Slow Start. Big Finish. Same Old Dominance.
For about five minutes, Maryland fans thought they might have something. The Terps picked off Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza on the opening drive, hit an early field goal, and had their sold-out Homecoming crowd buzzing like maybe, just maybe, they were about to ruin someone’s perfect season.
Then reality hit like a Hoosier blitz.
No. 2 Indiana (9–0, 6–0 Big Ten) spotted Maryland a 3–0 lead, then ripped off 55 unanswered points in a performance that screamed “national title contender.” It was a defensive masterclass, an offensive avalanche, and another step in Curt Cignetti’s quest to build a bully in Bloomington.
The Hoosiers opened the day like a team still rubbing sleep out of its eyes. Mendoza’s early interception—snatched by Jamare Glasker, his third straight game with one—gifted Maryland (4–4, 1–4) a red-zone start and a 3–0 lead after a short field goal.
Then the Hoosiers offense went full “stuck in the mud” mode. First two drives: interception, sack, negative yards, shanked punt. Ugly stuff.
But when Indiana found rhythm, it was over. Mendoza led a 13-play, 93-yard march capped by a 7-yard keeper to put IU ahead 7–3, and that was the spark that lit the bonfire. From that point on, the Hoosiers scored on eight straight drives.
Meanwhile, Maryland—once No. 1 in the country in turnover ratio—started coughing the ball up like they’d forgotten how to play catch.
By halftime, Indiana led 20–3. The defense forced three turnovers in the first 30 minutes, including picks from linebacker Kaiden Turner and safety Louis Moore, and the offense started showing off its depth.
Charlie Becker, subbing in for injured receiver Elijah Sarratt, hauled in a 52-yard bomb to set up points. Turner—filling in for injured Aiden Fisher—grabbed an interception before leaving with a calf strain. And that’s been the story of Indiana all season: no panic, no drop-off, just plug in another dude who plays like a starter.
Running back Roman Hemby (yes, that Hemby, the Maryland transfer) ran for 88 yards and a touchdown in his SECU Stadium homecoming. He summed it up perfectly postgame:
“We have a next-man-up mentality. Everybody knows the main goal and comes out and executes.”
That mentality was written all over the box score. Indiana finished with 367 rushing yards and 221 through the air. That’s not balance—that’s a chokehold.
Maryland came in averaging nearly 400 yards a game. Indiana held them to 37 rushing yards. That’s now eight straight opponents who haven’t cracked 100 on the ground, tying a program record.
The Hoosiers didn’t just stop the run—they stole possessions. Five takeaways. Two fumble recoveries turned into touchdowns. A defense that looked like it was sponsored by chaos.
Safety Devan Boykin delivered the biggest exclamation mark, forcing and recovering a fumble before taking it 32 yards to the house to make it 34–10. A few minutes later, Bryon Baldwin Jr. pulled the same move—force, recover, and set up Hemby’s touchdown that stretched the lead to 41–10.
At that point, Maryland’s Homecoming crowd was quieter than a midterm lecture hall.
Quarterback Fernando Mendoza bounced back from that early pick like it never happened. He finished 14-of-21 for 201 yards, one touchdown, and one interception—efficient, calm, and lethal on third downs. His younger brother, Alberto Mendoza, even got in on the fun, going 2-for-2 with a touchdown and a 53-yard run that looked straight out of a “Create-A-Player” highlight reel.
It was that kind of day for Indiana—everybody ate. Omar Cooper Jr. had seven grabs for 86 yards and a score. Kaelon Black led the ground assault with 110 yards and a TD. Khobie Martin added 80 and another touchdown.
As Hemby put it:
“We have a great running back room. We were able to put it on the field.”
Translation: Maryland had no answers.
You could pinpoint the exact second Maryland’s upset dreams died: 9:18 left in the third quarter.
After the Terps opened the half with a four-play, 75-yard drive capped by Malik Washington’s 55-yard bomb to DeJuan Williams, they cut the deficit to 20–10 and the place had juice again.
Two plays later, Kaelon Black broke free for a 31-yard touchdown run—and the juice was gone.
Then Boykin’s scoop-and-score happened. Then Baldwin’s. Then Alberto Mendoza’s short TD pass. It was a 21-point third quarter of pure humiliation.
By the time Khobie Martin’s one-yard plunge made it 55–10 in the fourth, Maryland looked like they just wanted the clock to hit zeros.
Malik Washington remains a bright spot in a rough year for the Terps. The freshman QB threw for 242 yards and a touchdown—his eighth straight game with 200+ passing yards, joining some wild statistical company (only three true freshmen Power 5 QBs since 2000 have done that).
DeJuan Williams also popped with 78 yards and that long score. But that’s about where the good news ends.
Head coach Mike Locksley put it bluntly afterward:
“We had opportunities early. If we create a little more balance, that changes the momentum… We have to figure out what we need to do to get the run game going.”
When your run game produces 37 yards, that’s not a figure of speech—that’s a cry for help.
Indiana is now 9–0 and holding a half-game lead over top-ranked Ohio State in the Big Ten standings. The Hoosiers are no longer just the “cute surprise team” of the season—they’re a straight-up juggernaut.
Their balance is terrifying. Their defense travels. And Cignetti has them playing with the swagger of a program that expects to win championships.
“Everything is earned; nothing is given,” Cignetti said postgame. “That’s a big part of it.”
Maryland, meanwhile, is still searching for consistency and a functional ground game. Washington’s arm gives them a future, but the Terps’ defense can’t carry them forever.
Indiana heads to Happy Valley to face Penn State (3–5, 0–5), and Hemby—who’s been there before—knows what’s coming:
“I’ve been to Happy Valley. I know what the environment is like. We’ll have to be ready.”
If Saturday was any indication, they’ll be more than ready. The Hoosiers look like a team built for November football—tough, disciplined, and allergic to mercy.
Final Thought:
Indiana didn’t just beat Maryland; they erased them. What started as a Homecoming party turned into a Big Ten clinic. If there’s a team out there that can slow down this Hoosier machine, we haven’t seen them yet.
Ohio State, you’re on notice.
A better brand, built by Vaughn & Co. ©
