The No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers are 10-0 for the second straight year — and they’re not slowing down anytime soon. After narrowly escaping Happy Valley with a 27-24 win over Penn State, Indiana had only a brief moment to celebrate before turning the page back in Bloomington. Two games remain in the regular season, and while the upcoming opponents may not appear as daunting on paper, this is college football — where anything can happen.
In the fourth quarter last Saturday, Indiana’s high-powered offense sputtered for a moment. But when the game hung in the balance, Fernando Mendoza delivered once again. The junior quarterback orchestrated a breathtaking drive capped off by one of the wildest touchdown catch of the season, sealing the Hoosiers’ perfect record for at least another week.
“Fernando never ceases to amaze me,” head coach Curt Cignetti said in Monday’s press conference. “He’s so deep. He’s so intelligent. He’s such a good and caring, giving person. He’ll be a huge success in anything he decides to do one day when football ends. He’s just a special, unique person. And it’s all real.”
Mendoza’s play this season has backed up every bit of that praise. He currently leads the nation in total touchdowns with 31 — 26 through the air and five on the ground — edging out former IU quarterback Brendan Sorsby, now at Cincinnati, who has 29. Most of Indiana’s victories this year have been decisive blowouts, but Mendoza has also proven he can thrive when the pressure is on.
He’s done it before — engineering late-game scoring drives to beat both Iowa and Oregon when the game was tied. Saturday’s matchup at Penn State, though, was the first time this season Indiana trailed inside the final six minutes.
The Hoosiers entered the fourth quarter up 20–10, but a string of stalled drives — two punts and an interception — swung the lead to 24–20 in favor of the Nittany Lions. With just 1:50 left on the clock and no timeouts, Indiana’s hopes rested on Mendoza’s shoulders. After taking a sack on the first play, the quarterback bounced back unfazed, methodically marching the Hoosiers downfield before firing the game-winning touchdown strike to Omar Cooper that silenced Beaver Stadium.
Mendoza finished with 218 yards on 19-of-30 passing, one touchdown and one interception, along with a rushing score and 20 yards on the ground. Even after such heroics, Cignetti sees even greater heights ahead for his quarterback.
“I’ve said this a number of times, but I’ll say it again: as much as he has improved, he can still improve more,” Cignetti said Monday. “He’s probably taken his biggest step in the pocket in terms of staying calm, going through his progressions, his footwork.”
That pocket poise has become one of Mendoza’s most impressive developments. Early in the season, he occasionally showed “happy feet” under pressure. Now, he’s transformed into a composed, cerebral passer — one who steps up in the pocket, moves through progressions with confidence, and only takes off running when the situation truly calls for it. The growth has been unmistakable, and for Cignetti, it’s proof that Mendoza’s ceiling is still rising.
Cignetti’s track record with quarterbacks speaks for itself. Throughout his career, he’s developed signal-callers who not only thrive in college but often go on to make waves at the next level. As a head coach, he’s guided multiple quarterbacks to back-to-back all-conference honors — and his résumé before Indiana is just as impressive.
Many know Cignetti for his time under Nick Saban at Alabama from 2007–2010, where he served as a recruiter and wide receivers coach. During that stretch, he helped recruit 2009 Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram and coached a young Julio Jones, one of the most dominant wideouts of his era. But fewer fans remember Cignetti’s earlier stint at NC State (2000–2006), where he coached quarterbacks and tight ends — and played a key role in developing one of college football’s greats, Philip Rivers. Rivers earned ACC Player of the Year honors in 2003 and became the fourth overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. Cignetti was also instrumental in recruiting Russell Wilson to the Wolfpack before moving on to Tuscaloosa.
That kind of résumé explains why Indiana’s offense — and Mendoza in particular — have flourished under his guidance. Cignetti knows what it takes to mold elite talent, and the chemistry between him and Mendoza has become one of the program’s biggest strengths.
“I’d say he can handle about anything,” Cignetti said said with a grin when asked about his quarterback. “He climbed some tall mountains. But we’ll get him a winter jacket. We’re not allowed to do that, are we? He probably has a good one anyhow that says Indiana on it.”
Mendoza, a Miami native and former Cal quarterback, might not be fully accustomed to Indiana’s chilly November weather — but his confidence and focus won’t waver no matter the forecast. Fortunately for the Hoosiers, this Saturday’s weather is expected to warm up just in time for their final home game of the regular season.
Indiana will face off against Wisconsin on Saturday, Nov. 15, at noon (EST) — a matchup that carries the weight of history. With a win, the Hoosiers would move to 11-0 for the first time in program history. Memorial Stadium is sure to be buzzing, and Mendoza will once again have the chance to show just how far he’s come under Cignetti’s steady hand.