No. 5 Indiana routs Howard 55-0

Howard1-20
No. 5 Indiana2-055Final
Sat, Sep 12 · Memorial Stadium (Bloomington, IN), Bloomington, Ind. · Crowd 54,376BTN

No. 5 Indiana routed Howard 55-0.

We had Indiana favored. It won.

Top comment in the game thread

Guys Hoover doesn’t even have more tds than incompletions. Safe to say that we were a fluke and cooked and washed and chopped.

Q2 1:42 · r/CFB game thread · Sat, Sep 12

How it swung

Before kickoff, our ratings gave Indiana better than a 99% chance, and the closing betting line (Indiana was a 57.5-point favorite) put it above 99%.

Indiana led by 20 after the first quarter and by 41 at the half.

Q1Q2Q3Q40+55+55
Pick-sixIndiana · Q2 4:39
FinalIndiana 55-0 HowardIndiana wonMove across the chart, or tap a numbered swing, to see any play.At the airport: 0.09 in of rain
50%75%90%Q1Q2Q3Q4IndianaWon55-0ScoresPick-sixChatter2 comments a minute6 comments a minute5 comments a minute7 comments a minute3 comments a minute2 comments a minute4 comments a minute3 comments a minute2 comments a minute7 comments a minute4 comments a minute3 comments a minute5 comments a minute3 comments a minute4 comments a minute3 comments a minute3 comments a minute2 comments a minute2 comments a minute2 comments a minute3 comments a minute1 comments a minute6 comments a minute7 comments a minute6 comments a minute5 comments a minute6 comments a minute6 comments a minute1 comments a minute0 comments a minute1 comments a minute4 comments a minute4 comments a minute0 comments a minute2 comments a minute2 comments a minute2 comments a minute5 comments a minute2 comments a minute2 comments a minute5 comments a minute5 comments a minute4 comments a minute1 comments a minute2 comments a minute1 comments a minute2 comments a minute3 comments a minute5 comments a minute3 comments a minute3 comments a minute1 comments a minute3 comments a minute0 comments a minute3 comments a minute1 comments a minute0.02 in per 10 minutes, the peakRain
50%75%90%Q1Q2Q3Q4IndianaWon55-0ScoresPick-sixChatter2 comments a minute6 comments a minute5 comments a minute7 comments a minute3 comments a minute2 comments a minute4 comments a minute3 comments a minute2 comments a minute7 comments a minute4 comments a minute3 comments a minute5 comments a minute3 comments a minute4 comments a minute3 comments a minute3 comments a minute2 comments a minute2 comments a minute2 comments a minute3 comments a minute1 comments a minute6 comments a minute7 comments a minute6 comments a minute5 comments a minute6 comments a minute6 comments a minute1 comments a minute0 comments a minute1 comments a minute4 comments a minute4 comments a minute0 comments a minute2 comments a minute2 comments a minute2 comments a minute5 comments a minute2 comments a minute2 comments a minute5 comments a minute5 comments a minute4 comments a minute1 comments a minute2 comments a minute1 comments a minute2 comments a minute3 comments a minute5 comments a minute3 comments a minute3 comments a minute1 comments a minute3 comments a minute0 comments a minute3 comments a minute1 comments a minute0.02 in per 10 minutes, the peakRain
50%10%25%Q1Q2Q3Q4IndianaLowest 0%Lost0-55ScoresPick-sixChatter2 comments a minute6 comments a minute5 comments a minute7 comments a minute3 comments a minute2 comments a minute4 comments a minute3 comments a minute2 comments a minute7 comments a minute4 comments a minute3 comments a minute5 comments a minute3 comments a minute4 comments a minute3 comments a minute3 comments a minute2 comments a minute2 comments a minute2 comments a minute3 comments a minute1 comments a minute6 comments a minute7 comments a minute6 comments a minute5 comments a minute6 comments a minute6 comments a minute1 comments a minute0 comments a minute1 comments a minute4 comments a minute4 comments a minute0 comments a minute2 comments a minute2 comments a minute2 comments a minute5 comments a minute2 comments a minute2 comments a minute5 comments a minute5 comments a minute4 comments a minute1 comments a minute2 comments a minute1 comments a minute2 comments a minute3 comments a minute5 comments a minute3 comments a minute3 comments a minute1 comments a minute3 comments a minute0 comments a minute3 comments a minute1 comments a minute0.02 in per 10 minutes, the peakRain
50%10%25%Q1Q2Q3Q4IndianaLowest 0%Lost0-55ScoresPick-sixChatter2 comments a minute6 comments a minute5 comments a minute7 comments a minute3 comments a minute2 comments a minute4 comments a minute3 comments a minute2 comments a minute7 comments a minute4 comments a minute3 comments a minute5 comments a minute3 comments a minute4 comments a minute3 comments a minute3 comments a minute2 comments a minute2 comments a minute2 comments a minute3 comments a minute1 comments a minute6 comments a minute7 comments a minute6 comments a minute5 comments a minute6 comments a minute6 comments a minute1 comments a minute0 comments a minute1 comments a minute4 comments a minute4 comments a minute0 comments a minute2 comments a minute2 comments a minute2 comments a minute5 comments a minute2 comments a minute2 comments a minute5 comments a minute5 comments a minute4 comments a minute1 comments a minute2 comments a minute1 comments a minute2 comments a minute3 comments a minute5 comments a minute3 comments a minute3 comments a minute1 comments a minute3 comments a minute0 comments a minute3 comments a minute1 comments a minute0.02 in per 10 minutes, the peakRain

No single play moved the chance by 20 points.

No single play moved the chance by 20 points.

What fans said, play by play

The line in bold above each quote is written by our model from the thread’s comments and the play-by-play.

  1. Q1 13:39Indiana fans celebrate Becker's touchdown catch despite criticizing Hoover's underthrown passOkay please slide Hoover.r/CFB game thread
  2. Q1 4:16Indiana misses extra point after Becker touchdown, fans blame holderThat Charlie Becker Heisman run starts todayr/CFB game thread“This is the reaction to the missed extra point” and shows footage of a statuer/CFB game thread
  3. Q1 1:34Hoover throws deep touchdown to Preston as Indiana fans question Marsh's absence3 completions 3 tds for hooverr/CFB game thread
  4. Q2 6:07Hardy intercepts Scroggins for a touchdown, extending Indiana's lead to 34-0Hardy is such a studr/CFB game threadHardy!!!!r/CFB game thread
  5. Q2 2:50Indiana fans argue a Howard fumble was an incompletionAlright Hoover settle downr/CFB game threadIdk if it's a hot take, but I hate these games where a powerhouse beats up a bunch of nobodies in a glorified scrimmage... And yes, I know college is weird and schedules games…r/CFB game thread
  6. Q2 1:42Quoted at the top of the page.Both backs have looked damn good today.r/CFB game thread
  7. Q3 6:03Indiana fans debate if Wilson is better than Hoover after Marsh scoresThat’s kinda crazy that Marsh is only 19.r/CFB game thread
Indiana’s chance to win after every play.
How to read this chartStarts from the pregame line (Indiana -57.5), at 100% for Indiana (the play-by-play feed's kickoff number, moved to match the line; our model's and the betting line's own numbers are in “The betting line, and the fans”). Dots are the biggest swings; ticks under the chart are scores. Outlined diamonds mark rare plays. The gray band is r/CFB game-thread activity, its loudest stretches in gold. A gold diamond marks a play fans were reacting to.
The blue strip under the chart is the weather at the airport. 0.04 in of rain by radar over the stadium, heaviest in the first quarter. Measured at Bloomington airport, 5.4 miles away. Full conditions below.

Watch the plays

The bar and the arrow show Indiana’s chance to win after each play; the logo is the team the play helped.

  1. Q1, 12:56Hoover 34-yd TD pass to BeckerIndiana goes ahead 7-0Q1, 12:56 · Indiana 7, Howard 07-0score after the play7-0score after the playWatch from this playCFB ON FOX
  2. Q1, 4:16Hoover 6-yd TD pass to BeckerIndiana leads 13-0Q1, 4:16 · Indiana 13, Howard 013-0score after the play13-0score after the playWatch from this playCFB ON FOX
  3. Q1, 1:34Hoover 39-yd TD pass to PrestonIndiana leads 20-0Q1, 1:34 · Indiana 20, Howard 020-0score after the play20-0score after the playWatch from this playCFB ON FOX
  4. Q2, 6:07Hoover 41-yd TD pass to BeckerIndiana leads 27-0Q2, 6:07 · Indiana 27, Howard 027-0score after the play27-0score after the playWatch from this playCFB ON FOX
  5. Q2, 4:39Scroggins intercepted by Hardy at the Howard 19 and returned for a TDIndiana leads 34-0Q2, 4:39 · Indiana 34, Howard 034-0score after the play34-0score after the playWatch from this playCFB ON FOX
  6. Q2, 1:30Richard 14-yd TD runIndiana leads 41-0Q2, 1:30 · Indiana 41, Howard 041-0score after the play41-0score after the playWatch from this playCFB ON FOX
  7. Q3, 7:53Wilson 3-yd TD pass to ChandlerIndiana leads 48-0Q3, 7:53 · Indiana 48, Howard 048-0score after the play48-0score after the playWatch from this playCFB ON FOX
  8. Q3, 6:03Wilson 51-yd TD pass to MarshIndiana leads 55-0Q3, 6:03 · Indiana 55, Howard 055-0score after the play55-0score after the playWatch from this playCFB ON FOX
  9. Q3, 0:09Freeman sacked for a 3-yd lossturnover on downsQ3, 0:09 · Indiana 55, Howard 055-0score after the play55-0score after the playWatch from this playCFB ON FOX

Every drive

Indiana scored on 7 of its 10 drives; Howard on 0 of its 12.

Indiana’s drives are teal, Howard’s amber. A line runs from where a drive started to where it ended; a filled dot means it scored.

own goalgoal lineQ1Indiana: Touchdown, from 56 yards out to 0TouchdownHoward: Punt, from 75 yards out to 53PuntIndiana: Touchdown, from 86 yards out to 0TouchdownHoward: Punt, from 75 yards out to 75PuntIndiana: Touchdown, from 70 yards out to 0TouchdownHoward: Punt, from 75 yards out to 69PuntQ2Indiana: Punt, from 55 yards out to 55PuntHoward: Punt, from 83 yards out to 67PuntIndiana: Touchdown, from 70 yards out to 0TouchdownHoward: Interception returned for a touchdown, from 83 yards out to 81Interception TDHoward: Punt, from 75 yards out to 84PuntIndiana: Touchdown, from 48 yards out to 0TouchdownHoward: End of half, from 74 yards out to 75End of halfQ3Howard: Punt, from 75 yards out to 69PuntIndiana: Touchdown, from 68 yards out to 0TouchdownHoward: Punt, from 76 yards out to 80PuntIndiana: Touchdown, from 51 yards out to 0TouchdownHoward: Punt, from 75 yards out to 78PuntHoward: Turned over on downs, from 39 yards out to 38DownsIndiana: Turned over on downs, from 62 yards out to 44DownsQ4Howard: Punt, from 56 yards out to 55PuntIndiana: End of game, from 90 yards out to 46End of game
“Charlie B might be the best recover in CFB‽”
An Indiana fan

When fans got loud

Busy

The biggest reaction came in the first quarter.

Jump to the loudest stretch

The jump was busy; the crowd was quiet.

FirstSecondThirdFourthIndiana fansHoward fansusual

Never in doubt.

Box score

Indiana 55, Howard 0

Howard covered +57.5 by 2.5. The total, 55, stayed under 67.5.

HowardIndianaTotal yardsHoward 57Indiana 50557505Passing yardsHoward 44Indiana 20944209Rushing yardsHoward 13Indiana 29613296First downsHoward 4Indiana 24424TurnoversHoward 1Indiana 111Time of possessionHoward 26:24Indiana 33:3626:2433:36
Team totalsHowardIndiana
Total yards57505
Passing10 of 20, 44 yds9 of 16, 209 yds
Rushing27 for 13 yds46 for 296 yds
First downs424
Third down2 of 147 of 10
Fourth down0 of 11 of 2
Turnovers11
Penalties7 for 51 yds2 for 15 yds
Time of possession26:2433:36

Howard leaders

  • Passing Ja'Shawn Scroggins 8 of 15, 43 yds, 1 INT
  • Rushing Billy Roberson II 7 for 14 yds; John Washington III 5 for 7 yds
  • Receiving Derrick Miller 1 for 15 yds; Semaj Pierre 1 for 14 yds

Indiana leaders

  • Passing Josh Hoover 6 of 11, 145 yds, 4 TD
  • Rushing Lee Beebe 16 for 112 yds; Turbo Richard 11 for 108 yds, 1 TD
  • Receiving Charlie Becker 3 for 81 yds, 3 TD; Nick Marsh 2 for 71 yds, 1 TD

Rain for part of the game

74° at kickoff · 0.04 in of rain by radar over the stadium · wind 5 mph from the west-southwest, gusts to 15

September game-day temperatures at Memorial Stadium (Bloomington, IN)

Win chance with rain, wind and thunder from the nearest airport, by game timeQ1Q2Q3Q4Indiana favoredHoward favored100%Win chanceIndianaRaininches per 10 min0.1 inWindmph, average and gusts20 mph40 mph
Win chance with rain, wind and thunder from the nearest airport, by game timeQ1Q2Q3Q4Indiana favoredHoward favoredRain · inches per 10 min0.1 inWind · miles per hour2040

Drag along the chart, or step through the game.

First quarter, 14:46 left12:02 p.m.
Howard 0, Indiana 0 · Indiana 100% to win
rain 0.02 in per 10 minutes · wind 5 mph from the west-southwest · 74°
Richard 5-yd run

Jump to

Where this weather comes fromMeasured at Bloomington airport, 5.4 miles away. Rain is NOAA's radar-and-gauge estimate at the stadium and wind is an airport reading; neither is measured on the field. Game times come from the play-by-play, good to a minute or two. Source: National Weather Service, through the Iowa Environmental Mesonet; rain radar from NOAA MRMS, through Iowa State University. Field direction from OpenStreetMap contributors.

Before kickoff

Recent games, the series and the betting line below are as they stood going in; the season profile is the season so far.

Recent games

Last two games

Howard · 1-1

Rated 235th in our preseason ratings, 235th now.

1-1 in its last two, including a 7-point win over Alabama A&M as a 1.5-point underdog.

L 21-28 vs Richmond #185 of 668

lost by 7 as a 14-point underdog

Howard lost 21-28 vs Richmond. Chance to win started at 23%, low 1%, high 23%.

W 31-24 vs Alabama A&M #213 of 668

won by 7 as a 1.5-point underdog

Last three games · 2025 season

Indiana · 16-0

Rated 8th in our preseason ratings, 8th now.

Three straight wins, 3 over ranked or top-40 competition.

W 27-21 vs MiamiTop 25 #4 of 667

won by 6 as a 7.5-point favorite

W 56-22 vs OregonTop 25 #6 of 667

won by 34 as a 3-point favorite

Indiana won 56-22 vs Oregon. Chance to win started at 70%, low 61%, high better than 99%.

W 38-3 vs AlabamaTop 25 #14 of 667

won by 35 as a 7.5-point favorite

Indiana won 38-3 vs Alabama. Chance to win started at 73%, low 67%, high better than 99%.

W 13-10 @ Ohio StateTop 25 #1 of 667

won by 3 as a 5.5-point underdog

Indiana won 13-10 vs Ohio State. Chance to win started at 29%, low 9%, high better than 99%.

W 56-3 @ Purdue #124 of 667

won by 53 as a 28.5-point favorite

Indiana won 56-3 at Purdue. Chance to win started at 95%, low 94%, high better than 99%.

W 31-7 vs Wisconsin #73 of 667

won by 24 as a 27.5-point favorite

Indiana won 31-7 vs Wisconsin. Chance to win started at 97%, low 94%, high better than 99%.

W 27-24 @ Penn StateTop 25 #18 of 667

won by 3 as a 13.5-point favorite

Indiana won 27-24 at Penn State. Chance to win started at 78%, low 10%, high better than 99%.

W 55-10 @ Maryland #66 of 667

won by 45 as a 21.5-point favorite

Indiana won 55-10 at Maryland. Chance to win started at 90%, low 81%, high better than 99%.

W 56-6 vs UCLA #64 of 667

won by 50 as a 27.5-point favorite

Indiana won 56-6 vs UCLA. Chance to win started at 97%, low 97%, high better than 99%.

W 38-13 vs Michigan State #86 of 667

won by 25 as a 26.5-point favorite

Indiana won 38-13 vs Michigan State. Chance to win started at 97%, low 88%, high better than 99%.

W 30-20 @ OregonTop 25 #3 of 667

won by 10 as a 7.5-point underdog

Indiana won 30-20 at Oregon. Chance to win started at 28%, low 19%, high better than 99%.

W 20-15 @ IowaTop 25 #42 of 667

won by 5 as an 8.5-point favorite

Indiana won 20-15 at Iowa. Chance to win started at 65%, low 34%, high better than 99%.

W 63-10 vs IllinoisTop 25 #46 of 667

won by 53 as a 7.5-point favorite

Indiana won 63-10 vs Illinois. Chance to win started at 77%, low 71%, high better than 99%.

W 73-0 vs Indiana State #226 of 667

won by 73 as a 47.5-point favorite

Indiana won 73-0 vs Indiana State. Never in doubt.

W 56-9 vs Kennesaw State #168 of 667

won by 47 as a 35.5-point favorite

Indiana won 56-9 vs Kennesaw State. Chance to win started at 99%, low 98%, high better than 99%.

W 27-14 vs Old Dominion #113 of 667

won by 13 as a 23.5-point favorite

Indiana won 27-14 vs Old Dominion. Chance to win started at 88%, low 84%, high better than 99%.

Week by week

Indiana

  • Wk 1Wvs North Texas52-16

Howard

Wk 1: W 31-24 vs Alabama A&M▲7Alabama A&MWk 1: L 21-28 vs Richmond▼7Richmond
  • Wk 1Wvs Alabama A&M31-24
  • Wk 1Lvs Richmond21-28

Line, fans and home field

The betting line, and the fans

Our model and the betting line agree on Indiana’s chances here.

50-50Model 100% · Line 100%HowardIndiana

Indiana favored by 57.5 · Total 67.5

How games like this usually go

Indiana by 57.5, and it went to form

50%90%Q1Q2Q3Q450%90%Q1Q2Q3Q4

Half of games8 in 10 gamesThis game

The band is where a favorite’s chance ran in the 411 games since 2025 with a favorite of 21.5 points or more.

The market

The spread moved 1 point toward Indiana.

opened −56.5now −57.5

The total rose 3 points.

opened 64.5now 67.5

Spread: −56.5 → −57.5 · Total: 64.5 → 67.5

Weather at kickoff

Warm, with rain. Feels like 79° at kickoff.

Howard at Indiana · Saturday, Sept. 12, 2026 · Memorial Stadium, Bloomington

  • 79°feels like at kickoff
  • 0.01 inrain at kickoff
  • 89weather score, Mixed

Weather score: 0 to 100, higher is better, for the first 3 hours and 20 minutes of the game. Ideal is 100, Comfortable 90 to 99, Mixed 75 to 89, Rough 50 to 74, Harsh under 50.

Kickoff times that Saturday

Games in this time zone used 7 kickoff times that day, local time (kickoffs within 30 minutes of each other count as one). This game is ringed. At Memorial Stadium that day, a 7:30 pm kickoff would have scored 100, against 89 at noon.

  • noon: 89, Mixed (this game)
  • 1 pm: 86, Mixed
  • 2 pm: 79, Mixed
  • 3:30 pm: 70, Rough
  • 6 pm: 89, Mixed
  • 7 pm: 97, Comfortable
  • 7:30 pm: 100, Ideal

Weather score at each kickoff time.

Tap a dot to read that kickoff time.

Home field

Indiana is worth +4.4 points (±5.0) more at home than on the road since 2018 — middle of FBS, 56th percentile.

60% at home, 46% on the road against FBS opponents (29-19 home, 19-22 away).

Our model gives every stadium the same flat 2.3-point home edge (why); the books use about 3. Against the closing line this stadium reads -0.7 at home vs. away over 96 games — inside the ±5.9 noise, so the flat number is the honest one here.

The visitors travel about 510 miles to get here.

Where next