Following a frantic finish in Saturday’s college football game between Indiana and Penn State, a new favorite has emerged in the Heisman Trophy race.
The early games featured a thrilling comeback by the No. 2 team in the nation, as the Hoosiers scored a late touchdown to defeat the Nittany Lions, 27-24. That kept Indiana undefeated and still within a top-tier spot in the College Football Playoff rankings.
Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza orchestrated the come-from-behind victory with his impressive drive late in the fourth quarter. Ultimately, a pass caught by teammate Omar Cooper Jr. in the very back of the endzone resulted in the game’s deciding score. Some are calling it the play of the year.
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Following the massive win, Mendoza also took the top spot in the updated Heisman odds, as he overtook Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin. Per Bleacher Report’s X post, referencing DraftKings Sportsbook, Mendoza now holds +150 odds as the favorite, followed by Sayin at +225. Alabama’s Ty Simpson is third with +400 odds.
This season, Mendoza’s numbers include 2,124 passing yards and 25 touchdowns with an 88.5 quarterback rating (QBR). Many mock drafts currently list Mendoza as the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, with the New Orleans Saints potentially being the team that adds him to their roster.
Penn State was looking to gain a huge victory for their interim coach, Terry Smith, following the firing of head coach James Franklin. However, Mendoza and the Hoosiers were not to be denied. They’ve now moved to 10-0 overall and 7-0 in the Big Ten.
It was also a history-making victory for the team, as the Hoosiers had never defeated Penn State on its home field during their 27 meetings.
Saturday’s game saw Mendoza complete 19-of-30 passes for 218 yards, including a 53-yard pass to Charlie Becker. In addition to throwing the game’s winning touchdown to Cooper Jr., Mendoza ran one in himself for an 18-yard rushing TD in the first quarter.
Following his team’s thrilling comeback win, Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti admitted he had “never seen anything like this” during his career.
“Great play in the endzone. Didn’t draw it up in the dirt, but I mean we saw what they were doing, and it was a great throw and catch, and you know what, this was an unbelievable win,” Cignetti told Jenny Taft postgame.
Next week, Indiana returns home to host the Wisconsin Badgers. Then they’ll get nearly two weeks off before visiting the Purdue Boilermakers on Friday, Nov. 28.
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