[1127] The Schedule Is Set — and Football Is Back

It’s a great time to be a Hoosier. Brian Tonsoni is joined by Ryan Phillips and Bob Moats to break down Indiana basketball’s newly released non-conference schedule, sort through the latest eligibility questions, and get ready for the defending national champion football Hoosiers to open the 2026 season against North Texas.

• Sam Alexis’ eligibility remains unresolved, sparking a broader discussion about the NCAA, professional contracts, Summer League participation, and where college eligibility rules should ultimately draw the line.
• Victor Oladipo is attempting an NBA comeback, while a new documentary celebrates longtime Voice of the Hoosiers Don Fischer.
• Indiana volleyball earns a huge five-set victory over defending national champion Texas A&M, while IU men’s soccer continues its strong start.

The guys dig into a schedule featuring five power-conference opponents, including neutral-site matchups with Syracuse, Arkansas and Kentucky, plus home dates against UCF and Missouri. Add exhibitions against Butler, North Carolina and Western Kentucky, and IU will have plenty of opportunities to learn about itself before Big Ten play.

• Why the Arkansas-Kentucky back-to-back could provide an early measuring stick.
• How marquee games at Madison Square Garden and Lucas Oil can help Indiana build its NCAA Tournament résumé.
• Why the schedule feels appropriately ambitious for a veteran roster—and why the Big Ten alone can’t be counted on to provide enough quality opportunities.
• The overlooked value of games against teams like Bellarmine and Tennessee Tech, whose styles could give IU useful early-season tests even if they aren’t marquee opponents.
• And what would constitute a successful record in those five biggest non-conference games.

Finally, attention turns to Memorial Stadium as Curt Cignetti and the defending national champions begin another season. Expectations have changed dramatically: IU has reloaded, the entire home schedule is sold out, and simply getting to six wins feels like ancient history.

The guys discuss what to watch against North Texas, why nobody should overreact to the first game, and how football success is changing the entire Bloomington experience—from ticket demand and hotel prices to the atmosphere surrounding every home Saturday.