Josh Hoover wasted no time making a statement in his Indiana debut, and the No. 6 Hoosiers spent the afternoon pulling away from North Texas for a 52-16 win to open the season Saturday in Bloomington, Ind.
The fifth-year transfer from TCU finished with 231 passing yards and four touchdowns, going 13 of 16 in a sharp, efficient performance. He did it while dealing with a cut on his nose in the second quarter that left blood running down his face and chin strap, and he did it on a day when the turf reportedly hit 155 degrees, according to Fox Sports.
Indiana’s offense was surgical from the start, and Hoover’s first touchdown came on just his second throw. On third-and-5 from the North Texas 15, he put a back-shoulder ball toward Nick Marsh, the Michigan State transfer, who secured it with his right hand as he fell to the turf. The officials initially ruled it incomplete, but the call was overturned, and Indiana was on top 7-0 only 84 seconds into the season.
North Texas tried to slow things down and did it well enough to control the ball for 7:44 on one drive, but that possession ended with a turnover on downs at the Indiana 38. The Hoosiers then settled into a more deliberate rhythm of their own and kept cashing in. Richard, the Boston College transfer, finished a 10-play march with a 2-yard touchdown run to make it 14-0 with 13 seconds left in the first quarter.
The Mean Green answered with a 47-yard field goal from Dominic De Freitas after another long drive of 5:25, but Indiana quickly restored control. Hoover capped a 51-yard series with a high slant to Becker, who climbed over the defender for a 9-yard touchdown and a 21-3 lead with 6:46 left before halftime.
North Texas actually held the edge in total yardage, 173-153, and time of possession, 19:22 to 10:38, at the break, but Indiana still went to the locker room with a 24-6 lead.
The Mean Green opened the second half with some life, cutting the margin to 24-13 when Jahiem White broke tackles for a 9-yard touchdown run. Indiana answered almost immediately. Hoover attacked man-to-man coverage and found Becker down the right sideline for a 35-yard touchdown, pushing the lead to 31-13 at the 9:56 mark of the third quarter.
De Freitas added his third field goal for North Texas, but Hoover kept rolling. He went deep over the middle to Davion Chandler for a 42-yard touchdown that made it 38-16 with 12:51 remaining. Richard added a 1-yard touchdown run with 5:41 to go, and backup quarterback Grant Wilson closed things out with a 43-yard scoring sprint.
North Texas quarterback Tayven Jackson, who started six games for Indiana in 2023-24, completed 22 of 28 passes for 192 yards and one interception in Neal Brown’s debut as the Mean Green’s head coach. White also contributed 61 rushing yards for Indiana and caught seven passes.
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Martin never got a carry before exiting, which only adds to the concern because Indiana was looking for early signs of how its rotation would come together. When a projected contributor is forced out that quickly, it puts immediate pressure on the rest of the depth chart and leaves the Hoosiers waiting for a clearer update on how long they may have to manage without him. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana's Cornerback Battle Just Took A Brutal Week 1 Turn
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Indiana Just Landed A Huge Recruiting Chance In The Paint
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For Indiana, the timing makes this more than a routine stop on the recruiting trail. Wabbingtons visit gives the Hoosiers a real chance to sell both their vision and their fit in the paint, even as other major programs continue to push for his attention. In a crowded race for an elite center, simply getting him on campus is a meaningful step, and one Indiana will be eager to turn into more. [Read more 🡒]