Indiana Football Slides to No. 6 in AP Poll Following Narrow Defeat to Ohio State

The Indiana Hoosiers experienced their first stumble of the 2026 college football season, sliding down to No. 6 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 Poll. The minor dip came in the wake of a hard fought 19–15 loss to Ohio State on Saturday, an outcome that snapped Indiana's remarkable 22 game winning streak dating back to the start of the 2025 campaign.  

Despite the agonizing defeat on their home field, the Hoosiers avoided a major slide in the rankings. A wildly chaotic weekend across the college football landscape provided a buffer for Indiana, as five of the top seven teams in the nation suffered losses in Week 7. Consequently, voters kept the 6–1 Hoosiers firmly embedded inside the top 10, extending their program record streak to 20 consecutive weeks ranked in the AP top 10. The loss was a tough pill to swallow for head coach Curt Cignetti, marking his first home loss in three seasons in Bloomington.  

A Hard Fought Big Ten Battle

In a high stakes clash between two Big Ten powerhouses, previously featuring No. 5 Indiana against No. 4 Ohio State, defensive resilience defined the afternoon. The Hoosiers kept the game well within reach until the final whistles, trading defensive blows before ultimately falling four points short in the 19–15 contest. Uncharacteristic mistakes proved costly for Indiana, including two early third quarter fumbles after going over 1,400 snaps without losing a fumble.  

The victory propelled Ohio State up to No. 3 in the AP Poll. Meanwhile, Miami leads the nation at No. 1, followed by BYU at No. 2, Notre Dame at No. 4, and Georgia at No. 5, rounding out the top tier of national championship contention alongside Indiana.  

National Landscape and Big Ten Depth

Indiana's small drop of just a single spot highlights how heavily voters factored in the general upheaval across the country. Heavyweight programs such as Georgia, Notre Dame, Alabama, and Texas all suffered defeats alongside Indiana during a bizarre weekend of college football action.  

The Big Ten continues to show deep representation in the national rankings:

 Ohio State moved up to No. 3 following the marquee win  

 Indiana holds steady at No. 6 despite the setback  

 UCLA surged into the top 10 at No. 9 after a 17–7 victory over Wisconsin  

 Iowa advanced to No. 15 and USC elevated to No. 16 following their bye week actions

 Northwestern climbed to No. 24 after taking down Michigan State  

While the loss to Ohio State halts their winning streak, Indiana remains in a prime position for postseason play and the Big Ten title race. With a strong overall resume and a soft landing at No. 6, the Hoosiers' ultimate goals for the 2026 season remain fully intact.

Indiana will look to bounce back immediately as they travel to Ann Arbor next weekend to take on the Michigan Wolverines.