“If you’re looking for a Heisman moment, that was it”: Mendoza delivers another game-winning drive to beat Penn State

Fernando Mendoza rushes the ball.

Quarterback Fernando Mendoza and the Indiana offense faced second-and-17 at its own 13-yard line, under the roar of a raucous Beaver Stadium. He had been sacked for the third time and the Hoosiers trailed with less than 90 seconds remaining.

The offense hadn’t scored since its first drive of the second half, and 17 unanswered points had given the Nittany Lions their first lead. Doubt crept in and it appeared the final nail had been put into IU’s coffin. But for Mendoza, it was just another opportunity to deliver.

What followed that first-down sack would become one of the defining moments of his season — and Indiana football history.

The Hoosiers marched 83 yards in nine plays, capping the drive with a miracle catch by Omar Cooper Jr. in the back of the end zone. The remarkable touchdown sealed No. 2 Indiana’s thrilling 27–24 win againstPenn State on Saturday.

“The best thing I can say is we refused to lose,” head coach Curt Cignetti said. “We had that one last big run left in us when probably most people had counted us out.”

That resolve wasn’t new for Indiana. It’s been their defining trait all season.

The drive mirrored the game-winning drives that Indiana went on earlier this season at Iowa and at Oregon. When the crowds are at their loudest, the Hoosiers continuously find a way to win.

The common denominator? Indiana’s quarterback.

Mendoza garnered a wealth of hype well before he played a snap for Cignetti. Known for his viral “going 90 yards with my boys” moment at Cal, the Miami native consistently rose to big occasions.

This season alone, he has gone 76, 75, and 80 yards in game-winning touchdown drives; all on the road. Those are typically known as ‘Heisman moments’.

On Saturday, Mendoza finished a modest 19-for-30 with 218 yards, two total touchdowns and an interception. The quarterback himself will be the first to critique his own play. However, Mendoza consistently delivers for his team when they need him most.

With three weeks left in the season, he continues to prove himself as clutch. Yet Mendoza continues to deflect Heisman talk, citing his teammates as the reason for the team’s success.

His head coach, however, doesn’t want the focus to be on his quarterback’s accomplishments. Instead, he remains committed to his own growth.

“I don’t really think about that,” he said. “We’re trying to develop him to become the best player he can be.”

Coachspeak or not, Mendoza heeds his coach’s call.

Seemingly unaffected by the “Heismendoza” chants echoing nationwide, he stays focused – his vision stretches far beyond college football’s highest individual honor.

“Our goal isn’t to win the Heisman, the Biletnikoff or any other end-of-season awards,” Mendoza said. “Our goal is to go 1-0 against Wisconsin, beat Purdue, and have our best playoff yet.”

Cooper Jr. smirked as Mendoza diverted praise to his teammates. Like everyone else, he knows his quarterback is the odds-on favorite to win the award.

Another teammate wasn’t afraid to break the silence after a third straight road-winning drive. Usually in lockstep with Cignetti, linebacker Aidan Fisher didn’t hesitate to go on record about Mendoza’s performance.

“If you’re looking for a Heisman moment, that was it,” Fisher said. “Mendoza’s the best player in the country — and he showed it today.”

Mendoza may not be as flashy as some of the Heisman winners of previous years. However, it’s his mentality that helps him battle through adversity. All three game-winning drives this season have come after costly fourth-quarter interceptions.

After trying to make a play and throwing an interception that set up Penn State to take the lead, Mendoza returned to what got him to where he is: fundamentals.

During the two-minute drill, the former two-star recruit battled adversity as a fundamentally sound quarterback, not a superhero.

“A crazy Superman play is not going to win the game,” Mendoza recalled thinking. “Sticking to our fundamentals and our roles was going to win it.”

Heisman votes are due in a month. A lot can happen in that short amount of time. Still, it’s hard to imagine a world where Mendoza isn’t seated front and center at Lincoln Center’s Appel Room in New York.

Cooper Jr.’s catch may be labeled Superman-esque, but Indiana’s Clark Kent — and maybe its first Heisman winner — is Mendoza.

(Photo credit: Indiana on BTN)

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