BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – No. 20 Indiana kicked off the 2025 season with a 27-14 victory over Old Dominion on Saturday, leaning on a strong rushing attack, a game changing special teams play, and a defense that came up with turnovers when it needed them most.
Quarterback Fernando Mendoza, making his first start for the Hoosiers after transferring from Cal, showed poise in his debut. He threw for 193 yards on 18-of-31 passing and added a key 5 yard rushing score in the second quarter that gave Indiana control of the game.
The Hoosiers’ ground game carried the offense with 309 total rushing yards. Roman Hemby led the way with 110 yards on 23 carries, while Kaelon Black added 92 yards and a touchdown. Lee Beebe Jr. also chipped in with 73 yards, giving Indiana three backs over 70 yards on the afternoon.
Special teams provided a spark when Jonathan Brady delivered a 91 yard punt return touchdown, swinging the momentum after ODU’s fast start. Brady finished with 108 return yards on just three attempts.
Defensively, Indiana was tested by Old Dominion quarterback Colton Joseph, who broke loose for touchdown runs of 75 and 78 yards on his way to 179 rushing yards. Still, the Hoosiers forced three interceptions, including one from Louis Moore, who also led the team with seven tackles in his debut.
The Hoosiers moved to 9-0 at home under Curt Cignetti, though red-zone struggles with multiple empty trips inside the Monarchs’ 10 kept the margin from being wider.
Indiana now turns its attention to next week’s matchup against Kennesaw State, while Old Dominion heads home to face North Carolina Central.
Passing
| Player | C/ATT | YDS | AVG | TD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fernando Mendoza | 18/31 | 193 | 6.2 | 0 | 0 |
Rushing
| Player | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roman Hemby | 23 | 110 | 4.8 | 0 | 30 |
| Kaelon Black | 17 | 92 | 5.4 | 1 | 36 |
| Lee Beebe Jr. | 11 | 73 | 6.6 | 0 | 14 |
| Fernando Mendoza | 6 | 34 | 5.5 | 1 | 9 |
| Total | 57 | 309 | 5.4 | 2 | 36 |
Receiving
| Player | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omar Cooper Jr. | 2 | 52 | 26.0 | 0 | 46 |
| E.J. Williams Jr. | 5 | 45 | 9.0 | 0 | 22 |
| Elijah Sarratt | 3 | 44 | 14.7 | 0 | 22 |
| Riley Nowakowski | 2 | 15 | 7.5 | 0 | 9 |
| LeBron Bond | 1 | 12 | 12.0 | 0 | 12 |
| Roman Hemby | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 0 | 9 |
| Jonathan Brady | 2 | 8 | 4.0 | 0 | 4 |
| Holden Staes | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 0 | 4 |
| Charlie Becker | 1 | 4 | 4.0 | 0 | 4 |
| Total | 18 | 193 | 10.7 | 0 | 46 |
Defense
| Player | TOT | SOLO | SACKS | TFL | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louis Moore | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Aiden Fisher | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hosea Wheeler | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| D’Angelo Ponds | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Rolijah Hardy | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Isaiah Jones | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Team Total | 40 | 20 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
Special Teams
| Player | FG | XP | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nico Radicic | 2/3 (Long 25) | 3/3 | 9 |
| Player | Punts | AVG | LONG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mitch McCarthy | 1 | 47.0 | 47 |
| Quinn Warren | 1 | 38.0 | 38 |
| Player | Returns | YDS | AVG | LONG | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jonathan Brady (Punt) | 3 | 108 | 36.0 | 91 | 1 |
| Roman Hemby (Kick) | 1 | 28 | 28.0 | 28 | 0 |
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