College football is back in Bloomington, and the No. 20 Indiana Hoosiers (0-0) kick off their 2025 campaign with a Week 1 matchup against the Old Dominion Monarchs (0-0) on Saturday, August 30. Indiana’s 2024 ride to the College Football Playoff was historic. Curt Cignetti’s first year at the helm delivered an 11-2 regular season, one of the nation’s top offenses, and a first round CFP appearance. But with 2025 here, all of that belongs to the past.
Game Information & Odds
- Matchup: Indiana Hoosiers vs. Old Dominion Monarchs
- When: Saturday, August 30, 2025, at 2:30 p.m. ET
- Where: Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, IN
- TV: FS1
- Line: Indiana -23.5 | O/U: 53.5
Series History
This will be the first-ever meeting between Indiana and Old Dominion. ODU’s all-time record at the FBS level sits at 97-86, with two bowl wins in three appearances.
Offensive Fireworks
IU lit up the scoreboard last season, averaging 41.3 points per game (2nd nationally). Plenty of firepower returns in 2025 with Elijah Sarratt, Omar Cooper, and left tackle Carter Smith anchoring the offense. Additions like quarterback Fernando Mendoza, running backs Roman Hemby and Lee Beebe, plus transfers like Pat Coogan at center give Mike Shanahan’s unit no shortage of playmakers.
CBS Sports even pegged Mendoza as the projected No. 1 overall pick in their last preseason mock draft. That’s lofty hype, but now it’s about proving it on the field. Expect Indiana to test an ODU secondary that returns only one starter.
Containing Dual Threat QB Colton Joseph
ODU’s best weapon is sophomore quarterback Colton Joseph. As a freshman he passed for 1,627 yards and 11 TDs while rushing for 647 yards and another 11 scores. He had monster rushing performances (158 vs. Marshall, 111 vs. Georgia Southern) and is dangerous when plays break down.
The good news for IU? Last season, they were elite against mobile QBs. The Hoosiers kept Riley Leonard, Aidan Chiles, and Demond Williams all in check. Defensive coordinator Bryant Haines may use a spy or trust the front seven to keep Joseph bottled up, but stopping his legs is the No. 1 key to shutting down ODU’s offense.
The New Hoosiers
“Hoosier the Bison” debuts as IU’s new mascot, but the bigger story is the wave of new contributors. On offense, Mendoza, Hemby, Beebe, Staes, and Coogan headline a retooled unit. On defense, newcomers like Kellan Wyatt, Hosea Wheeler, and Amariyun Knighten will see major snaps.
Special teams also gets an upgrade with punter Mitch McCarthy arriving from UCF. How quickly these pieces gel will be crucial not just for Week 1, but for a playoff-hungry season.
Scouting the Monarchs
- Head Coach: Ricky Rahne (6th year, 20-30 record)
- 2024 Record: 5-7 (4-4 Sun Belt)
Quarterback: Colton Joseph is the face of the team. He is a dual threat who accounted for 2,274 total yards and 22 TDs last season. He earned Sun Belt honorable mention honors and is considered a breakout candidate in 2025.
Defense: The linebackers are the strength, led by Jason Henderson (potential All-American) and Koa Naotala (leading tackler, preseason All-Sun Belt). The secondary, however, is almost entirely new. This will be a glaring weakness against IU’s deep WR corps.
Turnovers: ODU coughed up the ball 32 times last season and finished with a -0.3 turnover margin (80th nationally). Against an opportunistic IU defense that ranked top 10 in turnover margin, that could be a deciding factor.
Final Thoughts
This is a dangerous opener for Indiana. Not because Old Dominion is more talented, but because Week 1 is where mistakes pile up. The Monarchs have the QB and linebackers to cause headaches if IU starts slow.
The Hoosiers face one of the toughest schedules in the country, meaning a strong start is non-negotiable. Old Dominion isn’t a pushover. They nearly stunned South Carolina in last year’s opener, and they’d love nothing more than to spoil IU’s home debut in front of a packed Memorial Stadium.
The Hoosiers’ talent edge is overwhelming. If the offensive line protects Mendoza and the defense limits Joseph’s rushing, IU should pull away and start the season with a win in Bloomington.
Prediction: Indiana has too much firepower on both sides of the ball for Old Dominion to keep up. Fernando Mendoza and the Hoosiers’ offense will light up the scoreboard, while Bryant Haines’ defense keeps Colton Joseph largely contained. IU cruises in front of the home crowd with a dominant 41-10 victory to open the 2025 season.
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