Game preview: IU football hosts Kennesaw State in get-right game

Kennesaw State quarterback Dexter Williams II throws a pass.

Following an uninspiring victory against Old Dominion, Indiana football is back in action for a Week 2 clash with Kennesaw State.

Despite out-gaining ODU by nearly 200 yards, the Hoosiers walked away with a 13-point victory.

Miscues and errors were plentiful, giving head coach Curt Cignetti and his staff a lot to work on between games. Ahead of Saturday’s opener, here is Inside the Hall’s preview of the clash between the Hoosiers and Owls.

Game information

Who: No. 23 Indiana (1-0, 0-0 in Big Ten) vs Kennesaw State (0-1, 0-0 in Conference USA)
Where: Merchant Bank Field at Memorial Stadium
When: Saturday, September 6th, 2025. Noon EST
TV: FS1, Tim Brando (Play-By-Play), Devin Gardner (Analyst), Josh Sims (Sideline)
Radio: Don Fischer (Play-By-Play), Buck Suhr (Analyst)
The line: Indiana -35.5 (DraftKings)
SP+ prediction: Indiana 37, Kennesaw State 9 (96 percent chance of an IU win)

Meet the opponent

The second of two Group of 5 non-conference opponents, Kennesaw State, will come to Bloomington fresh off a one-point loss at Wake Forest.

The Owls had possession, trailing 10-9 with less than five minutes on the clock, but went four and out, ultimately falling short to the Demon Deacons.

Kennesaw State’s quarterback will be a familiar face to Indiana fans. Dexter Williams II (pictured) spent four years in Bloomington, starting in two of his four appearances. His most notable game as a Hoosier was a thrilling overtime win against Michigan State in November of 2022.

During his Monday press conference, Cignetti highlighted KSU’s quick offense, similar to that of Old Dominion.

Saturday afternoon’s tilt between the Hoosiers and Owls will be the first meeting between the two programs. For Kennesaw State, it will be its first showdown with a Big Ten program in its history.

Injury Update

Cignetti announced two injury updates in his Monday press conference.

Redshirt senior safety Bryson Bonds will miss the remainder of the season due to a knee injury. Freshman defensive back Byron Baldwin is “day to day,” according to Cignetti.

The required Big Ten availability report will be released two hours before kickoff, at 10:00 a.m. EST on Saturday.

Storylines

Can Indiana avoid another slow start?

Last week, the pregame pomp and circumstance gave way to the first defensive drive of the season for Indiana.

The drive lasted just one play; a 75-yard Old Dominion touchdown stunned Indiana. In the following drive, the offense put together a good drive, but was unable to respond with points.

The defense eventually figured it out, but the slow start frustrated Cignetti.

Though it’s another non-conference opponent, Indiana must shake the slow start as conference play begins to creep closer. It all begins with Saturday’s start against Kennesaw State.

Will the red zone issues be resolved?

Cal transfer quarterback Fernando Mendoza and the Indiana offense marched down the field to the Old Dominion one-yard line, but were stuffed on four straight plays.

It was only the beginning for Indiana’s goal-to-go struggles.

The Hoosiers made six trips to the red zone, scoring a touchdown in just two. The other four: two field goals and a pair of turnovers on downs.

With its miscues, Indiana only scored 20 of the possible 42 points in its six drives.

Cignetti was displeased with the offensive game plan for the red zone. As expected for Week 1, the Hoosiers ran a vanilla offense, not reaching deep into the playbook for the opener.

In search of a get-right performance, Indiana may open up its playbook to flex its muscle against KSU.

How important is a comfortable victory?

Indiana was punished in both polls after beating Old Dominion by 13 points. The Hoosiers dropped two spots in the Coaches Poll and three in the AP Poll.

Winning will not be enough for voters, especially after an offseason of schedule talk. Indiana made its name last year for its margin of victory despite its weak schedule.

With an even weaker opponent coming into town in Kennesaw State, it will be important for Cignetti’s team to have a dominant performance from start to finish.

Outlook

The regular season opener resulted in a victory, but with higher expectations, winning by multiple scores is paramount. Indiana will continue to be under scrutiny, especially with narrow victories in the non-conference.

There will be a talent discrepancy between the two teams on Saturday. However, Indiana must come out with energy and make its presence known from the opening kick.

Cignetti has refocused his team after an underwhelming Week 1 performance. This week won’t be much of a game. Expect the Hoosiers to jump all over the Owls and win convincingly.

(Photo credit: Kennesaw State Athletics)

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