IndyCar Teams Up With Indiana Football For Big Ohio State Game

Alex Palou (right) with 'Hoosier The Bison' as IU football prepares for Ohio State on October 17, 2026.IndyCar Photo by Joe Skibinski | INDYCAR / IMS PhThe biggest matchup in college football this weekend pits No. 4 Ohio State at No. 5 Indiana and IndyCar is hoping to bring some extra horsepower to the Hoosiers in this key Big Ten clash.As part of the buildup to Saturday’s Ohio State at Indiana on FOX at 12 noon Eastern Time, IndyCar has partnered with Indiana University athletics with some activation involving five-time NTT IndyCar Series Champion Alex Palou of Chip Ganassi Racing. On October 15, IndyCar’s social channels teased Palou’s appearance as an “honorary driver” for the IU IndyCar car that is usually driven by IU’s mascot, “Hoosier the Bison,” which leads the IU football team onto the field before each home game in Bloomington, Indiana.Part of the collaboration has involved a custom IU-themed firesuit.Special IndyCar Firesuit supporting Indiana University Football and the 2025 National Championship. INDYCAR Photo by Joe SkibinskiAdditionally, in partnership with FOX Sports, Palou is scheduled to be part of the network’s Big Noon Kickoff pre-game show. He also appeared on Big Noon Kickoff for the October 25, 2025, game against UCLA on FOX last year.Supporting IU Football Showcases IndyCar To A Different AudienceIndyCar is based in Indianapolis and Indiana University is located 50 miles to the southwest in Bloomington, Indiana. With the mighty Ohio State Buckeyes invading Memorial Stadium on Saturday, it’s a major game in college football.“This is a great way to celebrate that and also showcase IndyCar to a big audience,” IndyCar Chief Marketing Officer Alex Damron told me. “FOX loves it as well and you can expect to see them lean in on Saturday starting with their pre-game coverage.” The Social Media video includes Palou with Hoosier the Bison and the IU fire suit and helmet.“We wanted to do something a little humorous that showcased the lighter side of Alex’s personality,” Damron said. “But expect him to be full throttle when he is in the actual car on Saturday. “It has also been really cool seeing the fan response to the firesuit and helmet. There are some very purposeful Easter Eggs in the design like the Bowl Game logos that we wanted to include for the fans.”IndyCar’s Long History With Another Big Ten School In IndianaThe Indianapolis 500 is the world’s largest single-day sporting event and an important part of Indiana’s history. But for the most part, the Big 10 school most closely associated with the Indianapolis 500 is IU’s rival, Purdue University.Purdue is one of the great engineering schools in the United States, and the Purdue University Band is key part of the pageantry before each year’s Indianapolis 500, including the time-honored rendition of “Back Home Again In Indiana” before the race.Indiana University has not been a part of the Indy 500, or IndyCar, until fairly recently. It’s a relationship that began two years ago and continues to grow.Before this year’s 110th Indianapolis 500, IU head coach Curt Cignetti drove the Pace Car to lead the field of 33 to the start of the Indy 500.Indiana University Footballl Coach Curt Cignetti drove the Pace Car for the 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 24, 2026. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)Getty ImagesIndyCar Building A New Tradition With Indiana UniversityThis weekend’s activation is a continuation of the overall relationship between IU and IndyCar.“It’s an awesome partnership between two powerhouse entities on a similar trajectory,” Damron said. “Indiana Football is on an incredible run, and their aggressive, fast and relentless style of play aligns with what you see from IndyCar on the racetrack each weekend. We’ve really had fun working together on a number of activations and you can expect to see that continue moving forward.” In the process, one of the great drivers in racing has become quite the fan of the Indiana Hoosiers as Alex Palou is all in on the IU football program.Five-time IndyCar Series Champion Alex Palou (right) with "Hoosier The Bison" (left).INDYCAR Photo by Joe SkibinskiThis article was originally published on Forbes.com