Indiana soccer game-by-game predictions: Will Hoosiers earn back-to-back CFP berth? – Indiana Every day Pupil

No. 20 Indiana soccer opens its 2025 season towards Outdated Dominion College at 2:30 p.m. Saturday on Retailers Financial institution Discipline at Memorial Stadium. 
The Hoosiers enter their second season beneath head coach Curt Cignetti coming off an 11-2 season, which ended with a 27-17 loss to the College of Notre Dame within the School Soccer Playoff First Spherical. 
Whereas notable gamers equivalent to quarterback Kurtis Rourke, middle Mike Katic and linebacker Jailin Walker exhausted their eligibility after final season, Cignetti and his workers introduced in a plethora of transfers — 12 offensive gamers, eight defensive and 4 particular teamers — to retool the roster in hopes of returning to the CFP. 
The Hoosiers’ schedule is headlined by a pair of marquee street contests towards present prime 10 opponents, and a visit to Kinnick Stadium to face Iowa. 
The Indiana Every day Pupil gathered its two reporters’ and columnist’s predictions for all 12 regular-season matchups. 
August 30 vs. Outdated Dominion College 
James’ prediction: Win 
Banks’ prediction: Win 
Richards’ prediction: Win 
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Colton Joseph is ready to guide an Outdated Dominion offense that ranked 14th within the nation with 209.8 speeding yards per recreation final season. Indiana proved its dominance towards the run in 2024 and can discover success towards the Monarchs’ poor protection to open the season.  
September 6 vs. Kennesaw State College 
James: Win 
Banks: Win 
Richards: Win 
Coming off a 2-10 season, Kennesaw State opens its season towards Wake Forest College on Friday. Indiana hasn’t performed Kennesaw State earlier than, however it’s going to dominate and enhance to 2-0. 
September 12 vs. Indiana State College 
James: Win 
Banks: Win 
Richards: Win 
Not solely are the Sycamores an FCS group, in addition they aren’t an excellent one. Indiana State hasn’t had a profitable season since 2018 and is 0-6 all-time towards the Hoosiers — depending on who you ask.  
September 20 vs. Illinois 
James: Win 
Banks: Win 
Richards: Loss 
After a weak nonconference slate, the Hoosiers get thrown into the deep finish with their convention opener towards the Preventing Illini. A sold-out Memorial Stadium may be the sting Indiana must scrape out a hard-fought win, however a extreme step up in competitors may simply show too drastic for Cignetti’s squad. 
September 27 at Iowa 
James: Win 
Banks: Win 
Richards: Loss 
Indiana’s first away check of the season might be performed at an already sold-out Kinnick Stadium. The Hawkeyes’ residence crowd has reached max capability for 21 straight video games courting again to 2022. Cignetti was 0-2 towards ranked groups on the street final season and — though Iowa at present sits exterior the preliminary Related Press High 25 — it wouldn’t be a shock for the Hawkeyes to sneak into the rankings when week 5 rolls round. 
October 11 at Oregon 
James: Loss 
Banks: Loss 
Richards: Loss 
Coming off its first idle week of the season, Indiana will tackle preseason No. 7 Oregon at Autzen Stadium. With former Geese quarterback Dillon Gabriel departing for the NFL after 2024, redshirt sophomore Dante Moore has taken the reins of the offense. Assuming Moore shows appreciable growth after a season behind Gabriel, he’ll lead Oregon to victory. 
October 18 vs. Michigan State 
James: Win 
Banks: Win 
Richards: Win 
Hampered by accidents final season, a wholesome Michigan State protection ought to make appreciable strides in 2025. The Spartans face inconsistencies at quarterback and uncertainty surrounding their working recreation after dropping working backs Nathan Carter and Kay’Ron Lynch-Adams within the offseason — its prime two rushers from the 2024 season. These components will make life troublesome towards the Hoosiers.  
October 25 vs. UCLA 
James: Win 
Banks: Win 
Richards: Win 
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Nico Iamaleava made headlines within the spring, transferring from the College of Tennessee to UCLA. Iamaleava will now play beneath offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri — the lone assistant to go away Indiana after 2024. Even with Iamaleava turning into the Bruins’ sign caller, the Hoosiers will put collectively an analogous efficiency to their 31-point victory in 2024 en route to a different win this season. 
November 1 at Maryland 
James: Win 
Banks: Win 
Richards: Win 
The Terrapins took a step again in 2024, dropping seven of their ultimate eight video games en path to a 4-8 report. This 12 months, Maryland appears to have taken a step ahead because of a slew of roster turnover. Regardless, the expertise disparity ought to be sufficient for Indiana to go away School Park with a win.  
November 8 at Penn State 
James: Loss 
Banks: Win 
Richards: Loss 
The Nittany Lions return a lot of their 2024 core that just about led them to the Nationwide Championship. Enjoying in Joyful Valley and towards the perfect working again tandem within the nation, Indiana must dominate the road of scrimmage and management the passing recreation to have a shot.  
November 15 vs. Wisconsin 
James: Win 
Banks: Win 
Richards: Win 
Wisconsin faces a tricky schedule this season together with matchups towards six groups within the Related Press’ preseason ballot — one that might put on the Badgers out because the season progresses.  With Indiana set to be a type of ranked matchups late within the season, followers of the Cream and Crimson pack the rock for an Indiana victory.   
November 28 at Purdue 
James: Win 
Banks: Win 
Richards: Win 
Purdue enters 2025 beneath new management in head coach Barry Odom. Whereas one other 66-0 victory over the Boilermakers appears unlikely to occur in West Lafayette, Indiana will nonetheless dominate Purdue on Black Friday. 
Sport to observe 
JAMES: Indiana’s two losses in 2024 got here to Ohio State and Notre Dame — the 2 colleges that performed for the nationwide championship. The following step for the Hoosiers is competing and beating prime applications equivalent to No. 2 Penn State. The 2 are set to face off Nov. 8 at Beaver Stadium in College Park, Pennsylvania. It’ll function an opportunity for Indiana to show they’re now not an “rising superpower,” as Cignetti described it final season, and as an alternative solidify its arrival close to the highest of the school soccer panorama. 
BANKS: After three consecutive weak non-conference video games, I’m intrigued at how Indiana will come ready to face Illinois, its first convention opponent in 2025. The Preventing Illini held a 10-3 report in 2024 and are anticipated to step ahead this season after being ranked No. 12 within the Related Press’ preseason ballot. Illinois is likely one of the most skilled groups within the nation, with 16 starters getting back from final 12 months.  
For Indiana, this can be a must-win recreation and a tone-setter for the remainder of convention play. A victory towards Illinois would relieve a number of the stress going into powerful convention matchups equivalent to Oregon and Penn State, whereas drastically bettering their possibilities at a second consecutive School Soccer Playoff look.  
RICHARDS: Indiana confronted two groups with plus .500 data on the street final season, Ohio State and Notre Dame — its solely two losses. Iowa will possible be above that mark in 2025 and had been unbeaten within the confines of Kinnick Stadium one 12 months in the past. Whereas the Hawkeyes aren’t the Hoosiers’ hardest matchup on paper, they’ll function a benchmark for his or her efficiency in different hostile environments in ensuing video games.  
Passing an early street check from a constant Iowa program proves Indiana may overcome related atmospheres towards Oregon and Penn State. With a loss, the Hoosiers’ hopes of profitable these pivotal matchups would appear determined at greatest. 
Report prediction 
JAMES: Coming off an 11-1 common season in 2024, I see the Hoosiers ending at 10-2 in 2025. Beating Penn State on the street — one thing Indiana has by no means executed — is a tall activity, and one I don’t suppose will occur this season.  
I believe the Hoosiers additionally fall on the street to Oregon on Oct. 11; nevertheless, I believe that matchup comes all the way down to Dante Moore and whether or not he’s made marked enchancment since his true freshman season at UCLA in 2023, so I may see a world wherein the Hoosiers sneak out of Autzen Stadium with a victory. In the long run, I believe with two losses, a second consecutive CFP look wouldn’t come to fruition. 
BANKS: 11-1 – Whereas this will likely appear formidable, Indiana returns a lot of final 12 months’s roster that made the School Soccer Playoff with the identical report. I anticipate the offense to be higher suited towards the highest defenses the Hoosiers will face this season with the acquisition of quarterback Fernando Mendoza along with offensive line upgrades. The Hoosiers’ one lack of the season comes at Oregon. Nonetheless, Indiana bounces again towards one other ranked opponent and leaves Joyful Valley with a win. Penn State boasts among the best working again duos within the nation, but when the Hoosiers can replicate their success towards the run from final season, I believe they’ve a great likelihood at a second consecutive School Soccer Playoff look.  
RICHARDS: 8-4 – I believe the Hoosiers’ weak nonconference schedule hurts them in the long term. Illinois makes use of per week two matchup towards Duke College in Durham to organize for a ruckus Large Ten opener towards Indiana, in the end giving the Hoosiers a loss in week 4. The next week, Kinnick Stadium’s stage is simply too huge for the Cream and Crimson who fall to 0-2 in convention play. I’m in accordance with Dalton that the expertise of Oregon and Penn State is an excessive amount of for Indiana, giving them an 8-4 (5-4 Large Ten) report. 
Comply with reporters Conor Banks and Dalton James (@DaltonMJames) and columnist Quinn Richards (@Quinn_richa) for updates all through the Indiana soccer season

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