It wasn’t just another game on the College Football calendar. On the contrary, it featured two major title contenders, both coming into the matchup undefeated. Curt Cignetti’s Indiana Hoosiers made headlines by defeating the Oregon Ducks on the road — and now, they’re daring to dream of reaching the National Championship Game.
Once again leaning on the remarkable talent of Fernando Mendoza, the Hoosiers managed to overcome a tough opponent in Dan Lanning’s Oregon squad, leaving the entire crowd at Autzen Stadium stunned.
Despite the team’s imposing offensive firepower, Cignetti told the press that none of it would’ve been possible without fully maximizing the strengths of their defense.
“Wow, what a stat. Great team win, great effort by the players and coaches,” he said. “You know, we had a great mindset coming into this, really believed it could happen. I’ve won a couple great road wins in the last three places I was, and I just kind of felt this coming in, and it’s a good win for the program.
Head coach Curt Cignetti of the Indiana Hoosiers.
“Well, the defense did a great job putting pressure on them,” the HC also added. “They had, they spit some runs out, but came through more times than they didn’t. Offense was sort of hit and miss, but made some plays. Kicking game was really good, and at the end of the day, you know, we made the plays when we had to.”
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Mendoza as the flagbearer
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza made a seismic statement in the Heisman race Saturday, leading the No. 7 Hoosiers to a massive 30-20 upset victory over No. 3 Oregon on the road. The star signal-caller was a model of efficiency and clutch play, finishing 21-of-31 for 215 yards and a pivotal go-ahead 8-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter.
The monumental win, coupled with his strong season numbers (16 TDs, 1 INT), has dramatically shortened Mendoza’s Heisman Trophy odds, vaulting him into the elite conversation as a legitimate contender at the midpoint of the college football season.
What’s next for the Hoosiers?
With the main goal of maintaining steady progress this NCAAF season and securing their first objective of earning a playoff berth, here are the upcoming matchups Indiana will face:
- vs Michigan State, October 18
- vs UCLA, October 25
- @ Maryland, November 1
- @ Penn State, November 8
- vs Wisconsin, November 15
