North Texas rolled into Bloomington with a roster built almost entirely from scratch, and Indiana greeted the Mean Green with a champion’s answer.
The Hoosiers, fresh off raising their 2025 National Championship banner, turned their season opener into a one-sided 52-16 win on Saturday and stretched their FBS-best winning streak to 17 games. For a North Texas team that brought in 70 newcomers after losing nearly all of its production from a 12-2 season, the assignment was brutal from the start.
Indiana needed only nine possessions to pile up seven touchdowns and a field goal, and Josh Hoover wasted little time settling in at quarterback. The TCU transfer, stepping in for Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, finished 13 of 16 for 231 yards, with four touchdown passes and just three incompletions. Charlie Becker was his favorite target, posting a team-high 64 receiving yards and two scores as Curt Cignetti’s team opened with a third straight season-opening victory.
North Texas had its own transfer quarterback making a debut, and Tayven Jackson made it a homecoming of sorts. The Greenwood, Indiana native, who had previously spent two seasons at Indiana and made six starts there before taking over as UCF’s primary starter in 2025, went 22 of 28 for 192 yards. He briefly left with a lower-body injury, allowing East Carolina transfer Chaston Ditta to step in, but Jackson returned and finished the game.
The Mean Green also got a first look at running back Jahiem White, back with Coach Neal Brown after two 800-yard seasons at West Virginia and a season-ending injury two games into 2025. White’s first game action in 364 days gave North Texas a spark. He led the team with 61 rushing yards, caught seven passes, and scored the Mean Green’s only touchdown in the second quarter.
Even in defeat, North Texas moved the ball. The Mean Green actually out-gained Indiana 367-365 and didn’t turn it over until about two minutes remained.
They had just one three-and-out and put together drives of six or more plays and at least 38 yards on each of their first seven possessions. But too many of those trips bogged down once they neared scoring range, leaving Appalachian State transfer kicker Dominic De Freitas to do most of the work.
He went 3-for-4 and accounted for much of North Texas’ point total.
Indiana made life harder in the hidden yardage battle, too. Kickoff returns of 67 and 41 yards and a 36-yard punt return repeatedly handed the Hoosiers short fields, and their average starting spot ended up at their own 47-yard line. That kind of field position made a lopsided game even more comfortable.
For Indiana, the result fit the pattern. The Hoosiers are now 1-0 and have won 10 games by 34 points or more during their current streak.
For North Texas, now 0-1, the opener marked its first non-conference loss since the 2024 First Responder Bowl. And with UNLV and Texas State still ahead, the Mean Green are staring at a tough road right out of the gate.
In Other News...
Indiana Backfield Suddenly Faces An Early Concern Fans Didn't Expect
Indianas season opener against North Texas did not even make it through the first quarter before the backfield picture got a lot murkier. Khobie Martin, who was expected to be a key part of the Hoosiers running back rotation this fall, left with an upper body injury and did not return, an abrupt development for a player the staff likely counted on to help steady the run game.
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
A.J. Harris first start at cornerback for Indiana did not last long Saturday against North Texas. Harris exited late in the first quarter with a knee injury, and Rylan Gandy took his place on the field as the Hoosiers tried to settle in on the back end.
The timing only adds to the concern for Indiana, which had already seen Harris miss part of fall camp with a knee issue. He was later spotted limping after leaving the game, leaving the Hoosiers with an early test in a position battle that suddenly looks a lot more precarious than it did a week ago. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Just Landed A Huge Recruiting Chance In The Paint
Indianas frontcourt recruiting board got a major boost with the news that five-star center Darius Wabbington is set for an official visit to Assembly Hall. The top-ranked big man in the 2027 class brings the kind of profile that turns a visit into a statement: size, shooting touch and defensive presence all rolled into one, exactly the sort of blend high-major programs spend years trying to find.
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 🡒]