The Hoosiers had strong showings defensively, but didn't get as high of marks on offense or coaching.

BLOOMINGTON — Indiana football struggled but finished Saturday, defeating Old Dominion 27-14 in the Hoosiers ’ season opener Saturday.

Here’s how the No. 19 Hoosiers (1-0) graded out:

IU offense looks like a work in progress

Yes, Indiana stayed vanilla, and yes, the Hoosiers struggled like this in some respects in their opener last year. Still, Fernando Mendoza ’s debut was mixed, to say the least, while the red-zone work that was so remarkably efficient in 2024 looked far from the finished article Saturday. Coach Curt Cignetti will want to see the same response he did 12 months ago.

Grade: C- Looking for a free mini puzzle? Play the USA TODAY Quick Cross now.

Colton Jose

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