Overview

• Cal transfer Fernando Mendoza went 21-for-23 for 267 yards and five touchdowns, finding four different receivers for first-half scores.
• Cornerback D'Angelo Ponds opened the scoring by blocking a punt and recovering it for a touchdown.
• Indiana's defense registered seven sacks with 10 tackles for loss and limited Illinois to 161 total yards.
• National picks heavily leaned toward Illinois, including most of ESPN's College GameDay panel and a unanimous USA TODAY slate, which the blowout emphatically disproved.
• At 4-0, Indiana's path now runs through trips to Iowa, No. 6 Oregon and No. 2 Penn State, games widely viewed as defining its playoff resume.