Homecoming weekend at Indiana University is always one of the most anticipated events of the fall semester, and this year’s celebration brought out record-sized crowds, packed tailgates, and an energy that carried from the Sample Gates all the way into Memorial Stadium. Between the Hoosiers’ best football season in years and a growing sense of school pride, Bloomington was alive with excitement.

By early Saturday morning, the smell of barbecue and the sound of music filled nearly every corner near the stadium. IU’s campus was flooded with students, families, and alumni decked out in cream and crimson. The official IU Alumni Tailgate drew hundreds of graduates from across the country, reconnecting over food, live music, and decades of shared Hoosier memories.

This year’s tailgate had a little extra meaning. IU recently became the largest living alumni network in the country, now boasting more than 800,000 members and surpassing Penn State. “I’m not surprised,” said IU alum Randal Fearnow. “Seems like everywhere we go, we run into Indiana alumni… all over the country and even abroad.”

Nearby, student tailgates stretched across every inch of grass outside the stadium. Games of cornhole, football tosses, and pop-up speakers filled the area with nonstop noise. On top of that, the Big Ten Network setup just outside the main gates offered games, live music, and a chance for fans to test their football skills before heading inside.

For many, though, the real excitement was what was happening on the field. IU came into the game undefeated after a historic win over Oregon, and fans were dreaming big. “It feels great,” said IU student Payton Pulley. “I actually come from a Purdue family, so coming here and being number two is a great feeling. I finally get to brag to my parents about it.”

That sense of pride was shared by fans who’ve been following the Hoosiers for decades, many of whom admitted that this year’s team feels different. “The team and the coaching have impressed me to the point where a national championship isn’t outside the realm of possibility,” Fearnow said.

Inside the stadium, cream and crimson filled every seat. Chants of “IU! IU!” echoed out before kickoff. For older fans, it was a surreal moment years in the making. “I won’t say a dream come true,” said IU alum Jan Holn, smiling. “But we’ve had tickets for about 55 years, so we’ve been waiting a long time.”

As the game kicked off, Bloomington felt electric. Every play drew cheers from a crowd that had been starved for success for decades. While IU’s season isn’t over yet, many said this homecoming already felt like a win. It serves as a reminder of how powerful it can be when students, fans, and alumni come together.

After the game, as fans streamed out of Memorial Stadium and back toward campus, the sound of car horns and chants carried into the night. For a university celebrating more than just football, but community, loyalty, and identity, the weekend was one to remember.

Between the undefeated record, the packed tailgates, and the largest alumni network in the country, IU’s homecoming wasn’t just another event on the calendar. It was a moment that captured everything the school stands for: tradition, pride, and the hope that maybe, just maybe, this is finally IU football’s year.