Indiana may or may not be without defensive lineman Stephen Daley during the College Football Playoff. His status for the postseason is currently unclear as rumors continue to swirl about a potentially catastrophic injury for the Hoosiers.
The university has not yet released any information regarding his health and I do not expect a definitive answer until the official injury report prior to the Rose Bowl.
it would be a huge blow to the top-ranked team in college football if Daley cannot play. We’ll see.
Indiana’s defense was the biggest star of the Big Ten Championship.
Hand up, I watched a lot of Indiana football this season but I did not realize just how good this defense really can be until Saturday. The stifling defensive wins over Illinois, Iowa and even UCLA were dominant but I assumed it was a byproduct of the whole Big Ten offense struggling to score points thing. To hold Oregon to 20 points in Eugene was equally as strong of a showing. Saturday was next level.
Indiana recorded six sacks. Heisman Trophy candidate Julian Sayin threw for less than 300 yards with only one touchdown and one interception. The Buckeyes’ running backs combined for less than 90 yards. Ohio State scored only 10 points.
I knew Fernando Mendoza is awesome. I really like the one-two punch of Roman Hemby and Kaelon Black. Coach Cig wins, Google him.
However, it is this Hoosiers defense that could really lead the team to a national title. And at the center of the defense is true senior Stephen Daley, who transferred from Kent State during the offseason.
Is Stephen Daley going to miss the College Football Playoff with a leg injury?
At 6-foot-1, 273 pounds, Daley finished the regular season and Big Ten Championship with 35 total tackles (24 solo), 5.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. He is a mauler on the defensive line.
Look at how he works back across the field to make the tackle on this play:
Bear Front with a 9 Jam 7 causing disruption and buying the pulling guard. Love the Field 3 Technique crossing face with the guard pulling, allows Indiana to get back plus one post snap.
— The Ballmanac (@The_Ballmanac) December 8, 2025
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Indiana absolutely has the pieces to make a run without Daley but Daley is crucial to success. To be without him during the Playoff (as rumors on the internet suggest) would be devastating.
There has not been a formal announcement about the status of Stephen Daley as of this writing. But where there is smoke, there is often fire. And there is a lot of smoke that he might be injured.
A new video from Saturday shows him struggle to put pressure on his right leg during the postgame celebration. I don’t know if this is the exact moment where the injury occurred or if he was limping prior to his victory lap. It could be related to an injury suffered during the game while he was getting double teamed by Ohio State. Either way, it is very clear that Daley could not push off of his right leg.
Not confirming anything… but this clip might explain a lot 😔👇#iufb #CFBPlayoff #Big10Championship #hoosiers https://t.co/JVMGaYluFX pic.twitter.com/5mwBdTCCor
— Luke Versichelli (@Lversichelli) December 9, 2025
A separate photo appears to show Daley leave the field on an injury cart with a brace on his right leg.
The Hoosiers are not required to release an official injury report until the week leading up to the game. They likely will not disclose Daley’s status so not to give their future opponent an advantage. News might break before that announcement. It might not.
The video and photo from after the Big Ten Championship do not look good.