Coming off a perfect 16-0 season and National Championship, Year 3 of the Curt Cignetti era in Bloomington is off to a roaring start. Indiana took on North Texas in Week, winning big by a score of 52-16. It was the biggest victory in a season opener for Indiana under Cignetti, and the Hoosiers' strong showing has IU fans excited for the rest of the season.
Throughout the course of the game, five big winners and a couple of losers became clear:
Winners
1. Josh Hoover
The Hoosiers had multiple players put forth impressive performances in Week 1, but none were more exciting than Josh Hoover's. Indiana's new signal-caller was as advertised (and maybe even better), as he completed 13 of his 16 pass attempts for 231 yards and 4 touchdowns. Over the past two season openers, both Kurtis Rourke and Fernando Mendoza threw just one touchdown pass in their respective Week 1's. Hoover's 4-touchdown performance, as well as his elite toughness and tenacity, are already making him a fan favorite in Bloomington. The sky is the limit for Hoover at Indiana this season.
2. Kick returns
Indiana had some excellent kick returns in Week 1, which gave the offense a short field to work with on multiple occasions. Lee Beebe Jr. returned the opening kickoff 67 yards, and the Hoosier offense was able to score a touchdown three plays later. The first two minutes of the new season couldn't have gone any better. Later in the game, Turbo Richard reeled off a 41-yard return, which also gave the Hoosiers great field position. In total, Beebe and Richard returned four kicks for a total of 131 yards. If they can maintain that level of production, the kick returning department could become a major advantage for Indiana this season.
3. Jaylen Bell
Both of Indiana's starting cornerbacks, Jamari Sharpe and A.J. Harris, went down with injuries early in the game and would not return. That opened the door for Jaylen Bell, who made the most of his opportunity. Bell played in 55 of Indiana's 71 defensive snaps on the day, and collected 4.0 tackles (3 solo). The second-year DB out of Union, N.J. showed he was up to the task, and performed well when his name was called. Sharpe and Harris aren't expected to be out for long, and could even return in Week 2 against Howard. But having a player like Bell adds valuable depth to the Hoosier defensive backfield.
4. Ryland Gandy
The other conrerback that stepped up on Saturday was Ryland Gandy. Gandy is a name Hoosier fans know well, as he is a fifth-year senior and appeared in all 16 games of Indiana's title-winning season last year. He's mostly been a rotational piece, and entered the 2026 campaign as a backup. With Sharpe and Harris both out, Gandy stepped up and finished fourth on the team with 6.0 tackles (3 solo) on the afternoon. He was also great in coverage, and his experience appeared to serve him well.
5. Nick Marsh
Michigan State transfer WR Nick Marsh wasted no time making an electric first impression with his new team. On Indiana's third play from scrimmage, Marsh brought down a highlight-reel catch from 15 yards out. His one-handed grab sent Memorial Stadium into a frenzy, and showed Hoosier fans just how elite his skill set is. Playing alongside Charlie Becker, who had 4 catches for 64 yards and 2 touchdowns, Marsh is primed for a monster season.
Losers
1. The defense
The Indiana defense didn't necessarily have a brutal outing, but it sure wasn't great. Indiana failed to put much pressure on North Texas Tayven Jackson, and generated just one sack on the day. For a veteran defensive front that returns all five of its top sack-leaders from last season, that was a bit surprising to see. The Hoosiers also missed 13 tackles, which is double their average per game from last season. In the end, Indiana was out-gained 367-365. To put that in perspective, the Hoosiers were out-gained just once last season, which came in the Peach Bowl against Oregon––a game IU won 56-22. Nobody is pressing the panic button, but there is definitely work to do on the defensive side of the ball.
2. Anyone who expected the Indiana offense to struggle without Fernando Mendoza
Heading into the season, many naysayers expected the Indiana offense to take a big step back in the post-Fernando Mendoza era. It's only one game, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Indiana put up 52 points despite only having the ball for 22:38 in the season opener. The offense was extremely efficient, made several big plays, and converted on its scoring chances. Hoover was on point all game long, and UNT was able to provide much of any resistance. Moving forward, the Hoosier offense seems to be in line for anoteher big season.
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