Indiana football’s historic season was full of memorable moments.
The Hoosiers captured their first-ever national championship and became the first team since the 1890s to finish 16-0. The Daily Hoosier has compiled our list of the top 10 plays and moments from IU’s march to the title. If you missed any previous posts in this series, check them out at the links below.
No. 10: Special teams sends Memorial Stadium into pandemonium against Illinois
No. 9: Indiana doesn’t budge at the Rose Bowl
No. 8: Mikail Kamara steps up in the National Championship Game
No. 7: “CHARLIE B.! FROM NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE!”
No. 6: A moment of magic at Iowa
No. 5: A mighty response at Oregon
No. 4: ‘The drive’ and ‘the catch’
By this point in the season, Indiana had proven its mettle in clutch situations.
But the Penn State game put things on expert mode.
The Nittany Lions had a tough season that resulted in a midyear coaching change, but they played like a rejuvenated squad behind a backup quarterback and interim head coach on Nov. 8 in University Park, Pa. They came closer than anyone in the country to beating Indiana football in 2025.
But IU was able to win at Beaver Stadium for the first time ever because of the play of the season in college football, and an incredible drive to set it up.
“Super proud of our team and our players. Refused to lose in the bleakest, most dire moments when it looked impossible,” head coach Curt Cignetti said after the game. “It was the most improbable victory I’ve ever been a part of. And there couldn’t have been a better place to make it happen.”
‘The drive’ and ‘the catch’: IU football’s finest moment of another historic season
Penn State punted to IU after the two-minute warning, giving the Hoosiers 1:51 to drive 80 yards. They needed a touchdown, trailing 24-20.
The Nittany Lion pass rush had dominated Indiana, particularly in the second half. They kept at it, sacking Fernando Mendoza at the start of the drive that became his biggest “Heisman moment.”
Mendoza got back up and led the Hoosiers down the field for one of the greatest drives in program history. He was as sharp and dialed in on that drive as he was all year long. He threw dart after dart, spreading it around IU’s receiving corps. Omar Cooper Jr., Riley Nowakowski, E.J. Williams Jr., and Charlie Becker all caught passes that helped put Indiana in the red zone.
“We know who our identity is as an offense,” Mendoza said. “We know our coaches are great. Our players are great. We always have the confidence — unwavering confidence in each other.”
Penn State continued to put pressure on Mendoza. He had to rush his throw on first-and-goal, and he was hit as he threw on second down.
What happened next will go down in IU history.
Mendoza faced another blitz on third down, and he threw the ball up near the back of the end zone. Cooper jumped up to get it near the back line, with his momentum taking him out of bounds. But the Indianapolis native somehow managed to get his left foot down in the end zone before his right foot touched the ground.
“I knew where I was on the field. When I went up for the ball, I was just trying to get my feet as far inside as I could, and just come down,” Cooper said. “The fact that I was able to control my body and get a foot in bounds, and also catch the ball to score, that’s just definitely got to be my favorite play of my career so far.”
Officials reviewed the play, and ultimately confirmed the call of an Indiana touchdown. IU’s sideline exploded.
The Hoosiers still had to finish off the game on defense, but many had never witnessed anything like that catch.
“That catch was probably the craziest catch I’ve ever seen in my entire life,” Becker said. “I mean, that body control that Omar has is just unreal. I can’t even put into words. It was crazy.”
More than three months later, even after the Hoosiers won the national championship, what they pulled off at Penn State hasn’t lost its luster.
But the moment was more than just Cooper’s remarkable footwork.
The performance Mendoza put on when his team needed him most exemplifies why he won the Heisman Trophy, and why he’s expected to be the No. 1 pick in April’s NFL Draft.
“He wants to be great. He wants to be the best at his position across the country. He puts in the hours and work that nobody’s really matching that across the country,” Aiden Fisher said. “Anybody looking for a Heisman moment, there it is. That dude’s earned it. He’s the best player in the country, and he showed that today.”
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza delivered in the clutch yet again against Penn State
The video below will take you to the beginning of Indiana’s legendary drive.
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