Howard vs Indiana Picks and Prediction for Saturday, September 12, 2026

Howard visits Indiana on Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, with the opening kickoff at 12:00 PM ET and televised on BTN. Howard is 1-1 after a 28-21 loss to Richmond, while No. 6 Indiana is 1-0 following a 52-16 win over North Texas. The Bison opened the season with a 31-24 victory over Alabama A&M before falling to Richmond. Indiana has now won 17 straight games and 16 straight at home. Check out our free NCAAF picks.

Howard Trying to Bounce Back on the Road

Howard averages 215.5 passing yards and 122.5 rushing yards after scoring 52 points across its first two games. Ja'Shawn Scroggins has thrown for 424 yards, four touchdowns and one interception, but has completed only 43.8 percent of his 64 attempts. The quarterback has also been Howard's leading rusher with 88 yards on 27 carries. Travis Kerney has rushed for 81 yards, while Billy Roberson II has gained 65 yards and scored the Bison's only rushing touchdown.

Howard has produced several long gains through the passing game. Se'Quan Osborne has 101 receiving yards and a touchdown on four catches, while Antonio Hunter has 81 yards and a score on four receptions. Semaj Pierre has added 72 yards on three catches. Protecting Scroggins will be important after Howard allowed eight sacks across its first two games. On defense, Aidan Foster, Kaleb Gallop and Rodney Roane each have 14 tackles, while Roane has recorded one sack and an interception.

Indiana Coming Off a Dominant Opening Win

Indiana started its national title defense with a 52-16 victory over North Texas. Josh Hoover completed 13 of 16 passes for 231 yards and four touchdowns without an interception. The Hoosiers gained 134 yards and scored three touchdowns on 30 rushing attempts. Turbo Richard led the running backs with 58 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries, while Grant Wilson broke a 43-yard touchdown run. Indiana scored 24 first-half points before adding another 28 after halftime.

Charlie Becker caught four passes for 64 yards and two touchdowns, while Davion Chandler turned his only reception into a 42-yard score. Richard added a 38-yard reception, and Nick Marsh caught another touchdown pass. Indiana's defense recorded one sack and one interception against North Texas. Isaiah Jones led the Hoosiers with 12 tackles, while Tyrique Tucker recorded the sack and Quan Sanks returned an interception 31 yards. Indiana held North Texas scoreless in the first and fourth quarters.

Key to the Game

Howard's pass protection against Indiana's defensive front could decide how competitive the Bison remain. Scroggins has thrown four touchdown passes and has multiple receivers producing long gains, but Howard has allowed eight sacks. Indiana did not post a large sack total against North Texas, yet the Hoosiers have the defensive personnel to pressure the quarterback and force quicker throws. Howard needs time for Osborne, Hunter and Pierre to work downfield. Indiana can limit that threat by making Scroggins operate under pressure.

Howard vs Indiana Game Pick

• Indiana Hoosiers

Indiana is the pick after opening the season with a 52-16 win over North Texas behind sharp quarterback play and a balanced scoring attack. Josh Hoover completed 13 of 16 passes for 231 yards and four touchdowns, while the Hoosiers also scored three times on the ground. Howard has allowed eight sacks and Scroggins has completed only 43.8 percent of his passes. Indiana has won 17 straight games, and another strong performance at Memorial Stadium should put the Hoosiers in position to win comfortably.

Howard vs Indiana Over/Under Pick

• Over

Over is the pick because Indiana showed immediate scoring strength with 52 points against North Texas, including four touchdown passes from Josh Hoover and three rushing scores. Howard has also reached 21 points in each of its first two games, with Ja'Shawn Scroggins throwing four touchdowns and several receivers producing long gains. The Bison have enough passing ability to add points, but eight sacks allowed create problems against Indiana. Another productive Indiana performance should push this matchup toward a higher combined score on Saturday.