Indiana will host Howard on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026, with kickoff set for 12 p.m. ET at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Indiana. The matchup brings together a No. 5 Indiana team that opened the season with a 52-16 win over North Texas and a Howard program looking to stabilize its passing game after a rough start to the year.
The Hoosiers enter as 56.5-point favorites, a number that reflects both Indiana's early-season form and the gap between the two teams on paper. Indiana moved to 1-0 after its opener, and the performance gave it plenty to build on, especially through the air.
Indiana's passing game set the tone in the opener
Josh Hoover led Indiana's offense in the win over North Texas, completing 13 of 16 passes for 231 yards and four touchdowns. That efficiency fits what Indiana showed last season, when it finished with 46 touchdowns through the air, the most in college football during the 2025 regular season.
That kind of production is one reason Indiana enters this game with such a large betting edge. If the Hoosiers get similar quarterback play again, they should be able to control the matchup early and avoid any need to lean heavily on a ground-heavy approach.
Howard needs a sharper passing day
Howard's 2026 season has already included a 21-28 loss to Richmond on Sept. 5, 2026, and its passing game has been one of the bigger concerns. Through two games, Howard's passing production has been limited, and its quarterbacks have completed 44.6% of their throws, the ninth-lowest completion rate in college football.
That makes this trip to Bloomington a major test. Howard will need to be cleaner and more efficient to keep the game competitive, especially against an Indiana defense that can afford to make opponents play from behind.
Howard's opener did offer one encouraging individual performance. Scroggins threw for 424 yards and four touchdowns and added 88 rushing yards, showing the kind of explosive production that can keep a team alive even when results are uneven. The challenge now is translating that type of output against a top-five opponent on the road.
For Indiana, this is the kind of game that can reinforce its standing nationally. For Howard, it is an opportunity to measure itself against a major program and see whether its passing game can hold up under pressure.
