Kickoff times announced for Indiana's first five matchups of 2026 regular season
The first five kickoff times for Indiana’s 2026 football season have been announced, per a Big Ten conference official release.
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The dates, times and TV designations are as follows:
Week 1: 9/5 vs. North Texas at noon on FOX
Week 2: 9/12 vs. Howard at noon on BTN
Week 3: 9/19 vs. Western Kentucky at 4 p.m. on Peacock
Week 4: 9/25 vs. Northwestern at 8 p.m. on FOX
Week 5: 10/3 at Rutgers at 8 p.m. on TV TBD
For the first time since a 2018 opener against Ball State at Lucas Oil Stadium, the Hoosiers open with a noon kickoff, while it’s the first noon Week 1 game at home since 2014 vs. Indiana State.
As a result, Indiana opens in the Big Ten’s premier time slot, FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff, for the first time since it was introduced in 2019. FOX will send its Big Noon pregame show featuring Brady Quinn, Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, Mark Ingram and more. As well as its A-team broadcasting crew to cover the defending national champions’ first game since their title victory over Miami.
It’s the first time in the 21st century that Indiana has back-to-back noon games to begin a season, which is the period of time when kickoff times are readily available on the IU website. A Week 3 battle with WKU is the first mid-afternoon slot of the year, while IU is also featured in a Friday night clash to open conference play against Northwestern, and a late-night Saturday game against Rutgers gives the Hoosiers an appearance in each of the available time slots college football has to offer.
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Week 5 at Rutgers, the first road game of the 2026 season for Indiana, does not currently have a TV designation and will be announced at a later date for the Scarlet Knights’ homecoming game.
The times and TV designations for Indiana’s final seven regular-season matchups will be released at a later date, with the games and dates listed below.
Week 6: 10/10 at Nebraska
Week 7: 10/17 vs. Ohio State
Week 8: 10/24 at Michigan
Week 9: 10/31 vs. Minnesota (IU homecoming)
Week 10: BYE
Week 11: 11/14 vs. USC
Week 12: 11/21 at Washington
Week 13: 11/28 vs. Purdue
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