Cathedral High School of Indianapolis, Indiana boasts the honor of being the winningest high school football program in the country to have never had their own home field. Looking at the Indiana High School football record book, they are ranked second in the state for all-time state championship wins (14), and third for most state finals appearances (17). Their most recent football title came in 2021.

Bill Peebles, a 1988 Cathedral grad, is in his second stint as head coach of the Irish football team. He first led the program from 1995-2004, winning three state titles with the team before departing for an 11-year stop at Southport High School and a 2-year stop at Lawrence Central (IN). Since returning to Cathedral in 2018, Peebles has guided the football team to a 73-25 overall record in eight seasons, including back-to-back 5A state titles in 2020 & 2021.

Looking closer at the past two seasons, the Irish finished the 2024 season with a 6-4 record, and a 7-4 record in 2025. Last year's season came to an end with a 20-15 loss in the second round of the playoffs to the eventual Indiana 5A state champions, New Palestine; Cathedral's 5-point loss was the smallest margin of victory in the entire 2025 season for the undefeated New Palestine Dragons.

2025 Season: (7-4)
Aug 22 vs. Ben Davis (IN) W 8-0
Aug 29 at Brownsburg (IN) L 29-0
Sep 5 vs. St. Xavier (OH) L 24-6
Sep 12 vs. Bishop Chatard (IN) W 23-20
Sep 19 at Southport (IN) W 54-0
Sep 26 vs. Trotwood-Madison (OH) W 32-28
Oct 3 at Center Grove (IN) W 21-15
Oct 10 at Covington Catholic L 17-10
Oct 17 vs. Warren Central (IN) W 28-21
Oct 31 at Anderson (IN) W 68-0
Nov 7 at New Palestine L 20-15

Looking at last year's schedule, the Irish certainly wouldn't give any impression of backing away from a challenge, with week after week of tough opponents. The teams they faced last year boasted a total of 65 football state titles across 3 states among their combined resumes.

Last year's Irish squad included no less than 21 players - including 19 seniors - with college football offers. With that much talent lost to graduation for the 2026 season, there's a lot that remains to be seen when the team takes the field for their first game. Among the players returning for the 2026 season, though, they have multiple now holding college offers including safety Tim Onghetich ('28) with an offer from Toledo, receiver Evan Johnson ('27) with an offer from Lindenwood, tight end Owen Peterson ('27) with an offer from Miami (OH), and running back/linebacker Xavier Dangerfield ('27) with offers from Dartmouth, Toledo, and Miami (OH).

2026 Football Schedule
Aug 21 at Ben Davis (IN)
Aug 28 vs. Loyola Academy (IL)
Sep 4 at St. Xavier (OH)
Sep 11 at Bishop Chatard (IN)
Sep 18 at Southport (IN)
Sep 25 at Trotwood-Madison (OH)
Oct 9 vs. Covington Catholic (KY)
Oct 16 vs. Archbishop Hoban (OH)

1 minute ago, Colonels_Wear_Blue said:

2026 Football Schedule
Aug 21 at Ben Davis (IN)
Aug 28 vs. Loyola Academy (IL)
Sep 4 at St. Xavier (OH)
Sep 11 at Bishop Chatard (IN)
Sep 18 at Southport (IN)
Sep 25 at Trotwood-Madison (OH)
Oct 9 vs. Covington Catholic (KY)
Oct 16 vs. Archbishop Hoban (OH)

I'll have to check back in on the Aug 28th & Oct 2nd games.

The football team page on Cathedral's athletics website shows them playing Loyola Academy (IL) on Aug 28, but last year they played Brownsburg (IN) during that week, and Brownsburg's football team page is currently showing a home game against Cathedral on Aug 28.

I'm not sure why they swapped out the Warren Central (IN) game for Archbishop Hoban (OH) on Oct 16, but Warren Central's schedule confirms that they are playing Jeffersonville (IN) that week instead of Cathedral. Maybe @Coach Preston will know a little more regarding what brought that schedule change about from last year to this.

I'm kind of assuming that Cathedral is still going to be playing Center Grove (IN) the week before they face Cov Cath, but it's not currently showing up on their schedule page and Center Grove hasn't put out anything for their 2026 schedule yet either.

So far I am learning that scheduling in Indiana does not seem to be nearly as controlled by the ruling body as in Kentucky. There are positives with that and negatives. No districts. Only conferences. Seems to lead to a very fluid format in who is playing who and for how many years etc. But keep in mind I have only been at Jeff for less than a month. So, I am learning as I go. 

On 2/26/2026 at 9:19 AM, Colonels_Wear_Blue said:

I'll have to check back in on the Aug 28th & Oct 2nd games.

The football team page on Cathedral's athletics website shows them playing Loyola Academy (IL) on Aug 28, but last year they played Brownsburg (IN) during that week, and Brownsburg's football team page is currently showing a home game against Cathedral on Aug 28.

I'm not sure why they swapped out the Warren Central (IN) game for Archbishop Hoban (OH) on Oct 16, but Warren Central's schedule confirms that they are playing Jeffersonville (IN) that week instead of Cathedral. Maybe @Coach Preston will know a little more regarding what brought that schedule change about from last year to this.

I'm kind of assuming that Cathedral is still going to be playing Center Grove (IN) the week before they face Cov Cath, but it's not currently showing up on their schedule page and Center Grove hasn't put out anything for their 2026 schedule yet either.

Brownsburg is no longer showing Cathedral on their 2026 schedule.

On 2/26/2026 at 9:04 AM, Colonels_Wear_Blue said:

2026 Football Schedule
Aug 21 at Ben Davis (IN)
Aug 28 vs. Loyola Academy (IL)
Sep 4 at St. Xavier (OH)
Sep 11 at Bishop Chatard (IN)
Sep 18 at Southport (IN)
Sep 25 at Trotwood-Madison (OH)
Oct 9 vs. Covington Catholic (KY)
Oct 16 vs. Archbishop Hoban (OH)

Looks like the Irish are stuck with an 8-game regular season this year, with only 3 in-state opponents on the schedule. Bummer for them.

Cathedral lost to Ben Davis (IN) 33-27 and Loyola Academy (IL) 33-19.

Cathedral beat Cincinnati St. Xavier 30-21.