The undefeated Indiana Hoosiers (9-0) traveled to University Park on Saturday to play the 3-5 Penn State Nittany Lions in a Big Ten showdown that looked much different weeks ago.
At the beginning of the college football season, both of these teams were ranked inside the preseason AP Top 25; Penn State at No. 2, Indiana at No. 20.
However, after a three-game skid ending with a surprising 22-21 loss to Northwestern, Penn State fired head coach James Franklin and has been on a downward spiral ever since.
The Hoosiers, meanwhile, are one of the hottest teams in the country, playing behind quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate Fernando Mendoza, a junior signal-caller that one NFL franchise appears to be keeping a close eye on.
Just ahead of kickoff, ESPN’s Jordan Reid reported that New York Jets GM Darren Mougey and senior football advisor, Rick Spielman, are both in attendance for the Indiana-Penn State matchup.
With Mendoza’s stock climbing and the Jets still searching for answers at quarterback, speculation is already swirling about what this move could mean.
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Mendoza, the 6-foot-5, 225-pound transfer from California, has compiled 2,124 passing yards this season with 25 touchdowns and four interceptions with the Hoosiers, completing 72.3% of his attempts and posting one of the nation’s most efficient passer ratings (185.2).
He’s produced numerous signature moments — most notably a six-touchdown performance against Indiana State that tied an Indiana program game record — and a string of big-time throws against Power-Five opponents that have turned national scouts’ heads.
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Meanwhile, the Jets, mired in a 1-7 start to the 2025 NFL season, dramatically increased their future draft capital at the November trade deadline by dealing defensive stars CB Sauce Gardner and DT Quinnen Williams.
In return, New York acquired multiple first-round picks in 2026 and 2027, signaling a willingness to accumulate early picks and target premium prospects in a bold move to rebuild from the ground up.
Many believe that those picks are the currency a team would use to chase a top quarterback prospect (like Mendoza) next spring.
