Fernando Mendoza threw for 215 yards and a key fourth-quarter touchdown as the No. 7 Indiana Hoosiers stunned No. 3 Oregon Ducks 30-20 on Saturday to stay unbeaten.
Roman Hemby added two rushing scores for the Hoosiers (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten), who delivered a defensive clinic, sacking Oregon quarterback Dante Moore six times and forcing three turnovers.
Moore threw for 186 yards and a touchdown for the Ducks (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten) but struggled to find rhythm against Indiana’s relentless pass rush. His two interceptions in the fourth quarter sealed Oregon’s fate.
The Ducks appeared to grab momentum when Brandon Finney intercepted Mendoza and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown to tie the game 20-20 with 12:42 left. Mendoza quickly responded, hitting Elijah Sarratt on an 8-yard scoring pass with 6:23 remaining to put Indiana back on top.
On Oregon’s next possession, Louis Moore intercepted Dante Moore, and Brendan Franke’s 22-yard field goal with just over two minutes left put the game out of reach.
Indiana’s win snapped one of college football’s most lopsided streaks. The Hoosiers had been 1-72 all-time against AP Top-5 opponents and had lost 46 straight such games, tied with Wake Forest for the longest drought in history.
Both teams entered off bye weeks, but Indiana came out sharper and more physical. The victory gives the Hoosiers a signature win under head coach Curt Cignetti, whose only previous losses at Indiana came against Top-5 teams. The program is now firmly in the College Football Playoff conversation.
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