Overview

• Mendoza has 14 passing touchdowns through four games to lead the FBS, with a 76.8% completion rate, a 206.2 efficiency rating and no interceptions for unbeaten Indiana.
• His 21-for-23, five-touchdown showing in a 63-10 win over then-No. 8 Illinois vaulted him to national prominence.
• Major outlets and betting markets have elevated him to frontrunner status, with CBS Sports listing him at +650 entering Week 5.
• Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer is expected to miss multiple games with a hand injury, a setback that reshaped the early race.
• Analysts note the sample size remains limited since he’s been pulled early in three games, and upcoming road tests at Penn State and Oregon will better gauge his candidacy.