Indiana entered its final regular season matchup against Purdue on Friday with an 11-0 overall record, looking to achieve the first 12-0 regular season record in school history.
Redshirt junior quarterback Fernando Mendoza has been central to the Hoosiers’ success in 2025.
Mendoza is the odds-on-favorite to win the Heisman Trophy, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, garnering the nickname “HeisMendoza.” The Miami native owned a 184.84 passing efficiency rating heading into Friday’s matchup. He broke Indiana’s single-season passing touchdown record when he threw his 30th of the season against Wisconsin on Nov. 15.
However, Friday’s game at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette brought temperatures in the low 20s — setting the stage for what Mendoza, a transfer from the University of California, Berkeley, said was the coldest game of his collegiate career.
Facing the elements, Mendoza was not his usual Heisman-contender self early against the Boilermakers. The Indiana signal caller completed just five of his 12 passing attempts for 42 yards in the first half.
Mendoza’s incompletions included three near interceptions and an underthrow intended for redshirt junior wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr., who had broken free down the sideline.
Amid the passing game struggles and cold temperatures, Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti and his staff leaned on the run game. The Hoosiers gained 209 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground in the first half.
Indiana’s rushing attack propelled the Hoosiers to a dominant 56-3 victory over Purdue on Friday. The Hoosiers combined for 355 total ground yards and five rushing touchdowns to secure the Old Oaken Bucket and the first Big Ten Football Championship appearance in school history.
“Well, when you play in these kind of conditions, it sure helps that you can run the football, right?” Cignetti said postgame. “And people talk about defense travels, run game travels too, especially in these kind of conditions. And the pass game took a while — really never quite was on point. But the run game sure was good. A lot of explosive plays.”
An 82-yard touchdown scamper in the second quarter from redshirt senior running back Roman Hemby marked the most explosive play on the ground Friday night. Hemby burst through Purdue’s defensive front before stiff arming a member of the Boilermakers’ secondary and winning the footrace to the endzone.
Hemby’s 82-yard score was the longest of his collegiate career, and the 10th longest rush in program history. The redshirt senior finished his night with 12 carries for 152 yards and a touchdown.
“But for me to be able to get out there and make it happen today with my legs, it felt really good,” Hemby said postgame. “And I think that was my career longest run. So, building on that, going into the most meaningful football that I think I’ve ever played, it’s a big confidence boost.”
Although Hemby had the highlight play, redshirt senior running back Kaelon Black handled the most carries out of Indiana’s backfield.
Black rushed for 66 yards across 13 carries, while adding two rushing scores. Black’s first rushing touchdown came from 1 yard out and showcased an elusive spin move to evade a Purdue defender on his second score — a 16-yard rush up the middle.
Indiana’s offensive line was pivotal in the dominance of the rushing attack, consistently opening running lanes at the line of scrimmage.
Redshirt freshman Adedamola Ajani retained the starting left guard spot despite redshirt junior Drew Evans returning from a three-game absence. Meanwhile, redshirt senior Zen Michalski started at right tackle over sixth-year redshirt senior Kahlil Benson.
“We had some banged up guys throughout the season and we haven’t missed a beat," Hemby said. “And that’s awesome. That’s something that a running back like myself really dreams of. Being able to go out there and no matter what five guys are out there, they’re going to do their job, and I gotta do my job to kind of make it easier for them.”
In addition to the backfield tandem of Hemby and Black, redshirt freshman running back Khobie Martin added eight carries for 51 yards and a touchdown.
With the game out of reach, redshirt freshman quarterback Alberto Mendoza — Fernando’s younger brother — entered and broke loose for a 58-yard rush. The Mendoza brothers combined for 86 rushing yards and a touchdown against the Boilermakers.
In a pregame interview, Cignetti said he wanted his team to finish Friday’s game with an exclamation point, not a question mark. With its passing game faltering, Indiana’s ground game delivered exactly that, punching the Hoosiers’ ticket to the Big Ten Championship on Dec. 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Follow reporters Conor Banks (@Conorbanks06 and conbanks@iu.edu) and Dalton James (@DaltonMJames and jamesdm@iu.edu) and columnist Quinn Richards (@Quinn_richa and qmrichar@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana football season.
