BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Josh Hoover's first pass as Indiana's starting quarterback went for a touchdown. The rest of the afternoon looked a lot like the version Fort Worth saw for four seasons at TCU - quick answers, downfield shots and a box score that piled up before the defense could settle.
Hoover completed 13 of 16 passes for 231 yards and four touchdowns with no turnovers in No. 6 Indiana's 52-16 season-opening win over North Texas, The Associated Press reported. The 15-yard strike to Nick Marsh on his first attempt set the tone.
Charlie Becker caught two scoring passes, including a 35-yarder early in the third, and Davion Chandler added a 42-yard touchdown reception in the fourth.
From Amon G. Carter to the defending champs
Hoover transferred from TCU to Indiana in January after Fernando Mendoza left for the NFL draft, ESPN's Pete Thamel reported at the time. He set a TCU single-season passing record with 3,949 yards in 2024 and entered 2026 among the national leaders in career passing yards among returners. Curt Cignetti named him the starter ahead of fall camp, with Grant Wilson listed as the backup.
Saturday was the first public test of that portal bet. Hoover played through a bloodied face mask, finished without a turnover and heard Cignetti praise his confidence after a strong fall camp. Turbo Richard, a Boston College transfer, added two short rushing touchdowns. Indiana celebrated last year's national title in a pregame ceremony, then extended its winning streak to 17 games.
Rockwall High product or not, the Fort Worth chapter of Hoover's career is now tape Indiana can study against Big Ten fronts. The Horned Frogs are on a different calendar after their Dublin opener, but Saturday offered a clear reminder of the arm that once stacked yards at Amon G. Carter Stadium.
