Indiana football game-by-game predictions for 2025 season

Can Indiana do it again?

College football will begin asking that question in earnest when Curt Cignetti and his Hoosiers take the field Aug. 30 for their opener against Old Dominion. After a shock turnaround ended with a College Football Playoff berth in 2024, hope runs high in Bloomington again this fall.

Some of last year’s best players are gone, but key figures remain: Aiden Fisher, D’Angelo Ponds, Mikail Kamara, Elijah Sarratt, Carter Smith. And Cignetti did good work reloading his roster in important positions, with players like Fernando Mendoza, Roman Hemby, Kellen Wyatt and Pat Coogan.

The Hoosiers won’t sneak up on anyone this fall, and they’ve been handed a tougher road through the Big Ten than they had to walk a year ago. But there are reasons to believe Cignetti’s second act can be just as exciting as his first. Let’s look at how IU’s schedule shakes out.

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IU predictions for 2025 college football season

Aug. 30: IU vs. Old Dominion

Location, time: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington | 2:30 p.m.
About the game: Cignetti will be wary of an upset-minded Sun Belt program. He ran one not so long ago. Ricky Rahne’s Monarchs will also know Indiana better than most. This should be an IU win, but perhaps at times an uncomfortable one.
Score prediction: Indiana 42, Old Dominion 17.

Sept. 6: Indiana vs. Kennesaw State

Location, time: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington | Noon
About the game: It’s a homecoming of sorts for Owls quarterback Dexter Williams, who spent his first four seasons at IU. But while his former program still holds affection for the gregarious Williams, on the field that reunion might not be so pleasant. Indiana rolls.
Score prediction: Indiana 52, Kennesaw State 14.

Sept. 12 (Friday): Indiana vs. Indiana State

Location, time: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington | 6:30 p.m.
About the game: Last season was a rough one in Terre Haute, and this matchup won’t improve outlooks much. Don’t expect IU to be overly cute in this game, with Illinois on the horizon, but it should be a comfortable win.
Score prediction: Indiana 55, Indiana State 0.

Sept. 20: Indiana vs. Illinois

Location, time: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington | TBA
About the game: One of the first major games on the conference calendar, this could act as a playoff eliminator for the loser. Illinois is experienced and confident, with Luke Altmyer back behind center after a 10-win 2024. But by this point, Indiana will have worked through any necessary growing pains, and in front of a sold-out crowd, the Hoosiers pass their first major test.
Score prediction: Indiana 34, Illinois 21.

Sept. 27: Indiana at Iowa

Location, time: Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City | Noon/3:30 p.m/4 p.m.
About the game: In some ways, this is Indiana’s toughest defensive test. Iowa won’t give an inch at the line of scrimmage, and while IU might face more talented defenses in 2025, it won’t face tougher, more disciplined ones. It helps that this isn’t a night game, but Kinnick is still Kinnick. IU wins, through difficulty.
Score prediction: Indiana 30, Iowa 21.

Oct. 4: Bye week

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Oct. 11: Indiana at Oregon

Location, time: Autzen Stadium, Eugene | TBA
About the game: Indiana’s first bye comes at an opportune time, allowing the Hoosiers to reset after a difficult conference start. Of course, it doesn’t get much more difficult than Oregon in Autzen. The Ducks undeniably lost impact from last season. There might be an argument getting them earlier in the year would’ve been more ideal. But Oregon will be tested by now (and maybe a little desperate, if they don’t win at Penn State two weeks prior). Home team holds serve.
Score prediction: Oregon 34, Indiana 19.

Oct. 18: Indiana vs. Michigan State (homecoming)

Location, time: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington | TBA
About the game: It’s difficult to imagine the Spartans struggling so much in their second season under Jonathan Smith as they did their first. Aidan Chiles will be a year older and wiser. But Indiana will also be at home, and potentially smarting from their first defeat of the season. Depth becomes a factor after three difficult Big Ten games. If IU is healthy, Hoosiers win.
Score prediction: Indiana 40, Michigan State 20.

Oct. 25: Indiana vs. UCLA

Location, time: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington | TBA
About the game: Tino Sunseri’s homecoming might not be so pleasant on the visiting sideline. UCLA is another program looking to take a step, having improved across the course of last season, Deshaun Foster’s first as coach. Coming east remains difficult, though, and Cignetti knows Sunseri as well as the other way around. IU wins.
Score prediction: Indiana 35, UCLA 17.

Nov. 1: Indiana at Maryland

Location, time: SECU Stadium, College Park | TBA
About the game: It looks like rough sledding for Mike Locksley’s crew this season. Maryland might start a freshman at quarterback and has losses to backfill on both sides of the ball. College Park has been a house of horrors for Indiana recently, and the Hoosiers might not cruise here, but it will be a happy Halloween in Bloomington.
Score prediction: Indiana 38, Maryland 24.

Nov. 8: Indiana at Penn State

Location, time: Beaver Stadium, State College | TBA
About the game: The third and last of Indiana’s big road tests. Penn State might have an argument as the best team in the conference this autumn, pound for pound, and they are devilishly difficult to beat at home. IU might also not need to see this as a must-win from a playoff perspective, which is good, because the Hoosiers won’t, though they’ll make Penn State work for it.
Score prediction: Penn State 31, IU 24.

Nov. 15: Indiana vs. Wisconsin

Location, time: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington | TBA
About the game: Wisconsin could be one of the surprise packages in the Big Ten this year, and with a schedule as difficult as any in the country, you might never know it. This game feels defined by the Badgers — if they power through their difficult slate, this could be an unexpected late-season showdown on the playoff bubble. If not, Wisconsin might arrive too battered and bruised to compete for 60 minutes.
Score prediction: Indiana 32, Wisconsin 21.

Nov. 22: Bye week

Nov. 28 (Friday): Indiana at Purdue

Location, time: Ross-Ade Stadium, West Lafayette | 7:30 p.m.
About the game: Indiana gets a second week off to prepare for its rivalry showdown with Purdue. Year 1 of Barry Odom probably can’t be worse than the Boilermakers’ 2024, but Purdue still looks likely to struggle this season. IU, meanwhile, might be fighting for its playoff life, and with 13 days to prepare, the Hoosiers will be favorites.
Score prediction: Indiana 45, Purdue 17.

Dec. 6: Big Ten championship game

Location, time: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis | 8 p.m.
About the game: Our projection doesn’t have Indiana in Indy in December, but the Hoosiers might at least be in the hunt. If they are, a scheduling note: Darian DeVries’ Hoosiers face Louisville at 2 p.m. at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. A day-night hoops-football doubleheader would be the stuff of dreams for IU fans.

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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana college football predictions 2025: See game-by-game picks

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