To the victor goes the spoils, and Indiana’s 6-0 start and win at former No. 2 Oregon has resulted in a lengthy list of awards and recognition.
Fisher Named Big Ten and National Player of the Week
The anchor for a defense that held Oregon to its fewest yards of total offense under head coach Dan Lanning and fewest yards since 2021 (Utah; 221), Aiden Fisher was honored with a pair of national awards and selected as the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week.
Along with the B1G honor, Fisher was named the Bednarik Award Player of the Week and the Walter Camp Football Foundation National Defensive Player of the Week after a 13-tackle effort that included a career-best 1.5 sacks to help Indiana to its first-ever top-5 road win.
His 1.5 sacks in the game were more than Oregon had allowed in its first five games of the season (1.0) and part of a 6.0 sack game – the most allowed by Oregon since the 2024 College Football Playoff against Ohio State. He had a solo sack in the second quarter with Oregon in the red zone to force a field goal try.
Mendoza Among Davey O’Brien Great 8, Big Ten’s Midseason Top Offensive Player
For a second-straight game, Fernando Mendoza orchestrated a fourth-quarter touchdown drive that have Indiana a lead it would not relinquish. The redshirt junior completed 20-of-31 passes for 215 yards and the fourth-quarter touchdown.
He led Indiana on three touchdowns drives – all covering 75 yards – and moved Indiana into field goal range for Brendan Franke’s program-record 58-yard field goal at the end of the first half, which sent IU to the locker room with a 13-10 edge. He then connected with Sarratt on the go-ahead touchdown immediately following an interception he threw that was returned for a touchdown.
Mendoza was also named the top offensive player in the Big Ten at the season’s midpoint, and the top first-year transfer.
East-West Shrine Bowl Honors Sarratt
The East-West Shrine Bowl Breakout Offensive Player of the Week for Week 7 was Indiana wide receiver Elijah Sarratt after his second-straight 100-yard receiving game at Oregon. An East-West Shrine Bowl eligible offensive player that displays the most NFL traits in a given week is honored by the organization.
Sarratt caught a game-high eight passes for 121 yards and the go-ahead 8-yard touchdown with under seven minutes left in the fourth quarter. It is the second-straight game that Sarratt caught a go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter. Seven of his eight receptions went for a first down or touchdown and six grabs gained at least 10 yards.
Smith Named Outland Trophy Player of the Week
Carter Smith was honored for his work against the Ducks on the offensive line, as the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) tabbed the redshirt junior as the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week.
The Hoosiers rushed for 111 yards and two touchdowns at Oregon, their fifth game with multiple rushing touchdowns this season. Smith didn’t allow a pressure on the afternoon as the Hoosiers snapped Oregon’s nation’s-leading 18-game home winning streak. He helped protect Fernando Mendoza to the tune of 215 yards passing and the game-winning touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. Following earlier ties at 10-10, 13-13 and finally 20-20 in the fourth quarter, Indiana scored the last 10 points to put the game away.
Cignetti Earns Two Weekly Honors, Midseason Coach of the Year
After leading Indiana to its second-ever victory over a top-5 team in program history, Curt Cignetti was selected as the national coach of the week by the Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Foundation and Peach Bowl, Inc., and Paul “Bear” Bryant Award.
The Dodd Trophy Coach of the Week award honors a football coach who led his team to a significant victory during the previous week, while also embodying the award’s three pillars of scholarship, leadership and integrity.
The Paul “Bear” Bryant Awards recognizes a coach weekly for leading their team to an exceptional victory with the National Coach of the Week award chosen by a committee of national college football media members.
10 AP writers who cover the Big Ten made Cignetti the unanimous choice for top coach in the conference at the midway point of the season.
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