Indiana QB Hoover plays through bloody nose, 4 TDs

Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover delivered a gritty performance in his Hoosiers debut, throwing four touchdown passes and playing through a bloody nose after a violent facemask penalty during a 52-16 victory over North Texas on Saturday, September 5, 2026. The game took place at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Indiana. The pivotal moment occurred midway through the second quarter when North Texas defensive lineman Udoka Ezeani grabbed Hoover's facemask and spun his helmet around, causing a visible cut on the bridge of his nose and significant bleeding. Despite the injury, Hoover remained in the game and completed the drive with a 9-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Charlie Becker, extending Indiana's lead to 21-3. The penalty was called for 15 yards, wiping out a potential sack. Hoover downplayed the incident after the game, stating, "It looked way worse than it felt. I didn't even know it was bleeding like that." He added, "I've broken my nose a couple times, it happens." The quarterback finished the game with an efficient stat line, completing 13 of 16 passes for 231 yards and four touchdowns with no turnovers.