Draft Scout Warning: Undefined variable $TeamName in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\notesteam.php on line 20 Player News, College Football: Warning: Undefined variable $TeamName in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\notesteam.php on line 20

The volatility and unpredictability of the 2025 college football season has rippled through the group of draft-eligible quarterbacks. ESPN repolled 25 NFL scouts and executives about who will be the first quarterback taken in the 2026 NFL draft, with the results drastically different from six weeks ago. In the latest poll, Indiana's Fernando Mendoza was the top vote-getter with 13 votes, putting him ahead of Oregon's Dante Moore (6) and Alabama's Ty Simpson (3). Notably, none of those quarterbacks received a vote in the first poll, and all have eligibility remaining.

The other three quarterbacks receiving votes were Oklahoma's John Mateer (1), Cincinnati's Brendan Sorsby (1) and South Carolina's LaNorris Sellers (1). Only Sellers and Mateer had votes in the first poll. "It's not a stellar class," one scout told ESPN. "If you add the maybes [who have eligibility and could leave school], now it gets interesting. The top is better than last year's class, for sure." The top of this year's crop has flipped from Sept. 20, when seven different quarterbacks received votes, with Sellers (8) edging out LSU's Garrett Nussmeier (7). Both players and their teams have struggled this season. Others receiving votes in the first QB1 poll were Miami's Carson Beck (3), Mateer (3), Penn State's Drew Allar (2), Arizona State's Sam Leavitt (1) and Texas' Arch Manning (1). The sentiment regarding the class has soured a bit since the initial polling. Along with the dip in play from Sellers and Nussmeier, Allar suffered a season-ending injury and Manning hasn't resembled anything close to what his family and recruiting pedigrees projected. While Mendoza is the top vote-getter, he has yet to establish himself as a no-brainer No. 1 overall pick. He is trending that way, but there is not yet conviction behind those projections. - Pete Thamel, ESPN College Football

(DS#1 QB) rJr/2027

QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
News Source: Pete Thamel, ESPN College Football
Share/Comment: Here

11/08/25 - Omar Cooper Jr., rJr/2027, Indiana, 6-0, 204 (DS#6 WR) + More +

Omar Cooper Jr. jumped to catch a pass from Fernando Mendoza in the back of the end zone, sweeping his inside foot within the field of play to go ahead of Penn State 27-24 with 36 seconds remaining and save No. 2 Indiana from its first loss of the season on Saturday. The downtrodden Nittany Lions, led by an interim coach and riding the school's longest losing streak in 21 years, almost denied the Hoosiers (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten) their first Happy Valley win in school history. Penn State (3-6, 0-6) came back from down 13 points in the third quarter and was a couple of first downs away from the upset. Once the Nittany Lions were forced to punt, they couldn't respond with late-game heroics of their own in the little time the Hoosiers left them. A Hail Mary effort from midfield was unsuccessful. "It was the most improbable victory I have ever been a part of," Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said. "And there couldn't have been a better place to make it happen." The Hoosiers entered Happy Valley used to losing in the sprawling, 107,000-seat Beaver Stadium.

Before Saturday, the Nittany Lions owned a 25-2 edge head-to-head, winning all 13 games on their home field. "It's just a rocking crowd, when you hear that silence when you get hit when you throw, then you know it's a completion," said Mendoza, who was sacked three times, threw for 218 yards with one touchdown and an interception and also ran in a score. Penn State rallied to take the lead 24-20 in the fourth quarter when Ethan Grunkemeyer connected with Nicholas Singleton for a 19-yard score with 6:27 to play. Penn State punted to Indiana with 1:51 remaining, giving Mendoza the ball back at his own 20. He was sacked on first down, but recovered to hit receivers for 22, 12, 29 and 17 yards before finding Cooper at the back edge of the end zone. Afterward, a smiling Cooper called it the best catch of his career. Mendoza agreed. Kaelon Black scored a rushing touchdown and Nico Radicic kicked two field goals for the Hoosiers. Charlie Becker had seven receptions for 118 yards and Cooper finished with six receptions for 32 yards. Singleton added two rushing touchdowns for the Nittany Lions, who are playing under interim coach Terry Smith and have lost six in a row. - Indiana/AP College Football

(DS#6 WR) rJr/2027

WR Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana
News Source: Indiana/AP College Football
Share/Comment: Here

11/01/25 - Fernando Mendoza, rJr/2027, Indiana, 6-5, 225 (DS#1 QB) + More +

Fernando Mendoza threw for a touchdown and ran for one, and No. 2 Indiana remained undefeated with a 55-10 rout of Maryland on Saturday. 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. "It seemed like they wanted to take away our pass game, take away our RPO game," Mendoza said. "They gave a lot of depth on all the pass concepts we threw at them, and that opened up the run game." The Terrapins (4-4, 1-4) lost their fourth straight.

They had a chance to make it interesting early, intercepting Mendoza on the first drive and taking over at the Indiana 12-yard line. Maryland managed only a field goal out of that, and after forcing a three-and-out and again getting the ball in Hoosiers territory, the Terps failed to score at all. "The defense has all year long risen to the occasion when their backs are against the wall," Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti said. "It wasn't perfect tonight defensively, trust me. Open-field tackling wasn't very good, they had some explosive plays. But there's a lot of good things that are on tape." Mendoza scored on a 7-yard run before the first quarter was over, and his 22-yard scoring pass to Omar Cooper Jr. made it 17-3. It was 20-3 at halftime. - Indiana/AP College Football

(DS#1 QB) rJr/2027

QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
News Source: Indiana/AP College Football
Share/Comment: Here

10/26/25 - Fernando Mendoza, rJr/2027, Indiana, 6-5, 225 (DS#1 QB) + More +

Fernando Mendoza had the stadium chanting "Heismendoza" Saturday as the Indiana quarterback threw for three touchdowns and ran one in to score, leading the Hoosiers to a 56-6 win over UCLA. Mendoza's 24 passing touchdowns tie him for first in the FBS. His odds of winning the most prestigious award in college football have skyrocketed throughout the season, improving from +5500 to +350, tied with Alabama's Ty Simpson. - AP College Football

(DS#1 QB) rJr/2027

QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
News Source: AP College Football
Share/Comment: Here

10/25/25 - Aiden Fisher, Sr/2026, Indiana, 6-1, 231 (DS#7 ILB) + More +

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 on Saturday. The Hoosiers (8-0, 5-0 Big Ten) 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. The Bruins (3-5, 3-2) saw their three-game winning streak snapped as Nico Iamaleava went 13 of 27 for 113 yards and two interceptions. He ran seven times for 28 yards. UCLA never recovered from its poor start. 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. - Indiana/AP College Football

(DS#7 ILB) Sr/2026

ILB Aiden Fisher, Indiana
News Source: Indiana/AP College Football
Share/Comment: Here

10/18/25 - Fernando Mendoza, rJr/2027, Indiana, 6-5, 225 (DS#1 QB) + More +

Fernando Mendoza completed 24 of 28 passes for 332 yards and four touchdowns and No. 3 Indiana celebrated its highest ranking in program history with a 38-13 rout of Michigan State on Saturday. The Hoosiers (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten), who have won all but one game by double digits, kept pace with No. 1 Ohio State atop the conference standings with touchdowns on their first five possessions. Mendoza threw a pair of TD passes to Elijah Sarratt, and also hit E.J. Williams Jr. and Omar Cooper Jr. for scores. "This is the sharpest we've seen him up to this point in a game," Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said of Mendoza. "And he continues to improve. He continues to prepare like nobody I've ever been around. He's getting better and better." Sarratt's first touchdown on a 24-yard play put Indiana ahead 14-10 in the second quarter. His 27-yard TD reception gave the Hoosiers a 35-10 lead in the third quarter.

Mendoza praised a shirtless, towel-waving student section for pushing his candidacy for the Heisman Trophy. "That was fantastic to see that. What a great sight to see," he said. "We do have a lot of season left. We have so many great players on our team. Whatever spotlight that I might get for the offensive success, I try to dish it out to my teammates." Mendoza, a redshirt junior transfer, has 21 TD passes and just two interceptions this season. "He keeps building on his previous performances," Cignetti said. "I can't say enough good things about him." Cooper finished with eight receptions for 115 yards. Kaelon Black added a 29-yard TD rush. Cignetti was concerned about how his Hoosiers would respond after last week's 30-20 win at then-No. 2 Oregon. "Look, you can't be a real nice guy when you have a job like mine," he said. "Human nature after a win against Oregon is to be happy and relax, the support staff, coaches, players, trainers. So my job is to make sure they've got the right mindset and are ready to play...We've got to get better from this last game because the challenges are going to get tougher down the road." - Indiana/AP College Football

(DS#1 QB) rJr/2027

QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
News Source: Indiana/AP College Football
Share/Comment: Here

10/16/25 - Aiden Fisher, Sr/2026, Indiana, 6-1, 231 (DS#7 ILB) + More +

WEEK 7 WALTER CAMP NATIONAL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: AIDEN FISHER, INDIANA, Senior, Linebacker, Fredericksburg, VA,...Aiden Fisher had a game-high 13 tackles and 1.5 quarterback sacks to lead seventh-ranked Indiana to a 30-20 victory at third-ranked Oregon. Fisher anchored a Hoosier defensive unit that held the Ducks to their fewest yards of total offense since 2021. With the victory, Indiana improved to 6-0, 3-0 in the Big Ten. Notes: It is the third time an Indiana player has earned Walter Camp National Player of Week honors since 2004. Fisher joins Micah McFadden (Dec. 6, 2020) and Mikail Kamara (Nov. 5, 2024). - Walter Camp Football Foundation

(DS#7 ILB) Sr/2026

ILB Aiden Fisher, Indiana
News Source: Walter Camp Football Foundation
Share/Comment: Here

10/16/25 - Fernando Mendoza, rJr/2027, Indiana, 6-5, 225 (DS#1 QB) + More +

Curt Cignetti's new deal shows Indiana isn't content with being known as just a basketball school. Indiana announced a new eight-year contract with its football coach worth at least $92.8 million on Thursday, rewarding him for pushing the Hoosiers into national championship contention in just two seasons. The school said the average annual compensation for Cignetti will be approximately $11.6 million - a massive amount in a world of programs navigating financial challenges in the world of name, image and likeness. The deal runs through Nov. 30, 2033 "At Indiana University, we are committed to performing at the highest levels in everything we do, and no one has exemplified that more than Coach Cignetti," Indiana University President Pamela Whitten said. "Put simply, Cig is a winner." The Hoosiers might have been trying to get ahead of possible suitors.

Penn State, UCLA, Arkansas and Oklahoma State are among the schools that have already fired their coaches this season. Cignetti talked big when he arrived, and he has backed it up. He is 17-2 since arriving from James Madison, with his only losses coming last year against Ohio State and Notre Dame teams that ended up in the College Football Playoff championship game. He led the Hoosiers to the College Football Playoff for the first time and was rewarded by being named AP Coach of the Year last season. Cignetti's biggest win yet came last week, when the seventh-ranked Hoosiers won 30-20 at No. 3 Oregon on Saturday. It ended the FBS' longest regular-season win streak at 23 games and Oregon's 18-game home winning streak. It was Indiana's first victory against a top-five team since 1967. Now, the Hoosiers (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten) have a No. 3 national ranking - the highest in program history. Cignetti chose not to make too big a deal about the victory. - AP College Football

(DS#1 QB) rJr/2027

QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
News Source: AP College Football
Share/Comment: Here

10/13/25 - Fernando Mendoza, rJr/2027, Indiana, 6-5, 225 (DS#1 QB) + More +

MIDSEASON AP TOP OFFENSIVE PLAYER AND TOP FIRST-YEAR BIG TEN TRANSFER: Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza swept the two awards for his prolific production since transferring from California. His 17 touchdown passes lead the conference and are fourth nationally, and he's averaging an impressive 9.3 yards per attempt. He has the third-highest passer rating in the Big Ten and fourth-highest in the country. - AP College Football

(DS#1 QB) rJr/2027

QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
News Source: AP College Football
Share/Comment: Here

10/13/25 - Fernando Mendoza, rJr/2027, Indiana, 6-5, 225 (DS#1 QB) + More +

Indiana was the surprise of the 2024 college football season, and the question entering 2025 was whether the Hoosiers would backslide in Curt Cignetti's second season. So far, the answer is a resounding no. The Hoosiers came off their College Football Playoff appearance by startting 6-0 and, at No. 3 following their 30-20 road win over then-No. 3 Oregon, have their highest AP Top 25 ranking in history. A top-four playoff seed, and an accompanying first-round bye, are real possibilities. For all that, 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. Cignetti is 17-2 since arriving from James Madison, his only losses coming last year against Ohio State and Notre Dame teams that ended up in the CFP championship game. The Hoosiers returned four starters on offense and four on defense, brought in 23 transfers including quarterback Fernando Mendoza and picked up where they left off. - AP College Football

(DS#1 QB) rJr/2027

QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
News Source: AP College Football
Share/Comment: Here

10/13/25 - Aiden Fisher, Sr/2026, Indiana, 6-1, 231 (DS#7 ILB) + More +

WEEK 7 BIG TEN DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Aiden Fisher, Indiana, LB - Sr. - Fredericksburg, Va. - Riverbend,...Piled up a game-high 13 tackles with career-best 1.5 sacks to help Indiana to its first-ever top-five road win at Oregon...Anchored a defense that held Oregon to its fewest yards of total offense under head coach Dan Lanning and fewest yards since 2021 (Utah; 221)...His 1.5 sacks in the game were more than the Ducks had allowed in its first five games of the season and part of a 6.0 sack game - the most allowed by Oregon since the 2024 College Football Playoff against Ohio State...Had a solo sack in the second quarter with Oregon in the red zone to force a field goal try...Last Indiana Defensive Player of the Week honoree: Jailin Walker (Dec. 2, 2024). - Big Ten Football

(DS#7 ILB) Sr/2026

ILB Aiden Fisher, Indiana
News Source: Big Ten Football
Share/Comment: Here

10/12/25 - Fernando Mendoza, rJr/2027, Indiana, 6-5, 225 (DS#1 QB) + More +

Indiana climbed to No. 3 in college football's AP Top 25 poll, scoring its highest ranking in poll history. The Hoosiers can thank their 10-point win at Oregon for the four-spot promotion, while the Ducks dropped five spots to No. 8, their lowest ranking in 20 polls. Ohio State and Miami remained the top two teams. No. 4 Texas A&M and No. 5 Mississippi traded places after the Aggies' 17-point home win over Florida and the Rebels' three-point home win over Washington State.

The slew of Week 7 losses by ranked teams also made room for five arrivals in the poll, including No. 20 USC and No. 21 Texas. The Longhorns were the preseason No. 1 team, but dropped out of the rankings last week after losses to Ohio State and Florida. With five teams - Michigan, Illinois, Arizona State, Iowa State and Florida State - dropping out, it was the most turnover in a regular-season poll since October 2022. - AP College Football

(DS#1 QB) rJr/2027

QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
News Source: AP College Football
Share/Comment: Here

10/11/25 - Tyrique Tucker, rJr/2027, Indiana, 6-0, 302 (DS#7 DT) + More +

No. 7 Indiana improved to 6-0 with an impressive road win over No. 3 Oregon led by a dominant Hoosiers pass rush. Indiana is neck and neck with No. 1 Ohio State, tying the Buckeyes' 3-0 conference record. - AP College Football

(DS#7 DT) rJr/2027

DT Tyrique Tucker, Indiana
News Source: AP College Football
Share/Comment: Here

10/11/25 - Fernando Mendoza, rJr/2027, Indiana, 6-5, 225 (DS#1 QB) + More +

Fernando Mendoza threw for 215 yards and a key fourth-quarter touchdown and No. 7 Indiana remained undefeated with a 30-20 victory over No. 3 Oregon on Saturday. Roman Hemby added a pair of scoring runs for the Hoosiers (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten), who frustrated the Ducks (5-1, 2-1) with stout defensive play. Dante Moore threw for 186 yards and a touchdown for Oregon. He had two interceptions and was sacked six times. With Oregon down 20-13 going into the fourth quarter, Brandon Finney intercepted Mendoza's and ran it back 35 yards to tie it with 12:42 left. Mendoza answered with an 8-yard scoring pass to Elijah Sarratt with 6:23 to go. On Oregon's next series, Moore's pass was intercepted by Louis Moore. Brendan Franke added a 22-yard field goal for the Hoosiers with 2:06 left.

Both sides were coming off weeks off. In their last game, the Ducks beat Penn State 30-24 in double-overtime on the road in the annual White Out game. The Hoosiers beat Iowa 20-15 on the road. On the first series of the game, the Ducks failed at a fourth-and-1 attempt, giving the Hoosiers good field position for their opening drive. It ended with Nico Radicic's 42-yard field goal. Oregon pulled ahead with Moore's 44-yard touchdown pass to Malik Benson but Hemby rushed for a 3-yard touchdown before the end of the first quarter to make it 10-7. Atticus Sappington's 40-yard field goal tied it up for the Ducks, but a later 36-yard attempt that would have given Oregon the lead went wide left. Franke kicked a 58-yard field goal as time ran out to give Indiana a 13-10 advantage at the break. Sappington's 33-yard field goal in the third quarter tied it again for Oregon but Hemby added his second touchdown for the Hoosiers, a two-yard dash late in the period. - Indiana/AP College Football

(DS#1 QB) rJr/2027

QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
News Source: Indiana/AP College Football
Share/Comment: Here

09/27/25 - Fernando Mendoza, rJr/2027, Indiana, 6-5, 225 (DS#1 QB) + More +

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 on Saturday. Mendoza connected with Sarratt, who had six catches for 132 yards, on a slant route down the left side and Sarratt broke the tackle attempt of Iowa's Deshaun Lee on his way to the touchdown. Indiana (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten), which 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. Iowa (3-2, 1-1) had a chance to break a 13-13 tie with 2:01 to play, but Drew Stevens missed a 42-yard field goal.

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. 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. Stevens kicked 40-yard field goal later in the first quarter and the Hawkeyes took a 10-7 lead in the final minute of the first half on Mark Gronowski's 3-yard touchdown run. The Hoosiers tied the game at 10 on Radicic's 46-yard field goal with three seconds left in the half. It was Iowa's 11th consecutive loss against a ranked opponent. - AP College Football

(DS#1 QB) rJr/2027

QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
News Source: AP College Football
Share/Comment: Here

Previous 15 Notes

|Back to Page One|

Next 15 Notes

Warning: Undefined array key "TeamID" in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\2020rightcolteam.php on line 56

Warning: Undefined array key "DSTeamID" in D:\InetPub\vhosts\scoutnation.com\draftscout.com\2020rightcolteam.php on line 57

Indiana Football Videos

Buy Draft Scout Weekly

** Draft Scout Data **
(Everything Online PLUS)

Support Draft Scout

The Database Engine for NFLDraftScout.com, Draft Scout is being repurposed...Support the Future Development of ScoutNation.com...

Draft Scout Archives

** 2010-2022 Draft Scout Archives **
(Yearly Player Data Exports, Prospect Lists & More)

Draft Scout Future

100% Dedicated and Never Done

80% Innovated

45% Hidden

35% Built

2025 CFB/2025-2029 NFL Draft Scout

2024 CFB/2024-2028 NFL Draft Scout

2023 CFB/2024-2027 NFL Draft Scout

NFL Draft Scout History

2022 Draft Scout

Draft Scout by Conference

2023 Draft Scout Offense

2023 Draft Scout Defense

2022 Draft Scout Offense

2022 Draft Scout Defense

Indiana Football Videos

Buy Draft Scout Weekly

Support Draft Scout

Draft Scout Archives

Draft Scout Future

Synergization

Did You Know?

Hidden Designs

Future Development