Wisconsin

 

This would be the last home stand for a few seniors who had made the jump to follow coach Curt Cinetti. Slightly and rarely recruited Cignetti saw their potential in himself and with them. Coming from James Madison Coach Cig brought a nucleus of players with him to Indiana with the mindset that that production beats probability.

The Hoosiers would improve to a program first 11-0 with a 31-7 victory over Wisconsin. For the game Fernando Mendoza would finish with 299 total yards completing 22 of 24 passes. His fourth touchdown pass would place him in first place with 30 touchdown passes in a single season surpassing Kurtis Rourke’s 29 in 2024.

The defense would hand the offensive the ball in excellent field position. A forced fumble by Stephen Daley, recovered by Hosea Wheeler at the Wisconsin 21-yard line, set up the Hoosiers next score. This turnover led to a 21-yard TD pass from Mendoza to Riley Nowakowski, a Wisconsin transfer, extending the Hoosier's lead.  For the season 96 points would be scored off turnovers. 

Sources:
The Helmet Project found here:
http://nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/index.htm
Photo © The B1G Network
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1145292-power-ranking-all-124-college-football-stadiums
Game summary © ESPN 

@ Penn State

 

The Hoosiers would take on the Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium at University Park PA with a noon ET kickoff.

The Nittany Lions, who in the pre-season were ranked #2 in the country and were considered legitimate contenders for a national championship, found themselves 3-5 for the season and 0-5 in B1G play. Three games into the Big Ten season Penn State had parted ways with coach James Franklin as backers had grown impatient with his overall Big Ten performance. Franklin’s $49 million buyout would be the second largest in college football history, only behind Jimbo Fisher’s $76 million Texas A & M payout.  

The Hoosiers would enter the contest having never won at Bever Stadium in Happy Valley.

There had been close calls, but usually it had been a house of horrors. 

It all came down to a third and goal at the Penn State 7-yard line with 0:36 remaining in the game. Omar Cooper Jr. jumped to catch a pass from Fernando Mendoza in the back of the end zone, sweeping his inside foot within inches of the field of play to go ahead 27-24 to save the No 2 Hoosiers from their first loss of the season.  

“It was the most improbable victory I have ever been a part of,” Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said. “And there have been a better place to make it happen.”

The Hoosiers improved to 10-0 for the season and remained ranked #2 in the country. 

Sources:

The Helmet Project found here:

http://nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/index.htm

Photo © The B1G Network and ESPN

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1145292-power-ranking-all-124-college-football-stadiums

Game summary © ESPN 

@ Maryland

 

Fernando Mendoza threw for a touchdown and ran for one, and No. 2 Indiana remained undefeated with a 55-10 rout of Maryland.

Mendoza recovered from an early interception, and he also had to play most of the game without his top target. Star receiver Elijah Sarratt left in the first quarter with hamstring tightness, ending his nation-leading streak of 46 consecutive games with a catch.

Still, this was another one-sided game for the Hoosiers (9-0, 6-0 Big Ten), who since winning at Oregon have added victories over Michigan State, UCLA and Maryland by a combined 120 points.

Indiana outrushed Maryland 367-37.

Roman Hemby, who transferred from Maryland to Indiana, ran for 88 yards on 18 carries against his old team. Black rushed for 110 yards and Martin added 80.

Sources:
The Helmet Project found here:
http://nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/index.htm
Photo © The B1G Network
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1145292-power-ranking-all-124-college-football-stadiums
Game summary © ESPN 

UCLA

 

On the second play of the game Aiden Fisher intercepted the first pass of the game and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown and the Mendoza brothers — Fernando and Alberto — each ran for scores as No. 2 Indiana routed UCLA 56-6.

The Hoosiers extended their school-record home winning streak to 14, protected the highest ranking in school history for the second straight week and now open a second straight November with a perfect record.

Fernando Mendoza was 15 of 22 for 168 yards, three TDs and one interception before leaving late in the third quarter as he was serenaded again with chants of “Heismendoza" from the student section. Roman Hemby finished with 17 carries, 81 yards and two scores while Kaelon Black rushed 10 times for 70 yards. E.J. Williams Jr. had five catches for 109 yards and two scores as Indiana outgained UCLA 475-201 in total yards.

After Fisher's interception 57 seconds into the game, the Hoosiers pulled away on Hemby's 1-yard TD run late in the first quarter and a second-quarter flurry that began with Elijah Sarratt's 1-yard TD catch, continued with Hemby's 13-yard run and ended with Williams' 2-yard TD catch to make it 35-3.

Indiana sealed it with Fernando Mendoza's nifty 20-yard scoring run, Williams' 62-yard catch and Alberto Mendoza's 4-yard run early in the fourth.

Sources:

The Helmet Project found here:

http://nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/index.htm

Photo © The B1G Network

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1145292-power-ranking-all-124-college-football-stadiums

Game summary © ESPN 

Michigan State

 

Another rivalry between the Hoosiers and the Spartans dating back to 1950.

The day prior Curt Cignetti signed an extension to his contract for $11.2 million making him the third highest paid coach in the country. What precipitated the move was the firing of Penn State coach James Franklin who was fired after going 0-3 in the Big Ten. The extension would keep Cignetti in Bloomington for the foreseeable future.

The Hoosiers would climb to #3 nationally, the highest placement in program history and would walk away with a 38-13 Homecoming victory to reach 7-0 for the season.

Fernando Mendoza would pass for 24/28 and four touchdowns while Kealon Black would rush for 64 yards on ten carries and a score.  

Sources:

The Helmet Project found here:

http://nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/index.htm

Photo © The B1G Network

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1145292-power-ranking-all-124-college-football-stadiums

Game summary © ESPN 

@ Oregon

 

The Hoosiers would become bowl eligible with a 30 – 20 victory over #3 Oregon. Fernando Mendoza would throw 215 yards and a key fourth-quarter touchdown to remain undefeated. 

In the 90 years since the AP poll began ranking teams weekly the Hoosiers have never beaten a top-five opponent on the road. They were 0-46 in such games, the most losses of any team in the country without a win.

With the win Indians snapped Oregon's

> 23-game regular season win streak - The longest active in FBS

> 18-game conference win streak -The 2nd longest active in FBS

> IU would rise to #3 in the AP Coaches Poll. The highest ranking in program history.

Sources:
The Helmet Project found here:
http://nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/index.htm
Photo © The B1G Network
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1145292-power-ranking-all-124-college-football-stadiums
Game summary © ESPN 

@ Iowa

 

— Fernando Mendoza threw a 49-yard touchdown pass to Elijah Sarratt with 1:28 to play to give No. 11 Indiana a 20-15 win over Iowa.

Indiana came into the game ranked second nationally in total offense and scoring offense, was held to 337 yards and its lowest scoring output of the season. But the Hoosiers got two touchdown passes from Mendoza, who threw for 233 yards, and two field goals from Nico Radicic.

Indiana took an early 7-0 lead. An interception by Amare Ferrell on the third offensive play of the game gave the Hoosiers the ball at Iowa's 24-yard line, and they quickly converted with Mendoza's 14-yard touchdown pass to Omar Cooper Jr.

After Indiana stopped Iowa on its final possession, Mendoza ran off the last seconds of the game by sprinting into the end zone, where he was tackled for a safety.

:

The Helmet Project found here:

http://nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/index.htm

Photo © The B1G Network

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1145292-power-ranking-all-124-college-football-stadiums

Game summary © ESPN 

Kennesaw State

 

The Hoosiers second home stand would be played at “The Rock” now named Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium scheduled for a noon kickoff. 

— Fernando Mendoza threw for four touchdowns to lead No. 23 Indiana to a 56-9 rout of Kennesaw State. The Hoosiers, who saw their ranking drop three spots to No. 23 following a closer-than-expected 27-14 victory over Old Dominion, should maintain their ranking with a convincing victory. Indiana didn’t commit a turnover and was penalized just three times. Indiana held a 593-271 edge in total yards.

Following a fumble recovery, Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. scored on a 75-yard run on an end-around on the next play. Cooper had a key 40-yard catch on the Hoosiers’ first TD drive.

Fernando Mendoza, a redshirt junior, was relieved by his younger brother, Alberto Mendoza, during a fourth quarter drive. Alberto, a redshirt freshman, tossed his first career TD pass, a 6-yarder to Charlie Becker. Alberto completed all three of his passes for 35 yards.

Sources:

The Helmet Project found here:

http://nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/index.htm

Photo © The B1G Network

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1145292-power-ranking-all-124-college-football-stadiums

Game summary © ESPN 

Old Dominion

Fernando Mendoza scored on a 5-yard run in his debut as Indiana's quarterback, Jonathan Brady returned a punt 91 yards for a score, and the 20th-ranked Hoosiers wore down Old Dominion in a season-opening 27-14 victory.

Mendoza, the starter at California last season, finished 18 of 31 for 193 yards and ran six times for 34 yards. His TD run late in the first half gave the Hoosiers a 17-7 lead.

Indiana's 309-yard rushing attack was led by Maryland transfer Roman Hemby, who had 23 carries for 110 yards. Kaelon Black added 92 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries.

Indiana won its ninth straight home game to improve to 9-0 at Memorial Stadium under second-year coach Curt Cignetti — but not without some stress.

Safety Louis Moore had an interception and a team-leading seven tackles in his first game with Indiana. But the Mississippi transfer's future with the program remains unclear. Moore is eligible for the first two games after a Texas judge granted him a two-week extension on a temporary restraining order in an eligibility case involving the NCAA. The next hearing is expected Sept. 10. The NCAA claims Moore is ineligible because he spent 2019-21 playing in junior college and the last two years at Mississippi.

The game marked the debut of Hoosier the Bison. School officials announced this summer they were bringing back the mascot that last appeared in 1969.

Earlier that day former IU coach Lee Corso made his last appearance on ESPN’s game day. From his debut in 1987 until his final episode a total of 38 years.  True to form all of Corso’s college teams he played on or coached won on Saturday. That includes Florida State, Maryland, Navy, Louisville, Indiana and Northern Illinois.  It was meant to. 

Sources:

The Helmet Project found here:

http://nationalchamps.net/Helmet_Project/index.htm

Photo © The B1G Network, The Indy Star 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1145292-power-ranking-all-124-college-football-stadiums

Game summary © ESPN 

2025 Scedule

 

Here’s what year two of the Curt Cignetti era looks like:

NON CONFERENCE
Aug. 30 – Old Dominion
Sept. 6 – Kennesaw State
Sept. 13 – Indiana State

CONFERENCE
Sept. 20 – vs. Illinois
Sept. 27 – at Iowa
Oct. 11 – at Oregon
Oct. 18 – vs. Michigan State
Oct. 25 – vs. UCLA
Nov. 1 – at Maryland
Nov. 8 – at Penn State
Nov. 15 – vs. Wisconsin
Nov. 29 – at Purdue

The nonconference schedule should allow for another fast start for Cignetti and crew, and a conference home opener against Illinois provides a chance to reach 4-0.

But after playing eight home games in 2024, the Hoosiers will go on the road five times in the Big Ten next year.

The slate includes three especially challenging road trips — at Iowa, at Oregon, and at Penn State — with the former two coming back-to-back early in the season.

The Big Ten has built-in two bye weeks again next season, with IU’s off weeks coming ahead of the trip to Oregon and the Old Oaken Bucket game vs. Purdue.