Indiana Overcomes Slow Start, Beats Old Dominion in Season Opener

No. 20 Indiana overcame a slow start to win its season opener 27-14 over Old Dominion on Saturday at Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium.

The Hoosiers didn’t trail until Week 10 last season. They fell behind 11 seconds into the 2025 campaign.

Old Dominion redshirt sophomore quarterback Colton Joseph kept a read option, and while Indiana’s defense pursued the running back Joseph sprinted 75 yards to the end zone on the first play from scrimmage.

Indiana’s offense started marginally better than the defense. The Hoosiers marched downfield, but their 11-play, 69-yard drive ended with four consecutive goal line stops by Old Dominion. Three rushing plays — two inside, one outside — were stuffed, and redshirt junior quarterback Fernando Mendoza’s pass to senior tight end Riley Nowakowski was broken up.

The Hoosiers’ second offensive possession ended suddenly, as redshirt junior running back Lee Beebe Jr. fumbled his first carry in the cream-and-crimson at the Old Dominion 26-yard line. It squashed a promising seven-play, 65-yard drive, and kept the Monarchs’ lead at 7-0.

Jonathan Brady gave Indiana its first injection of life.

Brady, a senior transfer from Cal, stood on his own 10-yard line and let Old Dominion’s punt bounce in front of him. He picked up the ball, darted to his right, cut upfield and didn’t stop until he crossed the goal line 91 yards later.

Indiana’s defense put the offense back on the field five plays later. Junior safety Amare Ferrell intercepted Joseph’s pass, which was thrown behind his intended target. A penalty for an illegal block negated Ferrell’s 31-yard return, and Indiana took over at its own 45-yard line.

The Hoosiers took the lead for the first time with 10:03 remaining in the second quarter, as redshirt sophomore kicker Nico Radicic knocked down a 22-yard field goal from the left hash — but only after another goal line stand from Old Dominion.

Defensively, Indiana settled in following Joseph’s 75-yard touchdown. The Hoosiers didn’t allow a point for the remainder of the first half, and senior safety Louis Moore intercepted Joseph to set up Indiana’s first offensive touchdown.

Mendoza kept a read option and ran around the left end for a five-yard touchdown. The Hoosiers covered 50 yards on 13 plays in a two-minute drill to end the half, but senior kicker Brendan Franke — a kickoff specialist whose only other field goal attempt came in 2022 at Nebraska — watched as his 52-yard attempt hit the crossbar. 

Indiana entered halftime leading 17-7.

The Hoosiers opened the second half with an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive, capped by a two-yard rush from senior running back Kaelon Black.

Then Indiana’s red zone issues returned. It settled for a 25-yard field goal from Radicic the next possession, and the Hoosiers had a turnover on downs at Old Dominion’s 8-yard line the following series.

After Indiana scored 27 unanswered points, the Monarchs punched back midway through the fourth quarter. Much like he did on Old Dominion’s first play, Joseph kept a read option and barely won a footrace with Indiana cornerback D’Angelo Ponds for a 78-yard rushing touchdown.

But the Monarchs never touched the ball again. The Hoosiers drained the remainder of the clock on their final possession to seal a 27-14 victory.

Indiana returns to action at noon Sept. 6 against Kennesaw State on Merchants Bank Field inside Memorial Stadium.