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DE Stephen Daley expected to miss the rest of this season as No. 1 Indiana begins playoff charge

DE Stephen Daley expected to miss the rest of this season as No. 1 Indiana begins playoff charge | iNFOnews.ca
Ohio State's Julian Sayin throws against Indiana's Stephen Daley during the second half of the Big Ten championship NCAA college football game in Indianapolis, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Defensive end Stephen Daley is expected to miss the College Football Playoff after getting injured during No. 1 Indiana’s Big Ten championship celebration.

Coach Curt Cignetti made the announcement Wednesday.

“I can confirm that he did sustain an injury, a serious injury that will probably make him not available for the remainder of the season,” said Cignetti, who was unaware of Daley had been hurt until long after the game’s conclusion.

A social media video showed Daley appearing to land awkwardly on his right leg while high-fiving fans moments after the Hoosiers completed a 13-10 victory over Ohio State to capture their first Big Ten title since 1967, their first outright crown since 1945 and reaching 13-0 for the first time in school history. The victory also secured a second straight playoff berth for Indiana.

The top-seeded Hoosiers have a first-round bye and will face either No. 8 Oklahoma (10-2) or No. 9 Alabama (10-3) in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.

Daley was a lightly recruited player in his home state of Virginia but played a key role for Cignetti after transferring from Kent State to Indiana this season. He had 38 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, 5 1/2 sacks, two forced fumbles and one pass breakup this season, earning all-Big Ten honorable mention honors.

“I was still processing the whole thing because it was sort of unbelievable when I heard about it,” Cignetti said, referring to what he told reporters Sunday. “I think that is why I said we had nobody hurt in the game, during the game.”

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DE Stephen Daley expected to miss the rest of this season as No. 1 Indiana begins playoff charge | iNFOnews.ca
Ohio State’s Julian Sayin throws with pressure from Indiana’s Stephen Daley during the first half of the Big Ten championship NCAA college football game in Indianapolis, Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

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