Excitement is palpable for the Hoosiers ahead of week 1: 'I've never been more excited about this season'

It’s game week, and excitement isn’t just brewing, it’s already here.

If you asked any Indiana fan, they’d tell you that they can’t wait to watch their Hoosiers take the field on Saturday, but the Hoosiers themselves are just as, if not more, excited to kick off the 2025 season.

Just three days separate today and when Indiana begins its quest to repeat as a College Football Playoff team. The players can feel the excitement building. Offensive lineman Carter Smith and linebacker Aiden Fisher both spoke about their emotions leading up to gameday, with each of them sharing the exhilaration they’ve felt ahead of Indiana’s opener against Old Dominion.

“I’m excited, man. Nothing like going out there to crack someone in a different color. I’m really excited,” Smith said, driving home the point that he’s pumped to face off against another team.

This was a theme both Smith and Fisher shared, as each of them mentioned how they’ve grown tired of playing against their own teammates, not because they don’t enjoy it, but because it’s a different feeling going up against an opposing team.

“You know, I’m kind of running out of words to say to our offense and, you know, I don’t really know other trash talk to say to them,” Fisher told reporters after practice on Tuesday.

MORE: Curt Cignetti warns Hoosiers not to overlook Old Dominion in Week 1: ‘Now it’s time to go to war’

The replacement for trash talk? Being united as a team.

While what’s said between the offense and defense is never to put down each other, Fisher mentioned how nice it is to be on a completely united front during the season, as being connected is one of Indiana’s best qualities, and it’ll be on full display in 2025.

“It’s always good to, you know, just better ourselves all throughout camp, but, you know, you kind of get sick of it. And now it’s all of us kind of fighting toward one common goal, and I think we’re all really excited for it,” Fisher explained.

While Indiana’s status as a team working toward one common goal is exactly how it began the 2024 season, one aspect of the Week 1 matchup this year will be completely different than what was seen a season ago. That, of course, is fan turnout, and specifically student turnout.

In the opening week of the 2024 season, Indiana fans showed up at the beginning of the game, but it dwindled near the end, with the final minutes of the ballgame having less than half of the stadium full.

Things will be entirely different this time around, as Memorial Stadium is almost completely sold out and fans aren’t expected to leave before the final whistle. While it’s just a nonconference matchup, it means the world to these players to see the fans stay, and they want to be at their best to put on a show for Hoosier Nation.

“I’m so happy, man. I’ve never been more excited about this season. You know, uh, last year a lot of high hopes and we really delivered. I hope we can do the same thing again this year,” Smith said.

Fisher shared a similar message, saying: “Looking back at the FIU game last year, um, and the difference for our first game this year, um, it’s going to be night and day and I think that, you know, we’re going to put a great product on the field and the fans are really going to want to be a part of that and it’s really exciting to see and, you know, kind of feel the support around here now.”

Indiana’s main focus lies within the game itself, as the Hoosiers are fired up to get back onto the field and compete as a team, but they’d be lying if they said having a full crowd didn’t play a part as well.

ON3+: Early Look: Breaking down Indiana’s Week 1 matchup with Old Dominion

When the Hoosiers were playing well a year ago, you could feel the excitement from the fan base. The buzz not only around the stadium but around the campus was palpable, and when it came to throughout the games, the players certainly fed off the fans in the stands.

Even with all the excitement surrounding Week 1, Indiana hasn’t gotten distracted. The focus is still the focus, and Smith let everyone know what the mindset is between the Hoosiers.

“You know, just come out, smack some heads. That’s all I can really say about it,” Smith said, with a visible grin on his face.

The fans are pumped, the players are amped, and there are just a few days until another Hoosier football season begins.

For both Aiden Fisher and Carter Smith, they described why they’re looking forward to kicking off a new season, but Fisher also kept it simple to drive home how the team is feeling.

“Oh man, I’m so excited.”

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