Quick thoughts on IU Football’s 38-13 win against Michigan State at Memorial Stadium in front of 55,165 fans:
Key plays for the Hoosiers
Fernando Mendoza’s touchdown pass to EJ Williams Jr. put IU on the board
After Michigan State opened the game with a drive that lasted nearly seven minutes and ended with a 38-yard field goal by Martin Connington, the Hoosiers responded quickly.
Mendoza capped an 11-play, 75-yard drive with a 13-yard pass to Williams, putting the Hoosiers ahead 7-3 with 2:40 left in the opening quarter.
The Heisman frontrunner threw for 56 yards on the opening drive for the Hoosiers and completed six of his seven pass attempts.
EJ Williams Jr. gives no. 3 @Indianafootball the lead!
?: Peacock pic.twitter.com/Z9sUMXWtzR
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) October 18, 2025
39-yard reception by Riley Nowakowski sets up the second touchdown
The Spartans regained the lead on a touchdown pass from Aiden Chiles to Nick Marsh, but the Hoosiers responded quickly.
On 2nd-and-17 from its own 37, Mendoza found Nowakowski for a 39-yard completion to put IU at the Michigan State 24-yard line.
One play later, Mendoza’s touchdown pass to Elijah Sarratt put the Hoosiers ahead again, 14-10, with 6:47 to play in the second quarter.
Hoosiers take control with the third touchdown on the third drive of the game
Michigan State dominated the time of possession in the first half, but came away with just one touchdown and a field goal in its four possessions.
Indiana, meanwhile, scored on all three possessions in the first half. The final score of the Hoosiers’ first 30 minutes came on a 29-yard touchdown run from Kaelon Black.
That touchdown, IU’s third of the afternoon, made it a 21-10 lead with just under a minute remaining. Despite a great first half, Michigan State trailed by two scores at intermission, a sign of how dominant Indiana has been through its first seven games.
Mendoza’s fourth touchdown pass puts Michigan State away
Indiana extended the lead to four scores – and put the game away for good – with a beautiful pass from Mendoza to Sarratt with just under four minutes left in the third quarter.
The freshman IU quarterback made an NFL-caliber throw to Sarratt, a strike of 27 yards, to put the Hoosiers ahead 35-10.
At that point, Mendoza’s line was: 20 completions on 23 attempts, four touchdowns and 298 yards. There was no hangover for Mendoza after last week’s victory at the Autzen Stadium.
SET IT ON REPEAT. pic.twitter.com/YXJpMIihQX
— Indiana Football (@IndianaFootball) October 18, 2025
Offensive highlights
Mendoza only solidified his candidacy for the Heisman Trophy with his play against Michigan State. He finished with 332 passing yards and four touchdowns.
His top target of the afternoon was Omar Cooper Jr., who finished with eight catches and 110 receiving yards and a touchdown. Williams had five catches for 59 yards and a touchdown and Sarratt had four catches for 70 yards and two touchdowns.
Defensive outliers
It was a slow start defensively for the Hoosiers, who allowed a field goal and a touchdown on Michigan State’s first two possessions.
But IU’s defense was on edge from that point on, as the Spartans didn’t score again until a field goal with 36 seconds left.
Defensive back Louis Moore led the Hoosiers with 11 tackles and linebacker Aiden Fisher had nine tackles, including 1.5 tackles for a loss. Defensive lineman Stephen Daley had two sacks.
What’s next for the Hoosiers
Indiana is back at Memorial Stadium next weekend for a game against UCLA.
The 7-0 Hoosiers will host the Bruins, who are currently playing Maryland in Los Angeles. A kick-off time and TV schedule for next Saturday’s match will be announced on Sunday afternoon.
(Photo credit: IU Athletics)
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