IU football is ready prove it belongs
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Aiden Fisher and the rest of the Hoosiers are ready for kickoff. Photo: James Black/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Indiana University linebacker Aiden Fisher is expecting very different opening week energy in Memorial Stadium when he charges onto the Hoosiers' recently renamed field Saturday afternoon.
What he's saying: "Going from the first game with FIU last year, and you run out there and you're not really seeing a lot of people in the stands. It kinda sucks a little bit," Fisher said. "And then (we) come back after (beating) UCLA and we're selling out every game."
- "That's kind of the standard here now and the expectation for the fans."
The big picture: That new high standard is the result of one stellar season of football in Bloomington under program-reshaping coach Curt Cignetti.
Yes, but: The Hoosiers know that they need to do it again while the stands are still full.
Driving the news: IU's journey back to the College Football Playoffs starts Saturday at home opposite Old Dominion, a program Cignetti became acquainted with during his days as a banner-collecting coach in the Sun Belt Conference.
- The Hoosiers — who went 11-2 last season and before falling to Notre Dame in the playoffs — are predicted to win.
- But Cignetti isn't looking past any team on their relatively soft schedule.
- "I expect a very tough challenge from Old Dominion, and we're going to have to play really well from the first play to the last play," Cignetti said Monday. "We'll learn a lot about our team in Game 1 like we did last season."
Zoom in: IU, ranked No. 20 in the AP Poll, won't have the benefit of sneaking up on their opponents like they did last year.
- As a result, experts are predicting a season that is a bit of a step down. USA Today experts say the Hoosiers will win nine games, and an ESPN computer predicts eight wins.
Zoom out: Other Big Ten contenders the Hoosiers will play this season include No. 2 Penn State, No. 12 Illinois and defending Big Ten Champions No. 7 Oregon.
The bottom line: Predictions and polls aside, offensive tackle Carter Smith said the most exciting part about this weekend's Big Ten season kickoff is having the opportunity to prove that last season wasn't a fluke.
- "I'm just excited to get out on the field. I think everyone is," he said. "We've had a lot of good competition this offseason and we're ready to go crack some heads."
If you go: IU vs. Old Dominion starts at 2:30pm Saturday.
- Tickets start at $45.