Indiana Football Cracks Top 5 in Initial ESPN 2026 SP+ Rankings

As spring football starts up around the country projections for the 2026 season bubble to the surface with Bill Connelly's ESPN SP+ leading the way.

Indiana football fans should be in for another great season as the Hoosiers land at number 5 in the initial projections.

What Goes into SP+ Projections?

There are four main components of the SP+ rankings each year, and they are weighted differently.

1. Returning Production

2. Recent History

3. Recent Recruiting

4. Coaching Change Effects

Why is Indiana Projected at No. 5?

The Hoosiers being projected in the top five this early should come as no surprise to anyone who follows the sport. Looking at the four factors that go into SP+ Indiana checks most of those boxes in a very positive manner.

Returning Production

It is easy to focus on what Indiana is losing off of last season's 16-0 national championship team. However, there are major pieces returning, and IU brings in a top 10 transfer portal class, according to 247Sports.

The Hoosiers replace Fernando Mendoza with TCU transfer Josh Hoover, who has thrown 71 touchdown passes in his career. All-American and Big Ten Offensive Lineman of the Year Carter Smith comes back, as does late-season hero wide receiver Charlier Becker. Hoover will have new toys to play with on offense as well with receiver Nick Marsh coming from Michigan State and Shazz Preston arriving from Tulane.

On defense, the Hoosiers return both starting linebackers in Rolijah Hardy and Isaiah Jones, along with corner Jamari Sharpe, safety Amare Ferrell and defensive linemen Mario Landino and Tyrique Tucker. The transfer portal haul on this side of the ball emphasized Curt Cignetti's philosophy of production of potential as well as bringing in key playmakers on the defensive line and in the secondary.

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INITIAL 2026 SP+ RANKINGS, FINALLY

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Ohio State's No. 1, Indiana's [throws dart] No. 5, buy 🦆🦆🦆 and the state of South Carolina, sell the Big 12 teams that aren't Tech.https://t.co/dud00gbyry
— Bill Connelly (@ESPN_BillC) March 27, 2026

Indiana's Recent History

No team has had a better recent history than Indiana. The Hoosiers are 27-2 under Cignetti and are coming off a 16-0 national championship season. IU has made the College Football Playoff in back-to-back seasons and is pushing out the disastrous end of the Tom Allen Era.

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Indiana's Recent Recruiting History

The Hoosiers still recruited well in the last couple of years under Tom Allen and Curt Cignetti has built off of that in both the high school ranks and the transfer portal.

247Sports rated IU's talent influx (combined high school recruiting and portal additions) as the 20th best in the country for the 2026 cycle. Hoover was the crown jewel of the portal class, but additions like Marsh, Turbo Richard, and cornerback AJ Harris from Penn State make it more than a one player haul.

Indiana Dealt With Minimal Staff Changes

The Hoosiers had two staff changes this year. The first was at the quarterbacks coach, where Chandler Whitmer left to take an NFL job with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

He was replaced by Tino Sunseri, who spent half of the 2026 season as UCLA's offensive coordinator, but had been IU's quarterbacks coach in 2024.

The second change was strength and conditioning coach Derek Ownings leaving Bloomington for Tennessee. Cignetti brought in Tyson Brown, who briefly crossed paths at Elon. In a time where coaching staffs change annually, Indiana dealt with minimal change.

Final Thoughts

The Indiana Hoosiers may finally be getting the pre-season respect they deserve, at least in these initial projections. The Hoosiers are getting more distance between the current era of football and their dark past, and it shows in recent history rankings.

Despite what is said on social media, Cignetti and his staff have done an excellent job at upgrading the talent through both high school and portal recruiting. The Hoosiers have staying power until proven otherwise.