Indiana Football was dominant in 2025, going undefeated and winning the National Championship. Heading into 2026, Indiana will be a favorite to win it all again.
Still, Indiana has a lot to replace. Not only is Fernando Mendoza gone, but so are Omar Cooper Jr. and Elijah Surrat. Those two receivers combined for 134 receptions for 1,767 yards and 28 touchdowns. Indiana now has two wideouts ready to replace Cooper and Surrat, both being ranked in the top ten of college football according to Ari Wasserman of On3.
The first is Charlie Becker, who is ranked fifth by Wasserman.
“Quarterback Fernando Mendoza gets the lion’s share of credit for leading Indiana to the national title last year, but remember the game itself? Becker hauled in two game-changing receptions — one on a pivotal fourth down in the fourth quarter — that lifted the Hoosiers. If Becker had failed to make either of those two remarkable grabs, it’s possible the Hurricanes would be the defending champs. Becker had only 34 receptions for 679 yards and four touchdowns last year, but he should be a bigger focal point in the offense now that Omar Cooper and Elijah Surratt are in the NFL. The guy is a stud,” Wasserman wrote.
While Becker was on the roster that won the national title, Nick Marsh was not. Marsh comes in from Michigan State and is ranked eighth.
“You know how Indiana isn’t a one-hit wonder? Because Curt Cignetti has reloaded his roster. Yes, Surratt and Cooper are in the NFL, but he has two receivers on this list, Becker and Marsh. Though you may not have been paying attention to Michigan State the last few years, Marsh had two seasons with a combined 100 receptions, 1,311 yards, and nine touchdowns. All of that came during periods of significant offensive struggle. Insert him into Indiana’s high-flying offense, backed by TCU quarterback transfer Josh Hoover, and Marsh has major breakout potential,” Wasseran wrote of the wide receiver.
Indiana was dominant in the transfer portal. They brought in 17 players and had the top-ranked class according to On3. The Hooisers will begin their quest for a repeat on September 5, when they host North Texas in the opener.
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