No. 19 Indiana routs 9th-ranked Illinois 63-10

Jeff Hauser

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No. 19 Indiana routs 9th-ranked Illinois 63-10 image

Fernando Mendoza threw for 267 yards and five touchdown passes to four different receivers in Indiana's 63-10 rout of No. 9 Illinois on Saturday night. An even balance with Khobie Martin rushing for 102 yards and two scores to lead the Hoosiers backs, who had 306 yards on the ground. 

For Illinois, nothing went right on either side of the ball. Luke Altmyer went 14-of-22 for 146 yards and a touchdown. However, there was no rushing attack from the fighting Illini, who had a total of two yards on the ground. They also went 1-of-10 for third down conversions.  

The Hoosiers jumped out to an early lead and didn't look back. Indiana scored on 9-of-12 possessions with no field goals. They led 35-10 at halftime and finished with 579 yards.

The win for Indiana will boost them in tomorrow AP Top 25 rankings. 

Indiana 63, Illinois 10 Final

Q4 4:49- Indiana 63, Illinois 10 

Ethan Hampton pass intercepted Amare Ferrell. The Hoosiers get the ball back and will likely kill the clock 

Q4 6:40- SCORE ALERT Indiana 63, Illinois 10 

Khobie Martin run for 8 yds for a TD (Nico Radicic KICK)

Q4 14:09- SCORE ALERT Indiana 56, Illinois 10 

Khobie Martin run for 31 yds for a TD (Nico Radicic KICK)

END OF THE THIRD QUARTER 

Indiana 49, Illinois 10

Q3 4:16- Indiana 49, Illinois 10 

Illinois' offense has no answer for the Hoosiers defense. They're punting for the 8th time tonight

Q3 5:02- SCORE ALERT Indiana 49, Illinois 10 

Fernando Mendoza pass complete to Elijah Sarratt for 5 yds for a TD (Nico Radicic KICK)

Q3 11:38- SCORE ALERT Indiana 42, Illinois 10 

Kaelon Black run for 40 yds for a TD (Nico Radicic KICK)

Indiana receives second half kick 

Team Stats

HalftimeIllinoisIndiana
1st Downs714
3rd down efficiency1-73-6
4th down efficiency0-01-1
Total Yards146279
Passing143220
Comp/Att12/1715/17
Yards per pass8.412.9
Interceptions thrown00
Rushing359
Rushing Attempts1416
Yards per rush0.23.7
Penalties3-182-10
Turnovers00
Fumbles lost00
Interceptions thrown00
Possession13:5616:04

HALFTIME: Indiana 35, Illinois 7 

Q2 0:00- SCORE ALERT Indiana 35, Illinois 7

David Olano 46 yd FG GOOD 

Q2 1:09- SCORE ALERT Indiana 35, Illinois 10  

Fernando Mendoza pass complete to Elijah Sarratt for 9 yards for a TD (Nico Radicic KICK)

Q2 2:00-Indiana 28, Illinois 7

Kaelon Black run for 23 yards to the ILL 24 for a 1ST down. Just outside the red zone with the Hoosiers looking to add another score before halftime. 

Q2 4:23-Indiana 28, Illinois 7

Another three and out by Illinois offense. Not a good look for them in the first half 

Q2 6:17- SCORE ALERT Indiana 28, Illinois 7 

Fernando Mendoza pass complete to Riley Nowakowski for 43 yards for a TD (Nico Radicic KICK)

Q2 11:05- SCORE ALERT Indiana 21, Illinois 7 

Fernando Mendoza pass complete to E.J. Williams Jr. for 11 yards for a TD (Nico Radicic KICK)

Q2 14:46-Indiana 14, Illinois 7 

Both teams have started a puntfest. Two by Illinois and one by Indiana with the Hoosiers getting the ball back. 

END OF FIRST QUARTER: Indiana 14, Illinois 7 

Q1 4:41- SCORE ALERT Indiana 14, Illinois 7 

Fernando Mendoza pass complete to Omar Cooper Jr. for 11 yards for a TD (Nico Radicic KICK). This capped off a 7-play, 75-yard drive.

Q1 8:24- SCORE ALERT Indiana 7, Illinois 7 

Luke Altmyer pass complete to Collin Dixon for 59 yards for a TD (David Olano KICK)

Q1 9:26- SCORE ALERT Indiana 7, Illinois 0 

D'Angelo Ponds return a block punt 11 yards for a TD (Nico Radicic KICK)'

Q1 10:43 - No score 

Fernando Mendoza sacked by Leon Lowery Jr. for a loss of 9 yards to the IU 17, A punt comes two plays later

Q1 12:46 - No score

Luke Altmyer and the Illinois offense stalls with a punt on the first drive

Start of game- Illinois receives the ball first

LIVE updates: Follow along with all the action as Illinois  battles Indiana in Week 4 

The new era of college football has produced its share of unexpected storylines, and few are more striking than the simultaneous rise of Indiana and Illinois. 

Just a year ago, Indiana shocked the sport by breaking through to the College Football Playoff, while Illinois quietly put together a 10-3 campaign. Now, both programs enter Week 4 of the 2025 season undefeated, each at 3-0, setting the stage for a highly anticipated Big Ten clash in Bloomington.

On Saturday night, Memorial Stadium will host No. 9 Illinois against No. 19 Indiana in the conference opener for both teams. Illinois rides into the matchup fresh off a dominant 38-0 win over Western Michigan, while Indiana comes in after overwhelming in-state rival Indiana State 73-0. The Fighting Illini have built their 3-0 start on disciplined defense and a balanced attack, while the Hoosiers have shown an ability to score in bunches, averaging over 50 points per game through September.

Illinois, 10-3 a season ago, proved it could travel by going 3-2 on the road over the last two years. Indiana, meanwhile, has transformed its home field into a fortress, going 11-0 in Bloomington since the start of 2024. That streak will be tested against an opponent that boasts both momentum and a top-10 ranking. Oddsmakers have Indiana as a seven-point favorite, a nod to their consistency at home and the strength of their roster.

Historically, Illinois has owned the rivalry, leading the all-time series 46-25-3. The Illini claimed a 48-45 thriller in their last meeting in 2023, but the balance has shifted in recent decades. The programs have split their last 20 matchups evenly, with each of the past two decided by just a field goal. That trend underscores how competitive the rivalry has become despite Illinois’ overall advantage.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET under the lights, with Memorial Stadium providing the backdrop for the 74th meeting between these familiar foes. Whether Indiana extends its perfect home run or Illinois asserts itself as a legitimate Big Ten contender, Saturday night promises to add another dramatic chapter to a series that has grown tighter and more compelling in the modern era.

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Jeff Hauser

Jeff Hauser is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He has over twenty years of experience and is a two-time Emmy Award winner, Heisman Trophy and Biletnikoff Award voter. Among the events he has covered are the Super Bowl, College Football Playoff, World Series, World Cup, and WBC Boxing. Hauser is a regular guest on FOX Sports and ESPN Radio. He previously wrote for Sports Illustrated, SB Nation and Athlon Sports.