Indiana escapes Northwestern as quarterback comparisons resurface

On September 25, 2026, the Indiana Hoosiers narrowly defeated the Northwestern Wildcats 29-23 in their Big Ten opener at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington. Indiana's quarterback Josh Hoover completed 19 of 29 passes for 201 yards and one touchdown, while Northwestern's Aidan Chiles outshined him with 293 passing yards and two touchdowns. The performance sparked debate among fans regarding Hoover's abilities compared to former Indiana star Fernando Mendoza, who won the Heisman Trophy last year. Despite the criticisms, Indiana remains undefeated at 4-0 and survived a challenging game that forced their offense to rely on a strong rushing attack.

• 5:34 AMYahoo Sports — ‘Big Drop-off From Fernando (Mendoza),’ ‘Aidan Chiles Outplayed Josh Hoover’ — CFB Fans Unimpressed by Indiana QB After Northwestern Escape