{
  "id": 8558031,
  "title": "Josh Hoover, Lee Beebe Jr. help No. 4 Hoosiers overcome slow start in 38-0 rout of Western Kentucky",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/19/josh-hoover-lee-beebe-jr-help-no-4-hoosiers-overcome-slow-start-in-38",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-19T23:32:23.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Winnipeg Free Press",
    "slug": "winnipeg-free-press",
    "url": "https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/uncategorized/2026/09/19/josh-hoover-lee-beebe-jr-help-no-4-hoosiers-overcome-slow-start-in-38-0-rout-of-western-kentucky"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Josh Hoover, the quarterback for No. 4 Indiana, threw two touchdown passes, while Lee Beebe Jr. added two rushing touchdowns as the Hoosiers overwhelmed Western Kentucky 38-0 on Saturday. Indiana's defense, which had not been scored upon since the third quarter of their season opener, posted two consecutive shutouts. The defending national champions did not display their usual form in the first half, allowing Western Kentucky to lead for nearly nine minutes in possession time. However, Western Kentucky's offensive struggles came to an end when Josh Hoover intercepted Brock Glenn on third-and-5, returning the ball 21 yards to the Hilltoppers' 3-yard line with 1:07 remaining in the half. Lee Beebe Jr. capitalized on this momentum, scoring two plays later to extend Indiana's lead to 14-0. The Hoosiers dominated the second half, opening the scoring with a 21-yard field goal, followed by a 79-yard touchdown pass from Hoover to Charlie Becker and Beebe's two-yard touchdown run, making it 31-0 with 1:38 left in the third quarter. Western Kentucky's quarterback, Brock Glenn, completed 17 of 32 passes for 120 yards and one interception, while also rushing for 30 yards. Nick Marsh had a standout performance, catching seven passes for 81 yards. Western Kentucky, coming into the game with a winless record, remains winless after facing top-ranked Georgia and Indiana in back-to-back weeks. Indiana improved to 30-2 on the season, marking the eighth coach in program history to reach the 30-win milestone. The team will now focus on defending their Big Ten title next week, but may struggle to move up in the Top 25 after such a sluggish first half. Western Kentucky will host Mercyhurst in its home opener next Saturday.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Josh Hoover threw 2 touchdowns, Lee Beebe Jr. added 2 rushing scores",
    "Hoosiers defense shut out WKU, posted 2 consecutive shutouts",
    "Western Kentucky struggled offensively, lost winless season"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The shutout win helps Indiana's defense reassert its dominance and boosts coach's record, while Western Kentucky's loss extends its winless streak and raises questions about its improvement.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}