Indiana football had never won a game at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania, entering Saturday’s contest against Penn State.
However, this changed Saturday when the Hoosiers notched a tight 27-24 victory over the Nittany Lions.
Both teams struggled to move the ball on offense to start the game, each punting on their initial two drives.
But the Hoosiers struck first.
Just under the three-minute mark in the first quarter, redshirt junior quarterback Fernando Mendoza and sophomore wide receiver Charlie Becker connected down field for a 53-yard completion. Two plays later, Mendoza ran the ball up the middle for an 18-yard touchdown to grant the Hoosiers a 7-0 lead.
The Nittany Lions responded with a score of their own to begin the second quarter. Senior running back Nicholas Singleton punched in a two-yard rushing score, evening the game at seven points.
On its ensuing drive, Mendoza led Indiana on a lengthy 15-play and over eight-and-a-half-minute possession. However, the Hoosiers were unable to convert in the red zone, resulting in a 28-yard field goal from redshirt sophomore kicker Nico Radicic.
Indiana got the ball back quickly after redshirt junior defensive back Jamari Sharpe forced a fumble. Senior linebacker Aiden Fisher recovered, setting the Hoosiers up at the Penn State 22-yard line. Redshirt senior running back Kaelon Black then ran the ball for a one-yard touchdown, extending Indiana’s advantage to 17-7 heading into halftime.
To start the second half, the Hoosiers generated another turnover. Fisher secured an interception on the Nittany Lions’ first possession of the second half. Indiana drove down to the red zone before Radicic hit a 31-yard field goal –– his second of the game.
Following Radicic’s field goal, the Nittany Lions converted a 36-yard field goal, to reduce their deficit back to 10 points.
Penn State forced an Indiana punt on its ensuing drive. Then Singleton took over. Singleton set the Nittany Lions up at the two-yard line with a 59-yard rush, before scoring from one-yard out.
Upon getting the ball back, Mendoza tossed an interception. After their forced turnover, the Nittany Lions began the next possession in Indiana territory.
Penn State redshirt freshman quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer hit Singleton in the flat. The running back sliced through the Indiana defense en route to a 19-yard touchdown, pushing the Nittany Lions out to a 24-20 lead with just under six and a half minutes remaining.
Needing an answer, Indiana’s offense found one on its final possession. Mendoza led the Hoosiers down inside the red zone with chunk gains, before connecting with redshirt junior wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. in the back of the end zone. Cooper Jr. leaped and managed to get a foot down to secure the 7-yard go-ahead touchdown with 36 seconds remaining to cap off a game-winning 10-play, 80-yard drive.
Mendoza finished the game with 218 yards passing and a touchdown through the air. Becker led the Hoosiers with 118 yards receiving and seven catches.
The Hoosiers look to stay undefeated when they take on Wisconsin at noon Nov. 15 at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington. The game will be streamed on the Big Ten Network.
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.
