Indiana Makes Desperate Move to Keep College Football Playoff Hopes Alive
Indiana is making a big change under center as the Hoosiers fight to keep their College Football Playoff hopes alive against USC.
The Indiana Hoosiers find themselves in a desperate situation as they strive to secure a spot in the College Football Playoff. Currently ranked No. 9, the team was once ahead of Ohio State in the initial rankings. However, a narrow loss to Ohio State saw Indiana drop in the standings. Despite this setback, the team managed to secure victories against Michigan and Minnesota, two formidable Big Ten foes.
With these results, the committee seems intent on seeing more from Indiana. Ahead of their crucial matchup against No. 18 USC on Saturday, it was announced that backup quarterback Grant Wilson will start, marking his first start of the 2026 season. Wilson, a sixth-year senior transfer from Old Dominion, has served as a backup to Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza and has mainly played behind Josh Hoover this season.
Hoover, who transferred to Indiana before the 2025 season, has been solid but has been dealing with an injury to his throwing arm and shoulder since October. Though he played well in the final two games, his statistics have dipped. Wilson, however, stepped in against Minnesota in the second half, delivering a crucial comeback and leading the Hoosiers to a thrilling 23-16 overtime victory.
His performance, which included 26 rushing yards, showcased his versatility, a trait Hoover lacks. Indiana's upcoming games against USC, Washington, and Purdue will be pivotal as they battle to keep their college football playoff hopes alive.
Written by urgent.news from Newsweek's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
