Hoosiers Route Kennesaw State to Move to 2-0

Saturday, September 6

Bloomington, Ind.

Noon

Indiana University

2-0 , 0-0

Kennesaw State

0-2 , 0-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Kennesaw St.

Indiana

9/6/2025 3:20:00 PM | Football

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By Pete DiPrimio
IUHoosiers.com

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Omar Cooper Jr. ran. Boy, did the Indiana receiver run, around the end, down the sideline, avoiding tacklers and the sideline along the way en route to making Hoosier receiver history.

His 75-yard touchdown run highlighted a second-half IU onslaught that delivered a 56-9 victory over Kennesaw State (0-2) Saturday afternoon at Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium. The No. 23/21 Hoosiers (2-0) had 593 total yards.

"It was a good day," head coach Curt Cignetti said. "We made the improvement we needed to make. We were far from perfect, but we took a step forward, a step we needed."

It was Cooper Jr.'s longest career run (his previous best was 16 against Michigan State last year) and tied Shane Wynn's program record for longest touchdown run by a receiver.

"We had some good blocks," Cooper Jr. said. "The O-line did well. (Receiver Elijah Sarratt) secured the defensive end. Both of our tight ends -- Holden Staes and Riley Nowakowski -- blocked down field. I appreciate them. They helped me get the job done."

As far as negotiating the sidelines and nearly getting caught by the defense before the goal line, Cooper Jr. added, "I tried to save as much space as I could so I wouldn't go out. I got tired at the end. I have to get better at that."

The Hoosiers ran for 313 yards, their second-straight 300-yard rushing effort. Lee Beebe Jr. led with 90 yards and a touchdown.

"All those guys are capable," Cignetti said. "It started up front with the line and the tight ends and receivers. They run hard and broke tackles."

Quarterback Fernando Mendoza threw. Boy, did he throw, for four touchdowns and 245 yards while completing 18-of 25 attempts. A couple of dropped passes prevented it from being an even bigger day in a major improvement from his Old Dominion Hoosier debut.

"I'm getting closer," Mendoza said. "Sometimes I get a little too excited, especially against Old Dominion. I wanted to have that perfect game, that perfect debut and show Hoosier fans what I have.

"I had to go back to the fundamentals. It's what Coach Cignetti always preaches, one play at a time, play like it's 0-0. Anybody who follows that process sees success.

"I still left opportunities on the table. We have to keep working to get closer to take the standard to the next level and keep this momentum going."

Sarratt caught nine of those passes -- on 19 targets -- for 97 yards and three touchdowns. Against Old Dominion, he had just three catches on five targets for 44 yards.

"He was fantastic," Mendoza said. "I didn't target him enough the other day. I think I did today. I still have to throw the ball around."

Added Cignetti: "I was glad to see him get going. He didn't have a lot of catches in the first game. I was glad to see to see him bust out."

IU's three third-quarter touchdowns in a six-minute burst to highlight a 35-0 second-half run sealed the victory.

"I like the way the guys kept playing," Cignetti said. "It was one play at a time. It was great to see. The last time we waxed somebody was Purdue (a 66-0 victory last November). It was good to get back to that."

While the defense again gave up some big plays, it had 14 tackles for loss, an interception and a forced fumble and recovery while only allowing 271 yards and 10 first downs.

"We still have a lot of things we need to clean up, especially myself with tackling," linebacker Aiden Fisher said. "We took more advantage of opportunities when we had them to end up with the result we got.

"We wanted to be aggressive. This defense is built on tackles for loss and explosive plays. It's jelling together, playing better, playing faster, more physical, and getting vertical in gaps than we did in Week 1."

Added defensive lineman Kellan Wyatt, who had a team-leading nine tackles with 2.5 for loss: "We played well, but we still have a lot of things to clean up.

"We had more penetration. We made more plays in the backfield. You make one, and it snowballs. You want to make another one.

"We wanted to finish the fourth quarter. I think we did."

*****

Nowakowski's 1-yard touchdown run gave IU a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarterback. It was set up by Mendoza passes of 13 and six yards to Sarratt, and 40 yards to Cooper Jr.

A blocked punt by defensive back Clay Connor gave IU the ball at midfield. The Hoosiers capitalized with Mendoza's 9-yard TD pass to Sarratt for a 14-0 lead late in the first quarter.

After a Kennesaw State field goal, Mendoza threw and Beebe Jr. ran the Hoosiers to a touchdown and a 21-3 late-second-quarter lead. Beebe scored on an 11-yard run.

The Owls added a field goal for a 21-6 halftime score. Mendoza threw for 144 yards and a touchdown. Beebe had 62 rushing yards and a TD. Sarratt had six catches for 70 yards and a touchdown.

Kennesaw State got another field goal to cut the lead to 21-9 early in the third quarter. IU countered with Mendoza's 3-yard touchdown pass to Sarratt for a 28-9 score midway through the third quarter.

Defensive back Jamari Sharpe forced and recovered a fumble. Cooper Jr. ran 75 yards for a touchdown on the next play for a 35-9 third-quarter lead.

Defensive back Louis Moore's second interception of the season set up Mendoza's 20-yard touchdown pass to Sarratt and a 42-9 score. He added an eight-yard scoring throw to E.J. Williams Jr. before he was taken out of the game and backup quarterback Alberto Mendoza ended the scoring with a six-yard touchdown throw to Charlie Becker.

The strong finish, Cignetti said, didn't offer relief.

"I'm never relieved on the field. You have to keep the pedal to the metal. You either improve or get worse. If you play to the circumstances of the game, you're getting worse. Play the next play at your very best. Those are habits you have to have."