⚡ CFB Dashboard

- Pick/market: Indiana football opened the 2026 season with a 52-16 blowout win over North Texas.

- Pick/market: That is how I am labeling them.

- Pick/market: Wouldn’t say a true position battle but I think you’ll see Haines call more plays that utilize Sanks’ skillset more and more.

- Indiana's missed tackles against North Texas extended to established defenders Isaiah Jones, Mario Landino and Amare Ferrell, according to Peegs, which also noted unusually heavy defensive-front rotation in the heat and the team's first live tackling since the spring game as context rather than proof the problem is fixed. - Indiana produced one sack and two quarterback hurries in the opener, but Peegs attributed some of the limited pressure to North Texas' quick throws and wide-zone approach while observing that Bryant Haines used relatively few stunts, twists and unconventional defensive packages. - Indiana receivers Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh combined for six catches, 81 yards and three touchdowns on only eight targets against North Texas, giving Josh Hoover productive top targets within an opener the report characterized as run-heavy and schematically restrained. - Indiana generated 175 combined kick- and punt-return yards against North Texas and sent eight of nine kickoffs for touchbacks, while Nico Radicic made a 49-yard field goal and all seven extra points, documenting a significant special-teams contribution without assuming the return production will repeat.

- Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover earned a 92.9 PFF offensive grade against North Texas, the only Hoosier offensive player above 90 who played most of the game rather than a very small reserve sample. - Indiana's offensive-line grades were uneven, with Drew Evans and Bray Lynch at 83.5 and 81.3 in pass blocking versus Carter Smith's 48.9, while no starter reached 69 in run blocking and Lynch was lowest at 53.2. - Indiana's team run-defense grade was 78.8, with linebacker Rolijah Hardy leading that category at 80.4 and defensive linemen Tobi Osunsanmi, Joe Hjelle and Chiddi Obiazor also grading well against the run. - Indiana's pass rush received a 54.4 team grade, and its highest individual pass-rush mark was Osunsanmi's 63.3, supporting the report's concern that the defense struggled to pressure North Texas' quarterback. - Indiana's tackling grade was only 54.0 overall despite stronger individual tackling marks for defensive backs Byron Baldwin at 83.4, Jaylen Bell at 80.7 and Quan Sanks at 79.7.

- Indiana starting CBs Jamari Sharpe and A.J. Harris were sidelined entering Howard week. The preview says either could return as soon as this game, but also suggests Indiana might allow another recovery week. It does not confirm that either cornerback is cleared or ruled out for Howard. - Indiana RB Khobie Martin is expected to remain out until at least midseason after breaking bones in his forearm, according to the preview. Unlike the cornerbacks' possible near-term returns, the article describes a longer absence for Martin; it does not give a firm return date. - The Indiana preview identifies missed tackles and coverage busts against North Texas as issues to correct, despite allowing only one offensive touchdown. Howard's mobile quarterback adds an edge-containment test. The writer expects a fairly basic defensive approach against the FCS opponent, not a confirmed change in Bryant Haines' play-calling. - If Indiana builds a comfortable lead, the writer expects reserve QBs Grant Wilson and Tyler Cherry to handle much of the second half against Howard. That is a conditional development opportunity behind Josh Hoover, who threw four touchdowns against North Texas, not an announced quarterback rotation or a fixed starter snap limit.

- Indiana's second running back, Kobe Martin, was reported in the podcast to be out for several weeks, reducing the available depth in the backfield. - The supplied report gives neither a specific diagnosis nor a target return game, so the multi-week estimate is not a confirmed recovery schedule or clearance to play.

- Injury: Injury notes -- Khobie Martin will 'be out for a little'.

- Injury: Injury notes -- Khobie Martin will 'be out for a little'.

- Injury: Curt Cignetti says running back Khobie Martin "will be out for a little bit” and expected back “around midseason”.

- The Indiana podcast relayed Curt Cignetti's expectation that Martin would miss an extended period and return around midseason, while the discussion's possible October return games were speculation rather than confirmed dates. - Indiana's two injured cornerbacks were described as precautionary absences, and the host expected them to be available and likely start Saturday, but that expectation was not an official clearance or final injury-report designation.

- Indiana's Kobe Martin was injured in the first quarter against North Texas, with no injury severity or return timetable established in the update. - Turbo Richard finished with 15 carries for 58 yards and two touchdowns, contributing scoring production even as Indiana's rushing efficiency drew outside criticism.

- The hosts described Indiana having to use both second-unit corners after both starting corners went out against North Texas, without establishing a diagnosis or recovery timetable. - Injuries at kickoff specialist were also noted, with Warren's experience handling kickoffs over the previous two years presented as a source of continuity.

- Injury: Smythe must’ve been out with some kind of injury, I didn’t see him in 11-on-11 warmups pregame.

- Pick/market: BLOOMINGTON, Ind.

- Indiana corner Jaylen Bell played 55 of 71 defensive snaps against North Texas after replacing injured field corner Jamari Sharpe, finishing with four tackles. Curt Cignetti praised his work; the Howard preview expects Bell to start only if Sharpe remains out, without confirming Sharpe's or A.J. Harris' game availability. - Quan Sanks played 16 snaps in Indiana's 2026 opener, entering mainly at strong safety in place of Preston Zachman in the third quarter and producing three tackles, half a tackle for loss and an interception. His 70.1 PFF grade supports the writer's case for more work, but a larger rotation or starting promotion remains a projection. - Tyler Morris returned from his prior ACL injury to start in Indiana's slot, catch three passes for 35 yards and add a 36-yard punt return against North Texas. Josh Hoover found him on crossing routes; the writer projects more middle-of-field space when defenses focus on outside receivers Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh, not a guaranteed target share. - With Khobie Martin already reported out until around midseason, Indiana's Howard preview identifies Sean Cuono as a candidate for reserve work behind Turbo Richard and Lee Beebe Jr. Cuono has only two career carries for 17 yards but has added roughly 15 pounds since arrival; the writer's expected third-back role is not a confirmed depth-chart decision.

- Peegs' postgame reconstruction reports that Indiana running back Khobie Martin will miss several weeks, increasing Lee Beebe Jr.'s role behind Turbo Richard while leaving the next reserve spot between Sean Cuono and Jayreon Campbell unsettled. - Curt Cignetti said Indiana expects to retain Joe Brunner at right guard and Adedamola Ajani at right tackle after using that alignment in the opener, with Austin Leibfried also serving as an extra lineman in jumbo packages. - After Indiana cornerbacks A.J. Harris and Jamari Sharpe exited with injuries, Ryland Gandy handled the boundary replacement snaps and Jaylen Bell the field-side snaps, with no deeper cornerback rotation demonstrated after those departures. - Blake Smythe's injury absence gave Indiana freshman Cam McHaney 22 snaps at three-technique behind Mario Landino, although the report expects Smythe to reclaim that rotational role when healthy. - Indiana frequently used three linebackers against North Texas' run-heavy offense, bringing Jeff Utzinger into a SAM role and removing the rover from those packages, so the opener did not establish the depth behind starting rover Byron Baldwin Jr.

- The hosts emphasized Indiana's cornerback depth as a reason not to overreact to the secondary's postgame concerns, expressing confidence in the options behind the starters. - The receiving room was described as potentially versatile, with the hosts noting that its top options had not needed to do much in the opener.

- Curt Cignetti called Indiana starting cornerbacks Jamari Sharpe and A.J. Harris day-to-day after their early exits against North Texas and said trainers still needed to determine their availability against Howard, with Ryland Gandy and Jaylen Bell having filled in. - Cignetti expects running back Khobie Martin to miss the next several weeks and return around midseason, without identifying a specific return game. - Indiana freshman tight end Trevor Gibbs is close to returning after missing the opener, but Cignetti said the staff does not want to rush his debut and risk further injury. - Cignetti said injured freshman defensive lineman Blake Smythe could become available soon after missing Week 1, when Cam McHaney took most of the backup snaps in his place.

- Curt Cignetti said Indiana tight end Trevor Gibbs was close to returning and might play this week, but the staff would proceed slowly because it needs him long term and the tight-end group still requires development. - Cignetti identified Josh Hoover's throwing base, delivery timing and protection decisions as corrections after the opener, noting that an unnecessary protection flip exposed him to a blitz and that a late touchdown throw made Charlie Becker's catch harder than necessary. - Cignetti praised Indiana's improved receiver blocking after making it a preparation emphasis, identifying downfield blocks as the difference between an explosive run and a touchdown run. - Indiana's offense scored on seven of eight possessions against North Texas, producing six touchdowns and going four-for-four in the red zone despite running only 48 plays.

- DL/DB: Indiana football enters Week 2 of the 2026 season with much to clean up but also plenty to feel optimistic about.

- Offense: Talking offense with No.

- WR/LB: Indiana whipped North Texas in Week One, but the Hoosiers weren't really dominant, and the focus will be on IU's ability to overwhelm a much-lesser opponent in the Howard Bison.

- Coaching: With Brunner playing right guard and Ajani playing right tackle, Curt Cignetti said the coaches felt that was their best lineup on the offensive line and that is the way they plan to lineup...

- LB: Rolijah Hardy is a really interesting guy, his journey and his family.

- DL: Don’t disagree but let’s wait and see what things look like when it’s not 152 degrees on the field.

- Intel: Up 1 spot in the coaches poll -- AP comes out in an hour: College Football Rankings: USA Today reveals Coaches Poll Top 25 after Week 1 After an exciting Week 1 of the...