Let's start off by saying this right out of the gate, HOLY HELL! What a thrilling win by the Indiana Hoosiers football team today. It wasn't pretty or easy and at some points in the game it was down right ugly but nevertheless the Indiana Hoosiers are 10-0 and still undefeated after beating the Penn State Nittany Lions on the road Saturday afternoon in Beaver Stadium.
The No. 2 Hoosiers (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten) put together the most exciting game of the year and one to remember for the Indiana fan base and broke the hearts of many Penn State fans around the country.
The game was back and fourth early on and for the majority of the first half it was 10-7 and 17-7 going into the half.
Penn State trailed the Indiana Hoosiers 20-7 early in the third quarter, but the Nittany Lions took the lead in the fourth with a pair of touchdowns on back-to-back drives by star running back Nick Singleton. Indiana and junior signal-caller Fernando Mendoza had a true legacy drive at the end of the game to take the lead late in the fourth quarter though. Mendoza and the Hoosiers offense final, 80-yard drive through the final two minutes lead to a score score on a 7-yard, game-winning touchdown by Omar Cooper Jr. in what was one of the best throws and catches you'll ever see in crunch time or anytime for that matter.
Nicholas Singleton scored all three of the Nittany Lions’ touchdowns, scoring two on runs and on a 19-yard pass from quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer. Singleton ended the game with 71 rushing yards and 22 receiving yards. Ethan Grunkemeyer was 22-for-31 passing with 219 yards and a touchdown, for most of the game he actually outplayed Indiana quarterback and Heisman frontrunner Fernando Mendoza.
Mendoza had a stellar day though with 218 yards on 19-of-30 passing, a touchdown on the ground and of course a game-winning drive and touchdown. Charlie Becker was the star of the day replacing Elijah Saratt. Becker had 7 catches for 118 yards while Omar Cooper had 6 receptions for 32 yards and a game winning touchdown.
On defense Rolijah Hardy had 12 tackles while Aiden Fisher who was a game time decsion to play had 9 tackles on the day inclduing two on the drive to get Mendoza and the IU offense the ball back.
OMAR COOPER UNREAL CATCH FOR THE TD 😱🤯
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 8, 2025
WHAT A GAME. WHAT A CATCH. @IndianaFootball pic.twitter.com/PhHzKjuVB9
Notable stats
Total yards: Penn State 336, Indiana 326
Time of possession: Penn State 28:47, Indiana 30:37
1st downs: Penn State 17, Indiana 19
3rd downs: Penn State 8-15, Indiana 5-12
The Nittany Lions who are now 3-6 will head to Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, Mich., to take on Michigan State at 3:30 p.m. next Saturday.
Curt Cignetti and Indiana head home to Bloomington to take on a 2-6 struggling Wisconsin Badgers team. Indiana's close win may drop them from No. 2 to No. 3 in the College Football Playoff rankings depending on how No. 3 Texas A&M looks versus No. 22 Missouri.
No. 1 Ohio State also took care of business against Purdue on the road in a 34-10.