
:
John Pont John Pont (November 13, 1927 – July 1, 2008) was an American football player and coach. He served as head coach at Miami University, Yale University, Northwestern University and Indiana University. Early life Pont was born on November 13, 1927 ...
- 1967


Big Ten Conference

Players *
Chicago Tribune Silver Football The Chicago Tribune Silver Football is awarded by the ''Chicago Tribune'' to the college football player determined to be the best player from the Big Ten Conference. The award has been presented annually since 1924, when Red Grange of Illinois w ...
:
Chuck Bennett Charles Henry Bennett (August 9, 1907 – June 9, 1973) was an American football player and coach. He played halfback for the Indiana University football team from 1926 to 1928 and won the 1928 Chicago Tribune Silver Football trophy as the most ...
- 1928 :
Vern Huffman Richard Vernon Huffman (December 18, 1914 – March 18, 1995) was an American football and basketball player. He was born in Mooreland, Indiana and was raised in and around New Castle, Indiana. He played basketball for the New Castle High Sc ...
- 1936 :
Corbett Davis Richard Corbett "Corby" Davis (December 8, 1914 – May 28, 1968) was an American football fullback. He was the first overall pick in the 1938 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Rams. He spent four seasons with the Cleveland Rams, leaving pro footbal ...
- 1937 : Tim Clifford - 1979 : Anthony Thompson - 1988, 1989 :
Antwaan Randle El Antwaan Randle El (; born August 17, 1979) is an American football coach and former player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He is currently the wide receivers coach for the Detroit Lions of the Nati ...
- 2001 *
Player of the Year Several sports leagues honour their best player with an award called Player of the Year (POY) . In the United States, this type of award is usually called a Most Valuable Player award. Association football In association football, this award is he ...
: Anthony Thompson - 1988, 1989 *
Offensive Player of the Year The National Football League Offensive Player of the Year Award is an annual American football award given by various organizations to the National Football League (NFL) player who is considered the top offensive player during the regular season. Or ...
:
Antwaan Randle El Antwaan Randle El (; born August 17, 1979) is an American football coach and former player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He is currently the wide receivers coach for the Detroit Lions of the Nati ...
- 2001 * Freshman of the Year :
Antwaan Randle El Antwaan Randle El (; born August 17, 1979) is an American football coach and former player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons. He is currently the wide receivers coach for the Detroit Lions of the Nati ...
- 1998 Coach * Dave McClain Coach of the Year :
Bill Mallory William Guy Mallory (May 30, 1935 – May 25, 2018) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at Miami University (1969–1973), the University of Colorado at Boulder (1974–1978), Northern Illinois Universi ...
- 1986, 1987 : Tom Allen -
2020 2020 was heavily defined by the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to global Social impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, social and Economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic disruption, mass cancellations and postponements of events, COVID- ...


College Football Hall of Famers

* Zora Clevinger *
Bill Ingram William Austin Ingram (June 14, 1898 – June 2, 1943) was an American football player and coach. He served as the head football coach at The College of William & Mary (1922), Indiana University (1923–1925), the United States Naval Academy (1 ...
*
Pete Pihos Peter Louis Pihos (; October 22, 1923August 16, 2011) was an American football player and coach. Pihos played college football, principally as an end and fullback, for Indiana University from 1942 to 1943 and 1945 to 1946. He was selected as a ...
*
George Taliaferro George Taliaferro (January 8, 1927 – October 8, 2018) was a professional American football player who was the first African American drafted by a National Football League (NFL) team. Beginning his football career at Indiana University for the ...
*
John Tavener Sir John Kenneth Tavener (28 January 1944 – 12 November 2013) was an English composer, known for his extensive output of choral religious works. Among his best known works are '' The Lamb'' (1982), ''The Protecting Veil'' (1988), and '' Song ...
* Anthony Thompson


Pro Football Hall of Famers

*
Pete Pihos Peter Louis Pihos (; October 22, 1923August 16, 2011) was an American football player and coach. Pihos played college football, principally as an end and fullback, for Indiana University from 1942 to 1943 and 1945 to 1946. He was selected as a ...


School records

Records from the 1956 season through the 2018 season.


Career

* Passing Yards: 7,879 –
Nate Sudfeld Nathan Michael Sudfeld (born October 7, 1993) is an American football quarterback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Indiana and was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the sixth round in ...
, (2012–2015) * Receiving Yards: 2,740 – James Hardy, (2005–2007) * Rushing Yards: 5,299 – Anthony Thompson, (1986–1989) * Touchdowns: 65 – Anthony Thompson, (1986–1989) * Sacks: 34.5 –
Adewale Ogunleye Adewale Ogunleye (; born August 9, 1977) is a former American football defensive end who played eleven seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2000 and also played for t ...
, (1996–1999) * Interceptions: 19 – Tim Wilbur, (1978–1982)


Season

* Passing Yards: 3,573 – Nate Sudfeld, (2015) * Receiving Yards: 1,265 – Ernie Jones, (1987 * Rushing Yards: 2,036 –
Tevin Coleman Tevin Ford Coleman (born April 16, 1993) is an American football running back for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He played college fo ...
, (2014) * Touchdowns: 26 – Anthony Thompson, (1988) * Sacks: 16 –
Greg Middleton Gregory Alan Middleton Jr. (born December 1, 1986) is a former American football defensive end. He played his collegiate football for the Indiana Hoosiers. He played high school football at Pike High School. College career In 2006, as a true fr ...
, (2007) * Interceptions: 8 – Tim Wilbur, (1979)


Game

* Passing Yards: 496 – Richard Lagow vs.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons The Wake Forest Demon Deacons are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Wake Forest University, located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. They compete at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level as a mem ...
, 9/24/16 * Passing Touchdowns: 6 –
Tre Roberson Trerein "Tre" E. Roberson (born October 22, 1992) is a professional gridiron football defensive back for the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent following the ...
vs.
Purdue Boilermakers The Purdue Boilermakers are the official intercollegiate athletics teams representing Purdue University, located in West Lafayette, Indiana. As is common with athletic nicknames, the Boilermakers nickname is also used as colloquial designation ...
, 11/30/13 * Receiving Yards: 285 – Thomas Lewis at
Penn State Nittany Lions The Penn State Nittany Lions are the athletic teams of Pennsylvania State University, except for the women's basketball team, known as the Lady Lions. The school colors are navy blue and white. The school mascot is the Nittany Lion. The interc ...
, 11/6/93 * Rushing Yards: 377 – Anthony Thompson at
Wisconsin Badgers The Wisconsin Badgers are the athletic teams representing the University of Wisconsin–Madison (University of Wisconsin). They compete as a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I level ( Football Bowl Subdivis ...
, 11/11/89 * Rushing Touchdowns: 6 –
Levron Williams Levron Williams was a professional football player with the San Diego Chargers. Early life Williams attended Benjamin Bosse High School in Evansville, Indiana. He was named the 1996 Gatorade Indiana High School Football Player of the Year in 1996 ...
at Wisconsin Badgers, 10/6/01 * Sacks: 4 –
Van Waiters Van Waiters (born February 27, 1965) is a former professional American football linebacker who played five seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the Cleveland Browns and Minnesota Vikings. He was a third-round draft pick by the Browns ...
at Michigan State Spartans, 11/8/86; Adewale Ogunleye at
Ohio State Buckeyes The Ohio State Buckeyes are the intercollegiate athletic teams that represent Ohio State University, located in Columbus, Ohio. The athletic programs are named after the colloquial term for people from the state of Ohio and after the state tree ...
, 10/18/97; Matt Mayberry vs. Central Michigan, 11/1/08 * Interceptions: 5 players tied at 3 interceptions


Uniforms

The Indiana football team has primarily worn a home uniform of red jerseys (usually a variation of crimson red) with either red or white pants for most of the program's history. There have also been different designs incorporated into the main jerseys and pants, which have largely utilized the Block-I logo or interlocking-IU logo, striping and different variations and placement on the words 'Indiana' or 'Hoosier'. For away games the Hoosiers utilize white jerseys with white pants. Notable exceptions have also included the use of red-on-red color combinations for the jersey and pants, as well as white jerseys with red pants. While the Hoosiers do not have designated alternate uniforms, there have been times when the uniforms were altered from their traditional design. During the Cam Cameron era (1997–2001), the jerseys and Block-I logo were changed to a red, black and white color scheme, while also incorporating an original design for the traditional IU athletics logo; the design and color combination were reverted to the interlocking-IU logo and official colors of Indiana following the departure of Cameron. For the 2018 season, the rear name-plate on the jerseys were not included to keep the uniforms standardized to Indiana's tradition of "''honoring "Team Over Self" by not including the players' names on backs of jerseys in any sport''"; however, the rear name-plate was added back to the jersey beginning in the 2019 season.


Helmets

Indiana has historically used a variation of its red and white scheme in its helmet design. These designs have included, but are not limited to: placing the Block-I logo on either side of the helmet (as well as on the front of the helmet - 1959-1961), an all red or all white helmet, the inclusion of the aforementioned redesigned IU logo from the Cam Cameron era (1997-2001), the use of the Indiana State Flag logo on one side of the helmet, as well as an alternating red and chrome-striped helmet. Additionally, striping on the helmet have also been included on the varied designs.


Hoosiers in the NFL

*
Tevin Coleman Tevin Ford Coleman (born April 16, 1993) is an American football running back for the San Francisco 49ers of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the third round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He played college fo ...
(
San Francisco 49ers The San Francisco 49ers (also written as the San Francisco Forty-Niners) are a professional American football team based in the San Francisco Bay Area. The 49ers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the league's National ...
) *
Rodger Saffold Rodger P. Saffold III (born June 6, 1988) is an American football guard for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the second round, 33rd overall in the 2010 NFL Draft. He played coll ...
(
Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...
) *
Nate Sudfeld Nathan Michael Sudfeld (born October 7, 1993) is an American football quarterback for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Indiana and was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the sixth round in ...
(
Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at Ford ...
) *
Dan Feeney Daniel Feeney (born May 29, 1994) is an American football guard for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Indiana, and was drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers in the third round of the 2017 NFL ...
(New York Jets) * Ian Thomas (
Carolina Panthers The Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Panthers compete in the National Football League (NFL), as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. ...
) *
Wes Martin Wesley Martin (born May 9, 1996) is an American football offensive guard. He played college football at Indiana and was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Martin has also been a member of the New York Gi ...
(
Washington Commanders The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) E ...
) * Dan Godsil (
Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The c ...
) *
Nick Westbrook-Ikhine Nicholas Westbrook-Ikhine (born March 21, 1997) is an American football wide receiver for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Indiana Hoosiers football, Indiana and signed with the Titans as a ...
(Tennessee Titans) *
Peyton Hendershot Peyton Hendershot (born April 23, 1999) is an American football tight end for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Indiana. College career Hendershot played college football at the Indiana Univ ...
(
Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
) * Caleb Jones (
Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...
) *
Micah McFadden Micah McFadden (born January 3, 2000) is an American football linebacker for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Indiana Hoosiers football, Indiana. High school career McFadden played at Plan ...
(
New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...
)


Future non-conference opponents

Announced schedules as of November 16, 2022.


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Indiana Hoosiers Football American football teams established in 1887 1887 establishments in Indiana