How it Happened: No. 23 Indiana throttles Kennesaw State 56-9

After a victorious Week 1 performance that many felt missed the mark, Indiana silenced any doubters with a 56-7 demolition of the Kennesaw State Owls.

The offense was much improved, as both the passing and rushing games couldn’t be stopped in stretches throughout the game, while Indiana’s defense set the tone from the get-go.

The Hoosiers kept the Owls at bay for almost the entirety of the game, with three field goals being the only blemishes on the record. Two turnovers in the second half allowed Indiana to pull away, with the secondary playing incredibly well despite the front seven stealing the show to begin the game.

On offense, Fernando Mendoza and Elijah Sarratt showcased just how well they can compliment each other, connecting for a total of three touchdowns on the day.

Indiana won the yardage battle 593-271 and was sound in almost every facet of the game. For as frustrating as Week 1 was at times, Indiana made up for it with the show it put on in Week 2.

With that, here’s how it happened:

Indiana’s defense sets the tone

After allowing a 75-yard touchdown run to begin Week 1, the Indiana defense made sure nothing came close against Kennesaw State early on.

On the Owls’ first four drives, they failed to gain a single first down. The Hoosiers forced a three-and-out each time, with the front seven’s dominance making itself known immediately. Indiana allowed just 10 total yards throughout the four drives, with KSU looking out of sorts on practically every play.

Quarterback Dexter Williams II totaled -1 passing yards before he was pulled from the ballgame, though Amari Odom didn’t look much better when he got out there. The Hoosiers were able to total five tackles for loss, with the play of Aiden Fisher, Mario Landino and Kellan Wyatt really standing out.

The secondary didn’t see much action early on because of how quick the pass rush got to either of KSU’s quarterbacks, but when the Owls did drop back and pass, it was lockdown defense from the corners and safeties.

With each three-and-out, the Indiana defense seemed to only grow more confident. They played as a connected group, with Fisher leading the charge. The front four was firing on all cylinders, while the rest of the defense didn’t skip a beat.

Through four Kennesaw State drives, Indiana looked invincible. While KSU would eventually be able to move the ball down the field, IU’s hot start out of the gate allowed it to secure an early two-touchdown lead.

Kennesaw State wakes up, but the Hoosiers respond

After four straight three-and-outs, the Kennesaw State offense was finally able to start moving the ball about midway through the second quarter. Down 14-0, the Owls were able to drive 63 yards down the field.

Unfortunately for the Owls, they were forced to settle for a field goal as Indiana’s defense stepped up in the red zone. Although it was just three points, Kennesaw State was on the board and it forced Indiana to respond after its previous two drives went nowhere.

And respond the Hoosiers did, as the IU offense went 75 yards in four plays for the touchdown. Fernando Mendoza looked calm and collected, while Lee Beebe Jr. broke away for a 27-yard rush. He capped off the drive with an 11-yard touchdown run, pushing Indiana’s lead to 21-3 and quieting any doubts that the offense had slowed down.

The Owls responded to Indiana’s touchdown drive with another impressive series, though it went for just a field goal once more. That ended the first half with a score of 21-6 in favor of the Hoosiers, but Indiana wasn’t done responding just yet.

The Hoosiers allowed another field goal to open the third quarter, as the Owls continued to generate offense, but not enough offense to finish off a touchdown.

The running game dominated the ensuing drive, with Roman Hemby and Kaelon Black combining for 66 yards on the series. Mendoza capped off the drive with a 3-yard pass to Sarratt, his second touchdown of the game.

With a 28-9 lead in their pocket, Indiana wasn’t done just yet. On Kennesaw State’s next drive, Jamari Sharpe stripped his receiver after a catch and got the ball right back. The Indiana offense took advantage and didn’t waste any time, scoring in just one play with an Omar Cooper Jr. 75-yard rush.

Now with a 35-9 advantage, Indiana was running away with this one. The Owls showed signs of life, but after three field goals, they couldn’t sustain any type of offense. To add further insult to injury, Odom threw a pick on KSU’s next drive and Indiana scored once more with Sarratt’s third score of the ballgame.

Up 42-9 going into the fourth, the Hoosiers were on cruise control, with their response in the second and third quarters being the primary reason why.

Indiana’s passing attack proves to be too much for KSU

As seen throughout the ballgame, Indiana’s passing game was far too much to handle for Kennesaw State’s secondary. Week 1 saw Mendoza get acclimated with Indiana’s offensive weapons, but in Week 2 it seemed their potential was fully unlocked.

Mendoza played for 52 of the 60 minutes of action, throwing for a total of 245 yards and four touchdowns on 18-for-25 passing. He completed passes to eight different receivers on the day, with Sarratt being his most frequent target.

Indiana’s stellar wideout totaled 97 yards on nine receptions, three of those being touchdowns. After a rough first week, Sarratt was able to bounce back and then some, providing a much-needed boost for IU’s offense.

Cooper Jr. totaled 40 yards on just one reception, while E.J. Williams was able to get in the end zone with a score in the fourth quarter. Charlie Becker, Riley Nowakowski, Roman Hemby and Holden Staes all caught passes from Mendoza as well.

When it was all said and done, Mendoza and the rest of the offense looked stellar in the second half, with the connection between the quarterback and Sarratt making a huge difference in Indiana’s beatdown of Kennesaw State.

Not yet a member of TheHoosier?  Join our community for Just $1 for your first week and get a complimentary year of The Athletic included with your membership. Join here!

Use the code “IND20” on Rhoback.com for a generous 20% off for all new customers through the end of this week. Rhoback — Best Fit, Best Feel.