IU, Purdue and Notre Dame kickoff Week 1
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Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr will play under the bright lights of Lambeau Field on primetime TV Sunday. Photo: Justin Berl/Getty Images
The reigning national champs, their rebuilding rivals and a still-shocking CFP snub all kickoff their college football seasons this weekend.
Why it matters: The stakes are high for the Hoosiers, Boilermakers and Fighting Irish in 2026, but a lot has changed since last season.
Zoom in: Here is a cheat sheet to catch you up on the state's three biggest programs, and how to watch each of them (hopefully) go 1-0.
🏆 No. 6 Indiana Hoosiers
Curt Cignetti and Co. are out to prove last year's magical run wasn't a one-off.
- They open their season against North Texas at noon Saturday at Memorial Stadium on FOX.
- The Hoosiers went a perfect 16-0, won the Big Ten and beat Miami 27-21 last season for their first national championship.
State of play: Heisman-winning QB Fernando Mendoza is gone, leaving TCU transfer Josh Hoover to take over. He has 31 starts, but whether he can replace Mendoza's production and leadership is the season's biggest question.
- The Hoosiers return six defensive starters and all three coordinators while adding significant transfer talent.
- Cignetti's message this week has been characteristically blunt with a focus on clean execution, physical football and maintaining the standard that produced a championship.
- "This is when it really counts. And I believe you learn about your team every week," he said. "So, what's done is done. This is a new football team and we have a chance to be pretty good, but we gotta do it."
What we're watching: No. 1 Ohio State visits Bloomington Oct. 17 in what could be one of the Big Ten's biggest games of the season.
🚂 Purdue Boilermakers
Barry Odom wants to make last year's 2-10 season look like the bottom, not the beginning.
- Week 1 will see the Boilers take on Indiana State at 7pm Friday at Ross-Ade Stadium. Watch on Big Ten Network.
- Purdue went 0-9 in the Big Ten, losing its final 10 games.
- Defense will need to be a priority. Purdue allowed more than 31 points per game last season. Linebacker Charles Correa and defensive lineman Ian Jeffries are among the returnees expected to help.
- The Boilers get five of their first seven games at home, but then face UCLA, Notre Dame, Washington and Penn State.
The intrigue: Purdue's new athletic director made headlines in August with an ill-advised jab at Indiana before quickly walking it back. But the contrast is hard to miss. IU is defending a title, and Purdue is trying to win its first Big Ten game since 2023.
☘️ No. 4 Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Marcus Freeman will try to get his team to turn frustration into a championship.
- Week 1 gives them a big stage to make a statement. Notre Dame meets Wisconsin at 7:30pm Sunday at the historic Lambeau Field, home of the Packers.
- Watch on NBC and Peacock.
- Notre Dame went 10-2 last season, winning 10 straight after an 0-2 start, and still missed the College Football Playoff.
- QB CJ Carr returns after throwing for 2,741 yards and 24 touchdowns in his first season as the starter. He's already one of the nation's most prominent Heisman candidates.
Plus: Cornerback Leonard Moore gives the Irish an elite piece on defense and, like Carr, made the Walter Camp Player of the Year preseason watch list.
Fun fact: Notre Dame travels to West Lafayette on Sept. 26 to take on Purdue for one of the Irish's three Big Ten games.