Indiana wasted no time putting North Texas on its heels and never really let up in a 52-16 win at Memorial Stadium in front of 54,493 fans.
The day started with a spark from Lee Beebe Jr., whose 67-yard kickoff return immediately flipped the field and gave the Hoosiers a short path to the end zone. Three plays later, Josh Hoover delivered the first touchdown of the season when he connected with Nick Marsh, who came down with a one-handed grab. Nico Radicic added the extra point, and Indiana was up 7-0 just 1:24 into the game.
North Texas managed to get on the board at the 9:48 mark of the second quarter, trimming the margin to 14-3, but Indiana answered with another burst of momentum on special teams. Turbo Richard’s kickoff return set the Hoosiers up at their own 49, and the drive turned physical quickly.
On the third play, Hoover was sacked for a loss, but Udoka Ezeani was flagged for a facemask after ripping Hoover’s helmet off. The hit left Hoover bleeding from the nose, with blood on his face and chin strap, but he stayed in and finished the drive by finding Charlie Becker for a nine-yard touchdown that made it 21-3 with 6:49 left in the third quarter.
North Texas tried to swing the game back after halftime, putting together a six-play, 75-yard scoring drive to cut the deficit to 24-13 with 11:40 left in the third. Indiana’s response was immediate. Starting from its own 39, the Hoosiers moved quickly, and on the fourth play Hoover hit Becker again, this time on a 35-yard touchdown that stretched the lead to 31-13 with 9:56 left in the quarter.
The knockout punch came early in the fourth. Indiana put together a seven-play drive, and Hoover capped it with his fourth touchdown pass of the afternoon, a 42-yard strike to Davion Chandler that pushed the score to 38-16 with 12:55 remaining. By then, Hoover had already put together a sharp first start at IU, finishing 13-for-16 for 231 yards and four touchdowns.
Becker was a major part of the passing attack, finishing with four catches for 64 yards and two scores. Marsh and Chandler each added receiving touchdowns, while Richard handled much of the work on the ground with 15 carries for 58 yards and two touchdowns. Beebe Jr. added 14 carries for 33 yards, and Indiana finished with 365 total yards.
Defensively, Isaiah Jones led the way with 12 tackles, eight of them solo. Tobi Osunsanmi added two tackles for loss.
Indiana’s next game comes Saturday, September 12, when Howard visits Memorial Stadium. The Bison beat Alabama A&M 31-24 on August 29 and play Richmond tonight in Washington, D.C. Kickoff is set for noon ET on BTN.
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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 🡒]