Indiana University will open its 2026 football schedule on Saturday, September 5, when it hosts North Texas at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington. The matchup marks the first meeting between the Hoosiers and the Mean Green in several years, and it comes on the heels of a strong finish for North Texas a season ago.
North Texas finished the 2025 campaign with a 12‑2 record and capped the year by winning the New Mexico Bowl over San Diego State. This offseason the program underwent a complete overhaul of its offensive staff, appointing Neal Brown as head coach. Brown, known for his offensive acumen, brings a fresh philosophy that he hopes will translate into a more dynamic attack.
Key Players to Watch
The quarterback position will be anchored by redshirt senior Tayven Jackson, who previously wore the IU jersey before transferring to North Texas. After a modest stint at UCF where he threw for 2,151 yards and completed 63.5 percent of his passes, Jackson is looking to rebound and provide stability under Brown’s system.
Adding to the offense, running back Jahiem White returns as the team’s primary ball‑carrier. White’s blend of size and agility has made him a reliable target in the backfield, and he is expected to be a central piece of the ground game. On special teams, kicker Dominic De Freitas and punter Ian Ratliff, both recent arrivals from Appalachian State, will handle kicking duties.
Defensively, North Texas will rely on coordinator Matt Powledge, who previously served as Baylor’s defensive architect. While Powledge’s units at Baylor never climbed higher than 87th nationally in total defense, he brings a new scheme that the Mean Green hope will tighten up a unit that struggled in recent seasons.
For Indiana, the game represents a chance to test a revamped opponent in a familiar setting. The Hoosiers enter the contest with confidence that their home‑field advantage and depth should be enough to secure a comfortable victory, setting a positive tone for the remainder of the season.