The No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers (12-0, 9-0) finished the 2025 regular season undefeated after annihilating rival Purdue 56-3 on Friday night. There are no real “stocks down” this week or even year at 12-0, but it’s a section so let’s put something there. The IU portfolio is looking hefty. Let’s dive in.
Stock Up
IU Running Game
The Boilermakers dared IU to run the ball down their throats and that’s exactly what the Hoosiers did. For the sixth time in 12 games Indiana ran for over 300 yards. However, Friday night was their most efficient game on the ground all season. They ran for 355 yards on just 37 carries. That’s a 9.6 yard per carry average, nearly a yard and a half per carry better than any game this season.
Indiana did this damage behind a patchwork offensive line that was missing two regular starters in Drew Evans and Kahlil Benson and then behind the second teamers for most of the second half.
The duo of Kaelon Black and Roman Hemby each had highlight runs for touchdowns while Fernando Mendoza and Khobie Martin each scored a touchdown on the ground as well. The Hoosiers will be playing in either warmer climates or domes the rest of the way, but having a dominant run game is an asset for the Hoosiers. As Cignetti said postgame, the defense and the ground game travel.
Havoc on Defense
The Hoosiers have wreaked havoc on opposing offenses all season. According to Gameonpaper.com the Hoosiers were in the 97th percentile in “Havoc Rate” at 18%. Against Purdue, the Hoosiers had 19 havoc plays which was over a quarter of their total defensive stops. IU had 10 tackles for loss, two turnovers and six pass breakups.
Leading the way was Stephen Daley who tallied 4.5 tackles for loss and reserve safety Anthony Chung had three pass breakups. In order to win the Big Ten Championship Game against No. 1 Ohio State next Saturday the Hoosiers will have to continue to create havoc plays and put the heat on quarterback Julian Sayin.
IU’s Edge
For a stretch, it looked like IU had lost its edge and it was apparent to Curt Cignetti who challenged his team both before the game Friday and at half time.
“We challenged the team to improve. Even though we had won the last two games, I didn’t feel like we had improved those two weeks, and we asked our guys to do more. You know, do we still have the killer instinct to put a team away? Can we get everybody to play for the team and eliminate all selfishness?” Cignetti said postgame.
The Hoosiers allowed some teams to stick around far too long and give them life. He made sure that did not happen at Purdue.
“And then at halftime, when we’re up 28 to three, we challenged the team to play the best third quarter of the season, which, I think they responded and tried to do that.” Cignetti added.
IU found their edge again, just in time for the postseason.
Stock Down
Cold Weather Mendoza
Fernando Mendoza didn’t lose the Heisman Trophy Friday night, but he did not create the separation most expected him to get with big numbers through the air against Purdue. The Florida native struggled with accuracy on his throws and could have thrown a couple interceptions if Purdue’s defensive backs caught balls that hit them in the hands. Mendoza finished just 8-15 for 117 yards and two touchdowns. The good news for the Hoosiers is that they should be done with the sub-freezing temperatures for the postseason. The Heisman Trophy probably comes down to Saturday night’s Big Ten Championship game though.
National TV Games and Replay Reviews
Playing on national TV is fantastic for the program. More eyes on IU, more stories being told and all of that. However, the length of the game is absolutely killer. On a 24-degree night there were multiple occasions where it went TV time out, one play, TV time out. Heck, at the end of the second quarter Purdue took a time out which turned into a media time out, only to have that roll right into a lengthy review of a first down. Nobody can turn off the money faucet and there’s not going back, but it’s slowly killing the sport (or at least attending the game).
The replay review system has to change too. It’s awful. They are reviewing plays that have no business being reviewed. Institute an NFL-like challenge system, enough of this.
Hold
Playoff Destination
IU fans can narrow down their College Football Playoff destination to four (probably two). IU is either going to the Rose Bowl with a win over Ohio State and maybe the Orange Bowl with a loss. The other two quarterfinal sites are the Sugar Bowl (New Orleans) or the Cotton Bowl (Arlington).