Quarterback Fernando Mendoza and the Indiana offense faced second-and-17 on their own 13-yard line, to the roar of a raucous Beaver Stadium. He had been sacked for the third time and the Hoosiers trailed with less than 90 seconds left.
The offense hadn’t scored since the first drive of the second half, and 17 unanswered points had given the Nittany Lions their first lead. Doubt crept in and it looked like the final nail had been hammered into IU’s coffin. But for Mendoza it was just another opportunity to perform.
What followed that first-down sack would become one of the defining moments of his season – and of Indiana football history.
The Hoosiers marched 83 yards in nine plays and capped the drive with a miraculous catch by Omar Cooper Jr. in the back of the end zone. The remarkable touchdown sealed No. 2 Indiana’s thrilling 27-24 victory against Penn State on Saturday.
“The best thing I can say is we refused to lose,” head coach Curt Cignetti said. “We had one last big run in us when probably most people had counted us out.”
That decision was not new to Indiana. It has been their defining characteristic all season.
The drive mirrored the game-winning drives Indiana made at Iowa and Oregon earlier this season. When the crowd is loudest, the Hoosiers consistently find a way to win.
The common denominator? Indiana’s quarterback.
Mendoza garnered a wealth of hype long before he played a piece of cake for Cignetti. Known for his viral “going 90 yards with my boys” moment at Cal, the Miami native consistently reached big events.
This season alone, he has traveled 76, 75 and 80 yards on game-winning touchdown drives; all on the way. Those are typically known as “Heisman moments.”
On Saturday, Mendoza finished a modest 19-for-30 with 218 yards, two total touchdowns and an interception. The quarterback himself will be the first to criticize his own play. However, Mendoza consistently delivers for his team when they need him most.
With three weeks left in the season, he continues to prove himself as a clutch. Yet Mendoza continues to dismiss Heisman talk and cites his teammates as the reason for the team’s success.
However, his head coach doesn’t want the focus to be on his quarterback’s performance. Instead, he remains committed to his own growth.
“I don’t really think about that,” he said. “We’re trying to develop him into the best player he can be.”
Coachspeak or not, Mendoza listens to his coach’s call.
Seemingly unaffected by the “Heismendoza” chants echoing nationwide, he remains focused – his vision extends far beyond college football’s highest individual honor.
“Our goal is not to win the Heisman, the Biletnikoff or any other end-of-season award,” Mendoza said. “Our goal is to win 1-0 against Wisconsin, beat Purdue and have our best playoff yet.”
Cooper Jr. grinned as Mendoza delivered the praise to his teammates. Like everyone else, he knows his quarterback is the odds-on favorite to win the award.
Another teammate wasn’t afraid to break the silence after a third straight win. Usually in step with Cignetti, linebacker Aidan Fisher didn’t hesitate to report on Mendoza’s performance.
“If you’re looking for a Heisman moment, that was it,” Fisher said. “Mendoza is the best player in the country, and he showed that today.”
Mendoza may not be as flashy as some Heisman winners from previous years. However, it is his mentality that helps him fight through adversity. All three of this season’s winning games came on costly fourth-quarter interceptions.
After trying to make a play and throwing an interception that gave Penn State the lead, Mendoza returned to what got him where he is today: fundamentals.
During the two-minute drill, the former two-star recruit battled adversity like a fundamentally sound quarterback, not a superhero.
“A crazy Superman game isn’t going to win the game,” Mendoza recalled thinking. “By sticking to our fundamentals and our roles, it would win.”
Heisman votes are due in a month. A lot can happen in that short time. Still, it’s hard to imagine a world in which Mendoza isn’t sitting center stage in the Appel Room of New York’s Lincoln Center.
Cooper Jr.’s catch may be called Superman-esque, but Indiana’s Clark Kent – and perhaps the first Heisman winner – is Mendoza.
(Photo credit: Indiana is BTN)
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