No. 4 Indiana didn’t exactly burst out of the gate Saturday, but once the Hoosiers settled in, Western Kentucky had no answer. Indiana blanked the Hilltoppers 38-0 at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington to move to 3-0 and finish undefeated in nonconference play.
The opening minutes were clunky. Indiana’s first drive stalled at the Western Kentucky 36-yard line, and redshirt senior kicker Paddy McAteer missed a 54-yard field goal.
That left the door open for a long Hilltoppers possession that chewed up nearly seven minutes and ended with Western Kentucky facing fourth down at the goal line. Redshirt junior defensive lineman Chiddi Obiazor and redshirt senior defensive lineman Tyrique Tucker shut that down, keeping the game scoreless after one quarter.
That scoreless opening carried a bit of historical weight, too. It was the first time Indiana didn’t score in the first quarter of a home game since Sept. 28, 2024, against Maryland.
From there, the Hoosiers’ offense found its rhythm. Starting at its own two-yard line, redshirt senior quarterback Josh Hoover led a 98-yard touchdown drive that featured a sharp sideline throw to junior wide receiver Charlie Becker and a 25-yard catch-and-run from junior wide receiver Nick Marsh. Hoover finished the march with a fourth-down strike to sophomore wide receiver Davion Chandler, who turned his fourth career catch into his fourth career touchdown for a 7-0 lead early in the second quarter.
Indiana’s defense kept applying pressure, with junior defensive lineman Mario Landino and redshirt senior defensive lineman Josh Burnham helping force another stop. The Hoosiers moved the ball again, and Marsh picked up two first downs while redshirt senior wide receiver Tyler Morris added another reception. But Hoover missed on back-to-back throws to redshirt senior wide receiver Shazz Preston and Marsh, and Indiana came away empty on downs before reaching the red zone.
Western Kentucky kept moving the ball, but the Hoosiers repeatedly slammed the door on fourth down. Redshirt senior linebacker Isaiah Jones stopped redshirt senior running back Ajay Allen on a fourth-and-1, and later Jones came up with a third-down interception off redshirt junior quarterback Brock Glenn and returned it to the Western Kentucky three-yard line. That set up a rushing touchdown for redshirt senior running back Lee Beebe Jr., sending Indiana into halftime up 14-0.
Indiana added to the margin quickly after the break. Hoover hit Becker for 18 yards on the opening possession of the second half, and after junior running back Turbo Richard ripped off a 31-yard gain, McAteer knocked through a 21-yard field goal when Morris couldn’t secure a contested end-zone catch on third down.
The defense kept squeezing Western Kentucky, too. Sophomore safety Byron Baldwin Jr. broke up a pass on the next Hilltoppers series, and junior defensive lineman Daniel Ndukwe chased Glenn into a throwaway to force a three-and-out.
Then Indiana hit the knockout blow. Starting from its own 21-yard line on its seventh drive, the Hoosiers needed just one snap to score. Hoover found Becker deep, and Becker sprinted 79 yards to the end zone for his sixth receiving touchdown in just three games.
Beebe and Richard each added another touchdown as Indiana finished the job at 38-0.
Hoover completed 75% of his passes and threw for 273 yards and two touchdowns despite some misses along the way. Marsh led the team with seven catches, but Becker was the star in the box score with 127 yards. On the ground, Beebe and Richard combined for 199 yards as Indiana controlled the line of scrimmage and cruised past the Hilltoppers.
In Other News...
Curt Cignetti Sends A Clear Message As Indianas Winning Streak Grows
After Indianas 38-0 win over Western Kentucky, Curt Cignetti spent much of his media session pointing back to the details that keep a streak like this alive. He highlighted a goal-line stand, the defenses steady improvement over the course of the season, and an offense that kept the pressure on by throwing effectively on first down. He also made clear that player health remains part of the equation as the Hoosiers move deeper into the schedule.
Cignettis broader message was about continuity, not celebration. Indiana is now riding a 19-game winning streak, but the coach framed it as the product of weekly preparation and attention to the little things rather than anything symbolic. With more games ahead, the challenge becomes keeping that edge while carrying the confidence that has built around a team that continues to stack wins without looking satisfied. [Read more 🡒]
Curt Cignetti Sent Nick Marsh A Message Indiana Fans Noticed
Nick Marshs return to the starting lineup came with a season-best showing, and Indiana had every reason to like what it saw in the 38-0 win over Western Kentucky. The Michigan State transfer finished with seven catches for 81 yards, a productive response after being benched for the first series the previous week. He has been working with Curt Cignetti on his practice standards and his on-field discipline, two areas the staff clearly wanted to clean up as the Hoosiers settle into the season.
Cignettis handling of Marsh was noticeable to Indiana fans because it suggested a message had been delivered and received, even if the full story around the receivers role is still unfolding. For a team looking to get more consistency from its passing game, Marshs performance offered a useful sign that the correction may be taking hold, but the bigger question is whether this turns into the kind of steady, week-to-week trust the Hoosiers need from him. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Fans Just Got Two Big Reasons To Eye Purdue
Indiana football kept rolling with a 38-0 win over Western Kentucky, finishing back-to-back shutouts and giving the Hoosiers another reminder that the program is carrying real momentum. Even as that result settled in, the attention around Bloomington kept drifting toward the sport that drives so much of the local conversation, especially with the Big Ten now laying out the 2026-27 mens and womens conference schedules and setting the stage for some of the league matchups fans will circle early.
The basketball side has had its own steady stream of news, too, with Indiana landing a commitment from 2027 recruit Felix Kiehlneker while two publications pegged the Hoosiers seventh in the Big Ten for the coming season. Put together, it is the kind of week that gives Indiana fans plenty to track, and plenty of reason to keep one eye on Purdue, whether it is about futures, projections or the next set of games that shape the rivalry picture. [Read more 🡒]