Indiana Buys Its Way Out of a Challenge, Embraces Easy Non-Con

Indiana has made headlines this week, not for a signature win, but for what they’re avoiding.

The Hoosiers quietly canceled the home-and-home football series with Virginia, scheduled for 2027 and 2028. As per the contract, Indiana will pay Virginia a $500,000 cancellation fee.

In hindsight, the real story isn’t the payout; it’s who they’re replacing Virginia with. The Hoosiers turned to Kennesaw State (2027), Austin Peay (2028), and Eastern Illinois (2029) to fill those home dates. That means swapping Power Conference competition for games that pad the schedule with minimal risk and minimal reward.

Fans and analysts wasted no time reacting. One post on SportsKeeda called the move “pathetic,” adding that Indiana is “ducking the sh*t out of them” when it comes to Power Four nonconference opponents. Another blunt take: “Cancelling games vs an ACC opponent and scheduling FCS schools is not a good look.”

Indiana’s athletic department seems content with a softer road ahead. Kennesaw State pulled in a $1.3 million guarantee from the 2027 game, a payday, for sure, but hardly a test for the Hoosiers before Big Ten play begins.

This is part of a growing trend across college football: marquee Power Conference teams opting for easier non-conference slates. But when a Big Ten program leading the region’s pack starts doing it, it erodes the preseason credibility of the conference. If Indiana isn’t willing to face a ranked ACC opponent, what does that say about the rest?

Come kickoff season, the Hoosiers might be unbeaten in September, but they’ll also be untested. And that’s a gamble of its own.