BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana beat Northwestern by a final score of 29-23 on Saturday night at Memorial Stadium.
Below are three quick reasons why the Hoosiers won, along with highlights and final stats.
Indiana (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) hits the road for the first time this season next week at Rutgers.
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Three quick reasons why Indiana beat Northwestern
1. Beebe steps up: Indiana saw running back Turbo Richard leave the game with an injury in the first half, and he didn’t return. That left Lee Beebe Jr. as the lone available piece of IU’s backfield trio. And he came through in a big way: 24 carries for 203 yards and a big touchdown in the fourth quarter. IU doesn’t win this game without his effort.
2. IU finds a way: IU was tested quite a bit in this contest. Josh Hoover had an up-and-down game, the defense had some trouble in the second half, and Indiana committed eight penalties, tied for its most in a game since 2024.The Hoosiers haven’t been in a tense game like this at Memorial Stadium since that 2024 season. But they simply found a way here. They had extra cushion because of a safety in the first quarter, and because of Northwestern’s failed two-point conversion attempt early in the fourth quarter. That forced the Wildcats to take a quick field goal with around a minute left and try an onside kick, which the Hoosiers recovered.
3. Hoover does it himself: Coming out of the two-minute warning, Indiana faced a third-and-goal from the 1-yard line, with a 22-20 lead. Hoover faked a handoff to Beebe, then tucked the ball and bolted for the end zone. The Wildcats bit on the fake, giving IU’s quarterback a wide open lane to a touchdown. That play ultimately decided the game.
HIGHLIGHTS
FINAL STATS
