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Indiana Football 2026 Season HQ: Team Previews, Players to Know, Preseason Predictions
- After eight long months since Indiana hoisted the national championship, Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers are almost set to kick off the 2026 football season this Saturday against North Texas.
- The spotlight and expectations have never been bigger, which means the eyes of college football will descend upon Bloomington this fall.
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Breakout buzz: Indiana freshman DT Blake Smythe 'making a case to get some playing time'
- True freshman defensive tackle Blake Smythe is making a strong case for immediate playing time because of his rapid understanding of assignments and Indiana's defensive scheme.
- The 6-foot-4, 300-pound Smythe enrolled in January and has combined college-ready size and athleticism with unusually fast processing for a freshman.
- Tyrique Tucker and Mario Landino are expected to handle most defensive-tackle snaps, but Smythe is positioned as one of Indiana's first rotational options.
- Landino says Smythe still makes normal freshman mistakes but has already progressed further than Landino had at the same career stage.
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