Indiana looked every bit like a top‑five team in their opener, and Howard simply isn’t built to handle that level of physicality or depth. Josh Hoover just set a program record with four touchdown passes in his debut , Turbo Richards already has two scores, and the Hoosiers’ front seven returns six starters from a defense that piled up 46 sacks last season . Howard’s bright spot has been Ja’Shawn Scroggins, who’s produced 424 passing yards, four TDs, and 88 rushing yards through two games , but stepping into Memorial Stadium against a roster this loaded is a different world. Indiana should overwhelm early, rotate late, and still win comfortably inside both numbers.

Indiana walk into this matchup looking every bit like the team that went 16-0, and North Texas are stepping into a level of physicality they simply didn’t face last season. The Mean Green put up video‑game numbers offensively — over 7,100 yards, 45.1 PPG, and 368 rushing yards in their bowl win — but they also gave up 326 rushing yards in that same game, and that defensive softness is exactly where Indiana will attack. The Hoosiers averaged 212.9 rushing yards per game, played clean football, and paired that offense with a defense that allowed just 11.7 PPG, 77 rushing yards per game, and only 10 passing touchdowns all year. That’s an elite profile, and it’s the kind of matchup where Indiana can overwhelm early and keep stretching the margin late. North Texas will move the ball in spurts, but they won’t be able to sustain drives against a defense this disciplined, and once Indiana’s run game starts leaning on that front, the gap widens fast. This sets up as a first‑half avalanche and a full‑game blowout.