Top 10 Players Indiana Will Face in 2026

Criticize Indiana's schedule if you must. Point out the lack of non-conference headliners, and how it feels like a defending national champion can sleep-walk to a Playoff berth.

I won't stop you from doing that.

What I will stop you from doing is saying that IU won't have to game-plan for any elite players in 2026. That'd be a complete fabrication. From up-and-coming quarterbacks to established All-Americans, IU will have plenty of challenging matchups.

Here are the top ten players that IU will face this season.

These 10 Players Could Define Indiana’s 2026 Season

10. Demond Williams Jr., Washington QB

Let's start this list with a player who had an eventful offseason even though he ultimately opted to return to Washington. Williams took that anticipated next step in 2025 with 31 total touchdowns (25 passing, 6 rushing) and he finished No. 4 in the Big Ten with a 161.0 QB rating.

The dual-threat quarterback has to take fewer sacks (31 in 2025), but someone who averaged 9.6 yards per attempt at Husky Stadium is going to be a challenge for Bryant Haines' defense when IU travels to Washington in the penultimate week of the regular season.

9. Bryce Underwood, Michigan QB

I think we can all agree that Underwood was put in a tough spot as a high-priced true freshman. Now with an upgrade at head coach and with the offensive staff as a whole, the former 5-star quarterback is poised to make that Year 2 leap.

He's not higher on this list because to this point, we've only seen flashes. He has to improve a 52.9% adjusted completion percentage under pressure and averaging just 1.5 downfield completions (passes 20 yards beyond the line of scrimmage) per game won't fly (via PFF). But better coaching should be just what the doctor ordered for the prized quarterback.

Bryce Underwood with a DIME 🪙

What a throw for the @UMichFootball first down pic.twitter.com/MeVrEw05dk
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 18, 2025

8. Jayden Maiava, USC QB

Lincoln Riley insists that the championship window is now open at USC, in part because Maiava is back behind center after a stat-stuffing season as a full-time starter. Maiava led Power Conference players with 8.46 yards/play, and he led FBS with 39 downfield completions.

Maiava's home-road splits need to even out a bit for him to be a top-5 quarterback in the sport, and like the aforementioned Underwood, throwing under pressure was a major issue in 2025 (52.5% adjusted completion percentage). The fact that he's traveling to Bloomington explains why he's not a top-5 player on this list, but IU will have to contain the confident signal-caller.

7. Anthony Smith, Minnesota DE

Guys who rack up 17.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks usually bolt for the NFL Draft. Smith instead decided to stick around and terrorize more Big Ten offenses for one more season.

The conference's leader in sacks is going to be a superstar matchup for IU All-American left tackle Carter Smith, though in all likelihood, the Gophers will probably try to move their star edge-rusher to the other side.

6. KJ Duff, Rutgers WR

Duff is exactly the type of players that Rutgers has lacked since it joined the Big Ten. That is, a big, physical underclassman receiver who established himself from the jump. Duff led all of FBS with 22 contested catches en route to a 1,000-yard season as a sophomore.

On top of that, Duff racked up 11 downfield catches and he averaged 18.1 yards per catch. If not for Jeremiah Smith (more on him a minute), Duff would easily be the toughest receiver on IU's schedule.

Catch of the year by KJ Duff pic.twitter.com/vpPPJkM2ts
— LandonTengwall (@LandonTengwall) November 29, 2025

5. Bo Jackson, Ohio State RB

Jackson's emergence was a major reason why Ohio State played elite complimentary football en route to a 12-0 regular season. His ability to run through arm tackles (733 yards after first contact) and contribute in the passing game (200 receiving yards) made him hard to take off the field.

Mind you, Jackson did that behind an oft-questioned offensive line. With an expected improved unit in front of him, there's reason to believe that Jackson can rack up 1,500 scrimmage yards even if doesn't flirt with 300 touches. IU holding him under the century mark in consecutive years would be no small feat.

4. Antwan Raymond, Rutgers RB

If you know, you know. Raymond deserves to be considered in the elite class of running backs entering the season. Why? Recording nearly 1,500 scrimmage yards and 15 touchdowns in a 12-game season is no joke at this level.

Had Raymond done his damage at a more competitive program, he'd have more preseason attention after gaining 884 yards after first contact (No. 8 in FBS) and forcing 76 missed tackles (No. 5 in FBS). But Raymond will be plenty worthy of IU's attention in the first road game of the season.

.@kylemonangai like run from Antwan Raymond here 🏃💨 pic.twitter.com/yPcRQbg4pq
— Rutgers Scarlet Knights | The Knight Report (@RutgersOn3) September 27, 2025

3. John Henry Daley, Michigan DE

One of the many bright spots of Kyle Whittingham's surprising migration from Utah to Michigan was that Daley came with him. A first-team All-American will anchor Michigan's defense as long as he's healthy, which he was for most of a breakout season in which he recorded 17.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks.

One of the underrated matchups of the 2026 season will be watching IU and Michigan battle in the trenches. Limiting Daley will be even more challenging for the Hoosiers after what figures to be a physical battle against Ohio State.

2. Julian Sayin, Ohio State QB

Sayin is lone Heisman Trophy finalist who'll return in 2026. It's easy to forget that because he's not the first name that comes to mind with that Ohio State offense (more on that in a second). But as a Year 1 starter, all Sayin did was finish No. 2 in FBS with a 177.5 QB rating and an FBS-best 62% adjusted completion percentage on downfield throws.

Of course, IU has the luxury of knowing that it already held the Sayin-led offense to just 10 points. Still, though. Sayin was surgical the vast majority of the time that he stepped on the field in 2025, and there's plenty of reason to think he'll be in New York again.

1. Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State WR

As if there was any debate. Smith is an obvious choice for No. 1 on this list having already been the best player on a national championship team as a true freshman, which was followed by a 6th-place finish in the Heisman voting as a sophomore. Not too shabby.

Even though IU kept the aforementioned Ohio State offense contained in the Big Ten Championship, Smith still had a game-high 144 receiving yards. Consider that a reminder that he's as inevitable as anybody in college football in 2026.

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