No. 2 Indiana Dominates Maryland 55-10 Despite Early Struggles

COLLEGE PARK, Md. — No. 2 Indiana overcame a rocky start and a series of injuries to secure a convincing 55-10 victory against Maryland (4-4, 1-4 Big Ten) on Saturday at SECU Stadium. The Hoosiers improved to 9-0 overall and 6-0 in the Big Ten.

Indiana’s redshirt junior quarterback Fernando Mendoza threw an interception on the opening drive but rebounded to complete 14 of 21 passes for 201 yards and one touchdown while rushing for an additional score. His younger brother, Alberto Mendoza, also joined in on the scoring, throwing a touchdown pass late in the game.

Kaelon Black, a sixth-year senior running back, led the Hoosiers’ ground game with 110 yards on 14 carries. Former Maryland player Roman Hemby contributed 88 yards with a touchdown on 18 attempts. Collectively, Indiana rushed for 367 yards.

Maryland’s true freshman quarterback Malik Washington, who had only three interceptions coming into this game, threw two picks and lost two fumbles. He ended the day completing 16 of 31 passes for 242 yards and a touchdown.

The contest began poorly for the Hoosiers, with Mendoza’s interception leading to a Maryland field goal. However, Indiana’s defense quickly regained momentum, limiting the Terrapins to just eight yards on their first two drives. By halftime, Indiana led 20-3.

Maryland briefly narrowed the score to 20-10 with a 55-yard touchdown pass from Washington to redshirt freshman running back DeJuan Williams. But Indiana struck back decisively, scoring three touchdowns in a two-minute span, including a defensive touchdown by Devan Boykin.

As the second half progressed, Indiana extended its lead to 48-10 and sealed the game with a one-yard rushing touchdown by Khobie Martin.

Despite the dominant win, Indiana faced setbacks as All-American linebacker Aiden Fisher missed the game due to a knee injury, and star receiver Elijah Sarratt left early with a hamstring injury. Additionally, linebacker Kaiden Turner and right tackle Kahlil Benson dealt with injuries during the game.

Indiana will continue its season on November 8 against Penn State in State College, Pa. The specific kickoff time remains to be announced.