In 120 seasons, the Hoosier football team has been to a total of 11 bowl games, and currently has a 3-8 all-time bowl game record. As the Hoosiers come off two consecutive bowl game appeareances, the team will look to reach and win bowl games under new head coach Tom Allen. Here’s a look at their bowl game history.
January 1, 1968: Rose Bowl
The 1968 Rose Bowl featured two 9-1 teams, Indiana and the No.1 ranked USC Trojans. IU was defeated by a score of 14-3. USC tailback, O.J. Simpson, was named the Rose Bowl Player of the Game after scoring both touchdowns for the Trojans.
December 21, 1979: Holiday Bowl
Eleven seasons after IU’s first bowl game appearance, the Hoosiers returned to the postseason to take on the 11-0 BYU Cougars. Under then-head coach Lee Corso, IU won its first bowl game by upsetting BYU in a thriller that ended 38-37.
December 31, 1986: All-American Bowl
IU returned to bowl season just in time for the 1986 All-American Bowl. The Hoosiers squared off against the Seminoles from Florida State. Indiana was defeated by a score of 27-13.
January 2, 1988: Peach Bowl
Part of the 1987 bowl game season, Indiana faced the Tennessee Volunteers in the first ever meeting between the two schools. This was Tennessee’s 29th overall bowl and IU’s fourth. The Volunteers won by a score of 27-22.
December 28, 1988: Liberty Bowl
Less than a year removed from the team’s last bowl game loss, IU was back again for the 1988 Liberty Bowl against the South Carolina Gamecocks. In the first ever meeting between these teams, IU came away victorious by a score of 34-10.
December 29, 1990: Peach Bowl
The Hoosiers made their second appearance in the Peach Bowl, IU started the year 4-0, but only finished with six wins. Indiana played Auburn for the first time in school history, losing to the Tigers 27-23.
December 31, 1991: Copper Bowl
The Hoosiers regrouped from their four-point loss to Auburn the year prior to make back-to-back bowl game appearances in 1990 and 1991. Indiana shutout the Baylor Bears 24-0. The 1991 Copper Bowl is IU’s last bowl win.
December 31, 1993: Independence Bowl
1993 marked the first ranked matchup in Independence Bowl history. No. 21 ranked IU lost to No. 22 ranked Virginia Tech 45-20. It would be another 14 years before IU returned to a bowl game, while Virginia Tech went on a steak of 23 consecutive bowl game appearances.
December 31, 2007: Insight Bowl
After a 7-5 season, the Hoosiers earned a spot in the 2007 Insight Bowl. IU played the Oklahoma State Cowboys of the Big 12 Conference. Indiana was playing only six months after the passing of its previous head coach, Terry Hoeppner. The Hoosiers were defeated in a high-scoring affair that ended 49-33.
December 26, 2015: Pinstripe Bowl
IU went into the 2015 Pinstripe Bowl with a 6-6 record. The Hoosiers played the Duke Blue Devils in Yankee Stadium. In a close contest, Duke would eventually win 44-41 in overtime, Duke’s first bowl victory in 54 years.
December 28, 2016: Foster Farms Bowl
Another 6-6 season brought IU to back-to-back bowl games for the first time since the 1990 and 1991 seasons. The 2016 Foster Farms Bowl featured Indiana and the Utah Utes from the Pac-12 conference. The Hoosiers fell to the Utes 26-24.
