Urban Meyer Criticized Indiana Football Schedule

The former coach questioned the strength of the 5-0 Hoosiers' schedule compared to top-tier competition.

Updated on Oct. 6, 2026 in Football

Expressive sports illustration of a blurred American football mid-air above stadium turf, using crimson and white painterly strokes. — Former coach Urban Meyer has criticized the Indiana football team's 5-0 start, pointing to a schedule lacking top-tier competition. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should college football teams be penalized for having a noncompetitive nonconference schedule?

Urban Meyer has questioned the strength of schedule for the 5-0 Indiana football team. He argues that victories against teams like Howard offer less insight than losses against highly-ranked programs.

Why it matters

Meyer suggests that rigorous nonconference matchups provide more meaningful data for evaluating team quality than dominant wins over weaker opponents. This perspective complicates the perception of Indiana's perfect start as they prepare for a key matchup.

Indiana enters their upcoming contest with a 5-0 overall record and a 2-0 mark in Big Ten play. They recently defeated Rutgers 47-15 by rushing for 336 yards while holding the opponent to just 60 rushing yards.

The players

Urban Meyer

He is a former college football head coach who now serves as an analyst and frequently comments on team rankings and scheduling.

Indiana University

The institution operates a major collegiate football program that currently holds a 5-0 record in the 2026 season.

Ohio State

This university manages a prominent college football program that holds a 4-1 record and will travel to play Indiana.

The details

Indiana has secured early season victories against North Texas, Howard, and Western Kentucky, in addition to conference wins over Northwestern and Rutgers. Meyer noted that Indiana replaced a previously scheduled series with Notre Dame to arrive at their current slate.

September 12, 2026: Texas defeated Ohio State 24-23.
October 17, 2026: Ohio State plays at Indiana in Bloomington.

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Indiana Defeated Northwestern 29-23 in Bloomington

Season Trajectory

Meyer's comments frame the upcoming October 17 clash as a litmus test for Indiana's legitimacy in the national landscape. A win over Ohio State would validate their record, whereas a loss could confirm critics' concerns regarding the difficulty of their current schedule.

The upcoming game against Ohio State will determine Indiana's standing in the conference and impact their trajectory toward potential postseason play. Fans and analysts will be watching to see if the Hoosiers can replicate their 336-yard rushing performance against a more formidable defensive opponent.

The takeaway

The debate over schedule strength highlights the ongoing tension between undefeated records and strength of schedule in college football rankings. Fans should look to the October 17 game as the definitive test for how these metrics align in practice.