20 college football programs who could be the next Indiana

Just imagine if Francisco Mendoza stayed at Cal? OK, that's not a fair point. But the Golden Bears seem to be on the rise. They've gone to a bowl in three straight campaigns, and at 7-6 in 2025, posted their first winning season since 2019. Keeping stud freshman quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele on campus for at least one more year is a big get. Adding transfer receivers Chase Hendricks (Ohio) and Ian Strong (Rutgers), plus running back Adam Mohammed (Washington), also adds to the 2026 intrigue.

Duke, obviously, is a basketball school. Like Indiana, but the Blue Devils have also posted four straight winning football seasons, three of which consisted of nine wins and an ACC title in 2025. Losing quarterback Darian Mensah and receiver Cooper Barkate in the transfer portal (to rival Miami, Fla.) potentially hurts, but coach Manny Diaz seems to have a good thing going at Duke. This is an established program that might not be too far off from taking the next step.

OK, maybe we're getting a little far-fetched in this case. But, if -- or when -- the College Football Playoff opts to expand its field, the American Athletic Conference is likely to be consistently represented. Since Oct. 26, 2024, East Carolina is 14-5 and has wins over North Carolina State, North Texas, Memphis, and Pittsburgh. Sure, the Pirates were hit relatively hard in the 2026 transfer portal, but the rebuild likely won't come at a price of taking a step back from 2025's 8-5 season. Also, Blake Harrell is a hot coaching name to remember.

Houston won a combined eight games in its first two years as a member of the Big 12. However, in Year 3, the Cougars went 10-3, including 6-0 on the road. Now, five-star quarterback recruit Keisean Henderson has been brought in tow, along with a top-10 transfer portal class for 2026. Is Houston the next Texas Tech? Perhaps, although we doubt the Red Raiders are going anywhere (more on that in a bit). The Cougars, though, seem to be headed in the right direction under coach Willie Fritz. 

There were plenty of media types in and around Champaign-Urbana who felt Illinois would be the Indiana of 2025. Then the Hoosiers smoked the Illini 63-10 in Week 4. Still, Illinois has posted three winning seasons in five under coach Bret Bielema and has won 19 games and two bowls over the past two years. Dependable quarterback Luke Altmyer is gone, but there is more than enough talent to successfully handle a schedule where the two toughest tests come from Oregon at home and at Ohio State in 2026.

Matt Campbell finally left Ames for a marquee football name. And, yes, the Cyclones lost a ton in the transfer portal. But Iowa State has suffered just one losing season in the last nine. New coach Jimmy Rogers helped build South Dakota State into a perennial FCS power, and his first Iowa State team does not have to play Arizona State, Colorado, Houston, Kansas, TCU, and Texas Tech. Sometimes a fresh start and regime change is good, and the Cyclones have plenty of resources -- on and off the field -- to vie for a Big 12 title and more.

JMU should get some credit for Indiana's remarkable college football turnaround. Coach Cignetti and a host of his Hoosiers stars cut their teeth as Dukes. But, even with the coaching turnover it's experienced, James Madison is one of the great success stories in the game. In four seasons at the FBS level, the Dukes are 40-11, played in the College Football Playoff, and continued a culture of winning that was long established in the FCS. If there is going to be a true non-power conference team to stun the college football world and win the national title, our money is on James Madison.

Keeping with that basketball school theme. Indiana beat Kansas to the punch when it comes to enjoying the ultimate college football success. However, the Jayhawks enjoyed some solid gridiron glory in the mid-2000s and went 9-4 in 2023. With Memorial Stadium getting a massive makeover, these seem like exciting times in Lawrence. And, the Jayhawks might have the right coach in Lance Leipold to become the next basketball power to win it all in football.

Mastering the NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) era is quintessential to college football success. Reportedly, Kentucky is building a war chest to draw elite athletics, or build a team of established talent from one particular outlet -- much like Indiana did via James Madison. New coach Will Stein comes over from Oregon, and the Wildcats won't be raiding that program, but there is plenty of talk that Kentucky has the backing to improve quickly from last season's 4-8 disappointment. 

Casual college football fans might not realize, but Missouri has won 29 games in the last three seasons. Yet, the Tigers still seem like an afterthought in the SEC. Maybe because there is no significant hardware to show for any of that recent success. Still, Eli Drinkwitz is one of the most underrated coaches in college football, and the Tigers' collective talent continues to get better. If Vanderbilt can seriously turn heads in the SEC, Mizzou should be able to, as well.

Former Tar Heel Drake Maye is a Super Bowl quarterback, and Bill Belichick is their coach. Yet, North Carolina has just one double-digit win season since 1998. Another basketball school with football in the shadows (no matter how much individual NFL talent it's produced), North Carolina should be better than it has been. Truthfully, there needs to be a culture change within the program. Belichick might not be the guy to do so, but there are enough resources, within the NIL era amid a parity-rich ACC, for the Tar Heels to at least reach the CFP.

In 1995, perennial college football doormat Northwestern went 10-2 and took the college football world by storm. There was no playoff system back then, but who knows, the Wildcats could have been Indiana before Indiana. Still, that season sparked a football resurgence in Evanston. Northwestern is annually competitive, and with the right makeup, chemistry, and good fortune, could find itself in the CFP sooner than later. 

We're at the wishful thinking portion of our list. Sure, Rutgers has enjoyed some solid football success over the last two decades (remember that 11-2 team from 2006?). But the Scarlet Knights have not come close to winning a Big Ten title, and it would need an Indiana-like overhaul to probably do so. That said, with its New York City NIL influence and a well-respected head coach in Greg Schiano, nothing is impossible. It would be a special day if Rutgers football rose above all the rest.

Finally, cutting ties with coach Mike Gundy was a victory in itself for Oklahoma State. Then going out and nabbing Eric Morris from North Texas was huge. In the fashion of Curt Cignetti with his trail of James Madison players following along to Bloomington, several former members of the Mean Green, who went 11-2 last season, will suit up for the Cowboys (four wins the last two years) in 2026. Notably, three of nation's top offensive performers in quarterback Drew Mestemaker (4,379 passing yards, 34 touchdowns in '25), running back Caleb Hawkins (1,34 yards, 25 TDs) and receiver Wyatt Young (70 receptions, 1,264 yards, 10 TDs). In all, more than 50 transfers are slated to make up the '26 Oklahoma State, which still must travel to Iowa State, Kansas State and Arizona State next season.

Coming off a 12-2 effort and College Football Playoff berth in 2025, the Red Raiders might be the closest team to pulling off a similar run as Indiana. Of course, Texas Tech has long been a competitive football program, but it has been eternally in the shadows of in-state powers like Texas and Baylor over the years. The Red Raiders program, though, has been a budding force in NIL money. Depending on who is doing the rankings, Texas Tech might boast the top transfer class for '26. Led by quarterback Brendan Sorsby, who threw for 2,800 yards and 27 touchdowns at Cincinnati last season.

When it comes to non-power conference teams, Tulane has established itself as one of the best. The Green Wave are 43-13 over the past four seasons, and earned a spot in the CFP for 2025. Even with roster turnover and a new coach, Will Hall, in New Orleans, Tulane expects to remain at this pace in terms of national prominence. In the day of NIL and transfer portal overhaul, don't be surprised if the Green Wave are even more of a national player. 

Life in the Big Ten has not been easy for the Bruins. Then again, Indiana struggled for decades in the league prior to the last two seasons. UCLA is far from a college football afterthought, but it hasn't posted a 10-win season in more than a decade. But, with a new coach coming over from James Madison (ala Curt Cignetti) and recently told fans at the Bruins basketball game that "we’re about to win a Big Ten championship." Ballsy, for sure, but UCLA doesn't play Indiana, Ohio State, Washington, or Penn State in 2026, so the foundation for greatness could begin soon.

Heisman Trophy finalist quarterback Diego Pavia gets a lot of credit for Vanderbilt's recent foray into national football prominence. However, the program's culture and focus have changed since hiring Clark Lea as coach. Five wins in his second season of 2022 were a big deal, then 17 in the last two seasons. A program-record 10 wins in 2025 might be the start of something truly special at Vandy, even with Pavia gone. The Commodores are certainly worth keeping an eye on. 

Admittedly, Virginia Tech is a stretch to be on this list. The Hokies are an established program that was a perennial national power during the early 2000s. However, since 2011, Virginia Tech has just one 10-win season and lost five of its last six bowl games. But, with James Franklin now in charge, the Hokies are a sexy pick to regain that level of prominence and perhaps make a run toward the CFP. Of course, Franklin had boatloads of talent at Penn State, but went 4-21 against top 10 opponents during his tenure.

Not sure how many college football fans noticed, but Wake Forest won nine games in 2025 under first-year coach Jake Dickert. Back in 2021, the Demon Deacons won 11 times. So, the program has enjoyed success in recent years, and within an ACC that has enjoyed some needed parity, why can't the Demon Deacons among those surprise teams be capable of making a serious run at the league title -- and perhaps even more.