No. 20 Hoosiers grind, graze, and gash: ground game, special teams and takeaways carry IU past Old Dominion
Final: Indiana 27, Old Dominion 14
Where: Memorial Stadium (Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium)
Record: Indiana 1–0
Indiana’s first Saturday out of the chute looked less like a fireworks show and more like a worksite—hard hats, heavy lifting, and a bulldozer of a run game that flattened the fourth quarter. With the ranked Hoosiers breaking in a new quarterback, a new feature backfield, and even a newly revived mascot (hello again, Hoosier the Bison), IU muscled past Old Dominion 27–14 to stamp a 9th straight home win under Curt Cignetti.
How the game was won
1) A two-pronged rushing stampede.
The identity arrived on schedule: line up, lean, and let the backs chew clock and chains. Maryland transfer Roman Hemby churned out 110 yards on 23 carries, setting the table with cut-and-go patience. Kaelon Black changed the gears with 92 yards on 17 totes and the game’s most physical finish for a score. By the end, Indiana had 309 rushing yards and a defense looking like it had been thudded by a herd of…well…bison.
The identity arrived on schedule: line up, lean, and let the backs chew clock and chains. Maryland transfer Roman Hemby churned out 110 yards on 23 carries, setting the table with cut-and-go patience. Kaelon Black changed the gears with 92 yards on 17 totes and the game’s most physical finish for a score. By the end, Indiana had 309 rushing yards and a defense looking like it had been thudded by a herd of…well…bison.
2) QB debut that passed every poise test.
New starter Fernando Mendoza played point guard at tempo: 18-of-31 for 193 yards, plus a 5-yard keeper that pushed IU ahead late in the first half. It wasn’t a stat-padding night—more a clinic in running the show, getting IU in the right looks, and avoiding the big mistake. When Old Dominion tilted numbers to the box, Mendoza answered with rhythm throws to move the sticks; when seams opened, he pulled and powered to paydirt.
New starter Fernando Mendoza played point guard at tempo: 18-of-31 for 193 yards, plus a 5-yard keeper that pushed IU ahead late in the first half. It wasn’t a stat-padding night—more a clinic in running the show, getting IU in the right looks, and avoiding the big mistake. When Old Dominion tilted numbers to the box, Mendoza answered with rhythm throws to move the sticks; when seams opened, he pulled and powered to paydirt.
3) The return that flipped the field (and mood).
With the first quarter wobbling after an ODU haymaker, Jonathan Brady blasted a 91-yard punt return to the house with nine ticks left in the period—a game-state changer that leveled the score and re-lit the building. Special teams often feel like the third rail of early-season games; IU grabbed it and surged.
With the first quarter wobbling after an ODU haymaker, Jonathan Brady blasted a 91-yard punt return to the house with nine ticks left in the period—a game-state changer that leveled the score and re-lit the building. Special teams often feel like the third rail of early-season games; IU grabbed it and surged.
4) Takeaways tame the upset math.
ODU QB Colton Joseph is a live wire in space—his 75-yard TD on the game’s first offensive snap and 78-yard burst in the fourth were legit track-meet moments. But Indiana’s back seven evened the ledger with three interceptions, including one by Louis Moore, who also posted a team-best seven tackles in his Hoosier debut. Explosives against, takeaways for—call it a draw in highlights, a win in hidden yards.
ODU QB Colton Joseph is a live wire in space—his 75-yard TD on the game’s first offensive snap and 78-yard burst in the fourth were legit track-meet moments. But Indiana’s back seven evened the ledger with three interceptions, including one by Louis Moore, who also posted a team-best seven tackles in his Hoosier debut. Explosives against, takeaways for—call it a draw in highlights, a win in hidden yards.
Game flow in four swings
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Shock start (ODU 7–0): Joseph’s keeper split the second level and stunned the crowd.
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Momentum reset (7–7): Brady’s sprint down the boundary on the punt return re-centered everything.
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Red-zone grind (IU 17–7 at half): The bison mentality took over as Mendoza’s keeper capped a clock-draining march, then the defense stacked stops.
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Closeout phase (IU 27–14 final): ODU’s late long TD narrowed things, but Indiana’s ground game and a suffocating final stretch on defense drained the upset oxygen.
Inside the numbers (and why they matter)
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309 rushing yards: That’s not just volume—it’s culture. It travels, it finishes halves, and it keeps the defense fresh.
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6 drives inside the ODU 10 → 20 points: A win and a warning. Indiana moved at will, but left meat on the bone with stalled goal-to-go chances. Clean those edges and this is a blowout.
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3 interceptions forced: Explosive plays happen in openers; stealing extra possessions erased them.
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9–0 at home under Cignetti: Memorial Stadium has become a real home-field horn.
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Special teams swing: The 91-yard punt return was a seven-point, seven-psi momentum pump.
What looked crisp
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OL strain and sustain: Double-teams climbed, backside cutoffs landed, and IU consistently created second-level lanes.
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Personnel usage: The Hemby/Black tandem gave distinct flavors; Mendoza’s keeper kept backside ends honest.
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Edge tackling after the first series: Indiana’s angles sharpened, limiting ODU’s option looks until the late long run.
What’s next to polish
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Red-zone sequencing: IU reached first-and-goal four separate times and didn’t maximize. Add a changeup (tempo snap, tight end leak, low red-zone perimeter touch) to punish loaded boxes.
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QB run ball security & snap timing: The design is right; the details can squeeze out another first down or two each trip.
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Contain discipline on mobile QBs: One misfit against an athlete equals six points. Expect that to be a point of emphasis on the practice script.
Debut of the (old) new mascot
Hoosier the Bison returned to game day and fit the identity: low pad level and a lot of forward progress. It’s more than a photo op—IU leaned into a blue-collar brand and played to it for four quarters.
Drive chart snapshot (high level)
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IU TDs: 91-yard PR (Brady); Mendoza 5-yard keeper; Black short plunge after a march; late field position cash-in to ice it.
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ODU TDs: QB keepers from distance (75, 78).
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Key IU field-position wins: Punt coverage and returns continually nudged starting spots toward midfield, letting the run game dictate.
Stock watch
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Trending up: OL room, Hemby/Black tandem, punt return unit, defensive takeaway rate.
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Steady: Mendoza’s command and intermediate accuracy.
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To monitor: Low red-zone play mix; explosive runs allowed vs. QB keep.
Why this win travels
Openers expose rough edges, but also reveal a backbone. Indiana’s run-first identity, special-teams juice, and takeaway teeth are bankable in Big Ten weather. The red-zone corrections are coachable; the line-of-scrimmage win rate is foundational.
Next up
Kennesaw State visits Bloomington. Think of it as a live rep laboratory for red-zone sequencing, perimeter touches, and pass-protection variety before the schedule climbs. If the bison keep grazing at 5–6 yards a pop and the defense continues to cash mistakes, Memorial Stadium’s home streak should keep rumbling.
Bottom line: It wasn’t flawless; it was Big Ten functional—a ground-and-pound personality, a special teams spark, and a defense that grabbed back possessions. For Week 1, that’s winning football… and exactly the kind of hide-thickening performance a top-20 Hoosier herd can build on.