The finest games, between the best teams, in the best settings are now the focus of college football. to expand the game and, more importantly, in the current period where colleges will pay athletes for their name, image, and likeness, the sport’s future revenue-generating potential. What is the Indiana Hoosier doing, then?.

College football has entered a new age—one where success isn’t just about tradition or history. The sport is now driven by the biggest games, the best teams, and the most electric environments. And in this new reality, name, image, and likeness (NIL) opportunities are crucial for recruiting and long-term success.

So where does Indiana football fit in? The Hoosiers aren’t a traditional powerhouse, but that doesn’t mean they can’t carve out a path to success in the modern college football landscape. To stay competitive and grow their program, Indiana must focus on three key areas: NIL investment, talent acquisition, and elevating their game-day experience.

Recruiting in today’s game isn’t just about facilities and coaching—it’s about financial opportunities. Indiana must embrace NIL with a structured and aggressive approach, ensuring that its collectives and boosters are prepared to compete. Programs like Michigan, Ohio State, and Penn State already have deep NIL infrastructures, and for Indiana to keep pace, they need to make sure they can offer competitive deals to attract and retain top talent.

Indiana has never been a recruiting powerhouse, but NIL can help bridge that gap. The Hoosiers need to focus on:

• Targeting high-upside recruits who might get overlooked by bigger programs.
• Utilizing the transfer portal to bring in impact players who can help immediately.
• Selling their brand as a place where players can develop and get paid while preparing for the NFL.

Big-time programs thrive in big-game environments. If Indiana wants to be taken seriously, they need to:

• Invest in making Memorial Stadium a more intimidating place to play.
• Schedule high-profile non-conference matchups to put themselves on a national stage.
• Capitalize on marquee Big Ten matchups by making Bloomington a can’t-miss game-day experience.

Indiana has an uphill battle in the Big Ten, but the new era of college football rewards innovation. If the Hoosiers can maximize NIL, recruit smartly, and create a strong game-day culture, they can build a sustainable program that competes in the modern landscape. The opportunity is there—it’s just a matter of execution.