Indiana Hoosiers Cancel Notre Dame Games, Spark Fan Backlash

Indiana University’s football program, led by head coach Curt Cignetti, announced the cancellation of its scheduled non‑conference series against Notre Dame for the 2030 and 2031 seasons. The move leaves the Hoosiers with no Power‑Five opponents on their non‑conference slate through 2032, prompting criticism that the schedule is being softened to protect the team’s record. Fans described the decision as “inexcusable” and called it “the weakest non‑conference schedule I have ever seen.”

The cancellation follows earlier decisions to drop games against Louisville and Virginia, reinforcing concerns that Indiana is avoiding challenging early‑season matchups in favor of a conference‑only focus.

The controversy highlights tension between the program’s competitive ambitions and fan expectations for marquee games against top‑tier opponents.