Overview
- Indiana beat Ohio State 13-10 in Indianapolis for its first outright Big Ten championship since 1945 and first win over the Buckeyes since 1988, ending OSU’s 16-game winning streak.
- After Ohio State’s Jayden Fielding missed a 27-yard field goal with 2:48 left, Fernando Mendoza converted third-and-6 with a 33-yard strike to Charlie Becker to all but seal the win.
- Playing through an early hit, Mendoza also delivered a 17-yard touchdown to Elijah Sarratt as Indiana leaned on timely downfield shots and controlled the fourth quarter.
- Indiana’s defense hounded QB Julian Sayin with five sacks and eight tackles for loss, including three first-half sacks, to keep the Buckeyes out of the end zone after halftime.
- Curt Cignetti improved to 24-2 at Indiana, tying the Big Ten record for most wins in a coach’s first two seasons, as the Hoosiers secure the CFP’s top seed with a Jan. 1 Rose Bowl semifinal and Mendoza among the Heisman frontrunners.