Two years ago, Indiana won three games. In just the past two weeks, quarterback Fernando Mendoza and the Indiana Hoosiers have beaten the Alabama Crimson Tide in the quarterfinal round of the College Football Playoff, 38-3, and the Oregon Ducks in the semifinal round on Friday night, 56-22, with the team a third playoff win away from claiming the first title in program history,
At this point, what can we even compare this Indiana team to? FOX Sports Lead College Football Analyst Joel Klatt has a bold comparison in mind.
“This year, they [Indiana] do resemble the Invoice Belichick-Tom Brady New England Patriots, the dynasty Patriots,” Klatt mentioned about Indiana after its semifinal spherical win over Oregon on “The Joel Klatt Show.” “Why? Effectively, as a result of that wasn’t at all times essentially the most proficient staff within the Nationwide Soccer League, however they did their job. They do not make errors, and so they go on the market and drive you to beat them. Additionally they then have continuity, and that is one thing that New England had for a very long time. That they had continuity on their teaching workers, and I do know guys got here and went. This Indiana staff, they’ve a ton of continuity. What takes a staff from good to nice? The important thing ingredient to go from excellent to nice is that you have to have a terrific quarterback. New England had that with Tom Brady, and Indiana has that with Fernando Mendoza.
“And [with] Mendoza, there are hanging similarities [to Brady]; guys which can be hyper-prepared, very correct, keen to take regardless of the protection provides, keen to do no matter it takes it win, and Mendoza has been enjoying on an ungodly degree in playoff video games towards a number of the finest competitors that our sport has to supply: eight touchdowns and 5 incomplete passes [in the postseason, and Indiana’s win over Oregon was his] second-straight recreation with extra touchdowns than incomplete passes. That is wild. Mendoza takes them from excellent to nice.”
The Big Ten-champion and No. 1-seeded Hoosiers are 15-0 this season and a mixed 26-2 below head coach Curt Cignetti since 2024. To this point this postseason, they’ve defeated Alabama and Oregon by a mixed rating of 94-25.
Via 15 video games, Mendoza, who received the 2025 Heisman Trophy Award and transferred to Indiana after spending three seasons with the California Golden Bears (2022-24), has totaled 3,349 passing yards, 41 passing touchdowns, six interceptions and a 188.0 passer ranking, whereas finishing 73.0% of his passes. He has additionally rushed for 284 yards and 6 touchdowns. This postseason, Mendoza has thrown eight touchdowns, zero interceptions and accomplished 86.1% of his passes.
In the meantime, Indiana operating backs Roman Hemby, Kaelon Black and Khobie Martin have rushed for a mixed 2,526 yards and 23 touchdowns; vast receivers Elijah Sarratt and Omar Cooper Jr. have mixed for 28 receiving touchdowns, with Sarratt’s 15 receiving scores main the game and fellow receiver Charlie Becker‘s 20.5 yards per reception main the Large Ten.
As a collective complete, Indiana’s offense is first within the Large Ten in factors (42.6 per recreation) and dashing yards (218.3 per recreation), second in whole yards (461.0 per recreation) and seventh in passing yards (242.7 per recreation).
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza (left) grew to become the primary participant in Hoosiers historical past to win the Heisman Trophy Award. (Photograph by Todd Kirkland/Getty Photos)
On the opposite facet of the ball, defensive again Louis Moore has reeled in six interceptions, whereas Amare Ferrell has introduced down 4 picks and Jamari Sharpe has pressured 4 fumbles. Indiana is tied for second within the nation with 45 sacks; linebacker Rolijah Hardy has a team-high eight sacks and 98 mixed tackles; fellow linebacker Isaiah Jones has tallied seven sacks and 76 mixed tackles; defensive lineman Stephen Daley has racked up 5.5 sacks, two pressured fumbles and a Large-Ten excessive 19.0 tackles for loss.
The Hoosiers are first within the convention in opponent dashing yards (75.0 per recreation), second in opponent factors (11.1 per recreation) and opponent whole yards (260.9 per recreation) and sixth in opponent passing yards (185.9 per recreation).
As for Klatt’s NFL comparability, Brady and Belichick received six Tremendous Bowls collectively for the Patriots: 2001, 2003, 2004, 2014, 2016 and 2018. Brady is first in NFL historical past with 89,214 passing yards and 649 passing touchdowns (2000-19 with the Patriots and 2020-22 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, with whom he then received Super Bowl LV), and Belichick is third in NFL historical past with 302 profession wins as an NFL head coach (2000-23 with the Patriots and 1991-95 with the Cleveland Browns).
The final merchandise on the agenda for Mendoza and the Hoosiers is going through off towards the No. 10-seeded Miami Hurricanes — which is the one staff with extra sacks than Indiana this season (47) — within the Nationwide Championship on Jan 19.
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