Mind Your Banners

The boys are back with their postgame podcast, this time delayed 36ish hours by the late finish to Friday's 29-23 win against Northwestern. Mike and Zach pick the bones out of that game, good, bad and indifferent, and try to separate concerns from unnecessary anxieties, as Indiana works to correct its flaws heading into the meat of Big Ten play. Chapters: 0:00 -- Intro 1:23 -- Digging into Northwestern win 8:01 -- Defensive good and bad 17:31 -- Offensive good and bad 33:07 -- The potential importance of learning to win Read: https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2026/09/26/indiana-football-curt-cignetti-consistency-fans-concerns-josh-hoover-defense/91947322007/ Get IndyStar's IU coverage sent directly to your inbox with our IU Insider newsletter: https://profile.indystar.com/newsletters/iu-insider/?ipid=NLsignupIU Order "Unthinkable to Unstoppable" today: https://bit.ly/4gezKxZ

Mike Niziolek and Zach Osterman prepare for Indiana's Friday night showdown with Northwestern by attempting to, among other things, answer the question of just how worried Curt Cignetti is about the Wildcats. Plus, discussions of Josh Hoover's progress, this week's Daley/Wyatt update and some upcoming book events. Chapters: 0:00 -- Intro 1:01 -- Some housekeeping 3:36 -- How worried is Curt Cignetti? 9:58 -- Taking stock of IU football through three weeks 12:25 -- Josh Hoover and the IU offense 20:25 -- Dealing with greater expectations 26:42 -- Stephen Daley/Kellan Wyatt update 35:17 -- Surprise player(s) so far? 40:01 -- Injury updates Read: https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2026/09/20/indiana-football-fans-reaction-perfection-national-championship-hopes-josh-hoover-curt-cignetti/91849024007/ Get IndyStar's IU coverage sent directly to your inbox with our IU Insider newsletter: https://profile.indystar.com/newsletters/iu-insider/?ipid=NLsignupIU Order "Unthinkable to Unstoppable" today: https://bit.ly/4gezKxZ

The chatter is that the Hoosiers aren't as crisp as they were to start 2025. Zach Osterman and Mike Niziolek take a closer look at how different, or similar, those 3-0 starts are after a 38-0 drubbing of Western Kentucky. Read: https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2026/09/20/indiana-football-fans-reaction-perfection-national-championship-hopes-josh-hoover-curt-cignetti/91849024007/ Subscribe to the newsletter: https://profile.indystar.com/newsletters/iu-insider/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@IndyStarTVHoosiers

Mike Niziolek and Zach Osterman preview Indiana's final nonconference game, against Western Kentucky, updating injuries and eligibility statuses. Plus, a discussion of their forthcoming book! Chapters: 0:00 -- Intro 1:10 -- Digging into Western Kentucky 6:22 -- Comparison point to UGA? 8:26 -- What's the latest on Wyatt and Daley 15:03 -- Injury updates 23:02 -- Indiana's nonconference approach 32:52 -- Previewing "Unthinkable to Unstoppable" Read: https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2026/09/13/indiana-football-charlie-becker-touchdown-catches-nfl-draft-stock/91732482007/ Get IndyStar's IU coverage sent directly to your inbox with our IU Insider newsletter: https://profile.indystar.com/newsletters/iu-insider/?ipid=NLsignupIU Preorder "Unthinkable to Unstoppable" today: https://bit.ly/4gezKxZ

Mike Niziolek and Zach Osterman pick apart what there is to learn from Indiana's 55-0 Week 2 win Saturday against Howard. Read: https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2026/09/07/indiana-footballs-josh-hoover-charlie-becker-build-instant-chemistry-in-season-opener/91642908007/ Get IndyStar's IU coverage sent directly to your inbox with our IU Insider newsletter: https://profile.indystar.com/newsletters/iu-insider/?ipid=NLsignupIU Preorder "Unthinkable to Unstoppable" today: https://bit.ly/4gezKxZ