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

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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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09/22/25 - Fernando Mendoza, rJr/2027, Indiana, 6-5, 225 (DS#1 QB) + More +

WEEK 4 BIG TEN CO-OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Fernando Mendoza, Indiana, QB - Jr. - Miami, Fla. - Christopher Columbus,...Completed 21-of-23 passes for 267 yards and tied a career-high five passing touchdowns in a victory over No. 9/8 Illinois...Posted back-to-back games with five passing touchdowns to move his Big Ten-leading total to 14...Of his 21 completions, 14 went for either a first down or touchdown and finished the game with 15-straight completions...His .910 (21-for-23) completion percentage put him at No. 3 on the game completion percentage charts just a week after setting the program's record of .950 (19-for-20) in Week 3 against Indiana State (9/12)...Last Indiana Offensive Player of the Week: Omar Cooper Jr. (Sept. 15, 2025). - Big Ten Football

(DS#1 QB) rJr/2027

QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
News Source: Big Ten Football
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09/22/25 - Fernando Mendoza, rJr/2027, Indiana, 6-5, 225 (DS#1 QB) + More +

WEEK 4 AP NATIONAL FBS OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Fernando Mendoza, Indiana,...The California transfer threw five touchdown passes for the second straight week and completed his final 17 throws in a 63-10 beat-down of Illinois. Mendoza connected on better than 90% of his passes for a second game in a row, going 21 of 23 for 267 yards. He was 19 of 20 against Indiana State in his previous game. His 76.8% accuracy rate through four games is second nationally, and his 14 TD passes lead the country. He has thrown no interceptions. Mendoza led the Hoosiers to touchdowns on six straight possessions against the Illini before he turned things over to his younger brother, backup Alberto Mendoza, in the fourth quarter. - AP College Football

(DS#1 QB) rJr/2027

QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
News Source: AP College Football
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09/21/25 - Fernando Mendoza, rJr/2027, Indiana, 6-5, 225 (DS#1 QB) + More +

In a battle between No. 17 Indiana and No. 8 Illinois, it was the Hoosiers who showed the nation who the better team was. Indiana dominated the game from start to finish, scoring the most points any Big Ten team has ever scored against a top 10 opponent, routing the Illini 63-10. The victory moved the Hoosiers up five spots to No. 12 in this week's US LBM Coaches Poll, while Illinois dropped to No. 23. The top five remain the same with Ohio State, Penn State, Georgia, LSU and Oregon. Miami (Fla.) and Texas stay at the sixth and seventh spots, with Florida State, Texas A&M and Oklahoma rising a couple of spots, thanks to Illinois' loss, to round out the top 10. - American Football Coaches Association

(DS#1 QB) rJr/2027

QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
News Source: American Football Coaches Association
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