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Aug 30, 2025; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti walks alongside the sideline through the first half towards the Previous Dominion Monarchs at Memorial Stadium. Necessary Credit score: Robert Goddin-Imagn Photographs Indiana enters Saturday afternoon’s go to from Kennesaw State with a 9-0 report at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington underneath second-year Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti.
Almost as widespread as Hoosier house victories over that span? Cignetti caveats that issues might need gone in another way.
The No. 23 Hoosiers (1-0) count on a problem from the Owls (0-1), to make certain. Kennesaw State misplaced 10-9 at Wake Forest in its season opener on Aug. 29, lacking an additional level and area objective however nonetheless hanging powerful with an influence convention foe.
Indiana dealt with Previous Dominion 27-14 a day later, though Cignetti bemoaned missed alternatives to widen the hole, particularly a dropped landing go, overthrown TD go and fumble within the pink zone.
“Final yr we led the nation in red-area landing share,” Cignetti stated of his group, which really was No. 2 at 79.7 % (Navy was first at 81). “However we have to get higher. Would not matter what you probably did prior to now. Gotta get higher now. In order that’s that.”
Another memorable journey contained in the Previous Dominion 20-yard line ended with Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza scoring on a 5-yard landing run and a 17-7 lead with 3:36 left within the second quarter.
A Cal switch, Mendoza completed 18 of 31 for 193 yards whereas including 33 yards on the bottom in his Indiana debut.
Cignetti’s evaluation of Mendoza sounded acquainted — inspired however removed from glad.
“The emphasis with him has been on his processing and determination making,” Cignetti. “And also you grade the quarterback primarily based on his determination making and accuracy — has he gone by way of the proper reads, throwing the ball to the proper man and precisely. He is made progress since he is been right here, however he is nonetheless received to get higher.”
Indiana’s multi-pronged speeding assault stored rolling to an output of 309 yards vs. Previous Dominion. Roman Hemby carried 23 instances for 111 yards, Kaelon Black rushed 17 instances for 92 yards and a rating, and Lee Beebe Jr. added 73 yards on 11 carries.
Kennesaw State restricted Wake Forest to 130 yards on the bottom on 47 carries, a mean of two.8 yards per rush. The Owls produced 4 sacks and 7 tackles for loss, with Baron Hopson pacing the unit with 11 tackles.
Coach Jerry Mack referred to as the Owls’ passing sport “very subpar.” Georgia Southern switch Dexter Williams II, who started his collegiate profession at Indiana, was simply 12-for-33 for 149 yards in his program debut. He added 44 speeding yards to enhance Coleman Bennett, who ran 17 instances for 66 yards and a TD.
Mack is stressing composure and fundamentals as Kennesaw State prepares to go to a School Soccer Playoff participant from final season. The Owls channeled each for lengthy stretches at Wake Forest however in the end have been unable to prevail.
“Simply as straightforward as we may have gained the sport, simply with a few small particulars, we did not win the sport, simply due to these small particulars,” Mack stated. “So, these issues received addressed, and I feel that the group, they noticed just a little glimpse of what could possibly be if we simply return to work and work just a little bit tougher and put together just a little bit higher.”
Saturday will mark the primary assembly between the Hoosiers and Owls.
–Subject Degree Media
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