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Defending champion Indiana defeated Northwestern 29-23 on Friday night to open the 2026 Big Ten season, a victory that head coach Curt Cignetti described as the result of being "Pearl Harbored" during the opening offensive plays.
The Hoosiers entered the contest as heavy favorites, but the game began with a slow offensive start that saw Indiana lead by only 2-0 for much of the first quarter.
Following two false starts and a turnover on downs at the goal line, Cignetti characterized the early sequence as a significant setback. "We got Pearl Harbored the first two offensive plays," Cignetti said.
Despite the early struggles, Indiana maintained leads of 5-0 and 12-0 before Northwestern narrowed the gap to 12-7.
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