Mind Your Banners

Mike Niziolek and Zach Osterman sit down for their weekly podcast, this time digging into some summer storylines surrounding Curt Cignetti's defending national champions. Plus, discussion of IU's forthcoming men's basketball exhibition. Chapters: 0:00: Intro 3:05: Summer storylines, starting at QB 13:01: Where might IU be a player short 21:14: Listener questions, offensive line chat 28:30: Adedamo...

The IU basketball team will play an exhibition at Assembly Hall before heading to Peru. Zach Osterman and Mike Niziolek discuss the latest open practice, roster roles, impact players and more. Chapters: 0:00: Intro 2:56: Open practice No. 2 6:35: Handling a roster built around two bigs 19:31: Who occupies what roles? 25:12: Markus Burton's importance 30:36: Shifting expectations 44:14: Summer exhi...

IndyStar's Kyle Neddenriep joins Zach Osterman for a special Mind Your Banners episode, looking at IU football's in-state recruiting in 2027. They dive into the Indiana prep players Curt Cignetti and his staff already have committed, with some conversation at the end on a top remaining target as well. 0:00 -- Intro 2:29 -- IU football's resonance in state 8:42 -- Mason McDermott 12:48 -- Branden S...

The boys are back! Mike Niziolek and Zach Osterman convene to discuss the exciting announcement of their new book chronicling IU football's rise under Curt Cignetti. Plus, Mike reports back from the first open practice of the summer for Darian DeVries' team. That and more! Chapters: 0:00 -- Intro 2:33 -- "Unthinkable to Unstoppable" 21:01 -- Initial men's basketball impressions 27:15 -- Aiden Sher...

Mike Niziolek and Zach Osterman are back, breaking down IU football's spring season, what stood out, who stood out, how Indiana moved on from a historic 2025 and what questions remain as the Hoosiers hit summer and more. 

Zach Osterman and Mike Niziolek offer takeaways and debate the most interesting threads to emerge from Indiana's first spring practice of the 2026 calendar. Chapters: 0:00 -- Intro 1:14 -- Cignetti's first comments of spring 5:31 -- Handling IU's roster 9:30 -- Depth chart talk 20:21 -- Mike's first-practice thoughts 25:21 -- Breakout players? Read: https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/in...

Mike Niziolek and Zach Osterman discuss the fallout from IU's failure to be selected to the NCAA tournament, why the Hoosiers would decline further postseason opportunities and where Darian DeVries' program goes from here. Chapters: 0:00 -- Intro 0:29 -- Where IU landed in committee's eyes 6:39 -- Turning down other postseason options 15:18 -- How '25-'26 roster decisions affect IU's future 24:55...

Mike Niziolek and Zach Osterman discuss Indiana's pivotal looming regular-season finale at Ohio State, where the Hoosiers' NCAA tournament resume stands as the calendar winds toward Selection Sunday and what a reasonable path from here might be for Darian DeVries' team.

Mike Niziolek and Zach Osterman discuss the fallout from Indiana's upset loss to Northwestern, where it leaves the Hoosiers' tournament chances, how it blends into the wider discourse around this program and more. Plus, discussion of IU football's record representation at the NFL Combine. Chapters: 0:00 -- Intro 0:51 -- IU at the Combine 11:33 -- The importance of this week for IU football 15:25 -...

Mike Niziolek and Zach Osterman catch up on football's offseason reset, storylines for Curt Cignetti's team heading toward spring, Darian DeVries' bubbling resume and more. Chapters: 0:00 -- Intro 0:53 -- Checking in with football 7:30 -- Offseason storylines 21:46 -- Hoops heading into February 32:30 -- What makes a successful first DeVries season? Read:  https://www.indystar.com/story/sport...

Mike Niziolek and Zach Osterman discuss IU football's off ramp from winning a CFP national championship into preparations for 2026, plus an important win for Darian DeVries' team over Purdue that might just have put the Hoosiers back on a path to the NCAA tournament. Chapters: 0:00 -- Intro 1:15 -- Football finally settling down 9:01 -- How Cignetti's Hoosiers move on 12:58 -- Thoughts on how IU's...

Mike Niziolek and Zach Osterman check in from Miami to try and capture what Monday night's 27-21 win over the Hurricanes, clinching the 2026 CFP national championship, means to both this team and this program. Read:  https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2026/01/20/indiana-football-national-championship-vs-miami-curt-cignetti-jamari-sharpe-fernando-mendoza/88261018007/ Get Ind...

On the final pregame Mind Your Banners of the Indiana football season, Mike Niziolek and Zach Osterman discuss the build-up to the CFP national title game, the matchup between Indiana and Miami, predictions for Monday night and what this season means for the Hoosiers.  

Mike Niziolek and Zach Osterman, road-weary but returned to Indiana after a riveting Peach Bowl, to recap the Hoosiers' College Football Playoff semifinal win against Oregon, setting up a national-title bout with Miami next Monday night. Read:  https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2026/01/10/indiana-football-historic-season-national-championship-fans-mark-cuban-pam-whitten-sc...

Mike Niziolek and Zach Osterman break down Friday night's Peach Bowl matchup between No. 1 Indiana and No. 5 Oregon, a rematch from the Big Ten regular season now playing out in a College Football Playoff semifinal.   Read:  https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2026/01/08/indiana-football-news-preview-oregon-peach-bowl-2026-big-ten-sec-dominance-cfb-playoff-atlanta/88057...

Mike Niziolek and Zach Osterman sit down to discuss Indiana's remarkable start to the 2026 transfer portal, as Curt Cignetti balances Peach Bowl preparations with setting his roster up for another College Football Playoff run next season. Read: https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2026/01/01/who-won-indiana-alabama-game-rose-bowl-college-football-great-story-curt-cignetti-fernando...

Insiders Zach Osterman and Michael Niziolek unpack IU's win, holding tradition-rich Alabama without a touchdown, and snapping a lengthy bowl win drought to advance to the CFP semifinal at the Peach Bowl. Read all coverage at IndyStar.com and get IndyStar's IU coverage sent directly to your inbox with our IU Insider newsletter: https://profile.indystar.com/newsletters/iu-insider/?ipid=NLsignupIU

IU Insider Zach Osterman checks in from downtown Los Angeles after Rose Bowl media day. Both the Hoosiers and Crimson Tide spent time speaking with reporters about Thursday's College Football Playoff quarterfinal in Pasadena.   Read:  https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2025/12/30/mikail-kamara-injury-health-indiana-football-rose-bowl-alabama-stats-daniel-ndukwe-stephen...

Mike Niziolek and Zach Osterman check in from Los Angeles, where the Hoosiers will soon arrive ahead of Thursday's Rose Bowl. Indiana faces Alabama in the CFP quarterfinal. Zach and Mike break down the matchup, offer predictions and more. Read: https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2025/12/23/indiana-football-coach-curt-cignetti-alabama-kalen-deboer-career-connections-kane-wommack-...

IU Insider Zach Osterman checks in with the first installment of this week's Rose Bowl Diaries, tracking all the news and notes as the Hoosiers head west for their date with Alabama in the Rose Bowl, and the College Football Playoff quarterfinal. Today, updates and thoughts on Indiana's offensive preparations, with a little bit more on what to expect in the coming days.   Read:  https://...

Mike Niziolek and Zach Osterman cover a lot of ground during a quiet period just before the Hoosiers' Rose Bowl preparations really begin to ramp up. The boys take a look at potential CFP matchups, pending portal needs, early projections for the Rose Bowl and more. Chapters: 0:00 -- Intro 2:15 -- First look at potential quarterfinal opponents 18:17 -- Early Rose Bowl projections 27:11 -- HeisMendo...

Mike Niziolek and Zach Osterman pack a lot into this week's show, discussing Indiana basketball so far, the Hoosiers' outlook at Kentucky, the shape of the Heisman Trophy race and how Fernando Mendoza fi

Zach Osterman and Mike Niziolek break down a whirlwind 24 hours, after Indiana defeats No. 1 Ohio State to win the Big Ten championship, clinching for the Hoosiers the No. 1 ranking and overall seed in this year's College Football Playoff, as well as a place in this year's Rose Bowl. Zach and Mike recap the game, analyze the Hoosiers' Playoff path and try to make some sense of what all this means...

IndyStar's Zach Osterman and Mike Niziolek of The Herald-Times break down a whirlwind 24 hours, after Indiana defeats No. 1 Ohio State to win the Big Ten championship, clinching for the Hoosiers the No. 1 ranking and overall seed in this year's College Football Playoff, as well as a place in this year's Rose Bowl. Zach and Mike recap the game, analyze the Hoosiers' Playoff path and try to make som...

Joey Kaufman of the Columbus Dispatch joins IndyStar's Zach Osterman for a BuckeyeXtra/Mind Your Banners crossover, previewing Saturday night's Big Ten championship game between No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Indiana. Kaufman and Osterman break down everything from the quarterback matchup, to these teams' dominant defense, to what a win would mean for both sides, its effect on the Heisman race and mor...