BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Fernando Mendoza completed 91.7% of his passes for 299 yards and four touchdowns as No. 2 Indiana took another step toward clinching a spot in its first Big Ten title game and likely a second straight playoff berth with a 31-7 victory over Wisconsin on Saturday.
Mendoza spent some time in the injury tent during the fourth quarter, but returned on the next Indiana series to throw his school-record-breaking 30th TD of the season — a 5-yarder to Omar Cooper Jr. Mendoza continued to make his Heisman Trophy case by going 22 of 24 despite being sacked five times.
The Hoosiers (11-0, 8-0 Big Ten, No. 2 CFP) are undefeated through 11 games the first time in school history and have tied last season’s record-setting victory total. They also improved to 15-0 at home — the longest winning streak in school history — in coach Curt Cignetti’s two-year tenure.
Wisconsin (3-7, 1-6) has lost to five ranked teams this season but has not beaten a top-10 team on the road since 2019.
Carter Smith became the first true freshman to start a game for the Badgers since 1991 and finished 9 of 15 with 98 yards, including a 45-yard TD pass to Lance Mason. He also had two turnovers and Wisconsin generated only 23 total yards in the second half.
Indiana took control by closing the first half with a 37-yard field goal to make it 10-7 and opening the second half with a 2-yard TD pass from Mendoza to Holden Staes. The Hoosiers then converted a Badgers turnover into a 21-yard TD pass from Mendoza to Riley Nowakowski, the former Badger. Mendoza and Cooper closed it out with a fourth quarter scoring play for the second straight week.
Wisconsin running back Gideon Ituka left the game on a cart, strapped to a backboard midway through the third quarter after taking two big hits on the same and then hitting his head hard on the playing surface. He gave a thumbs-up signal on his way off. The Badgers did not have an immediate update on Ituka’s condition.
The takeaway
Wisconsin: The Badgers played well enough to stay close — for a half. They’re just not good enough or healthy enough to upset a ranked team on the road.
Indiana: All Cignetti does is win — and this time he did it by getting the Hoosiers to settle down after a ragged first half.
Up next
Wisconsin: Hosts rival Illinois Nov. 22.
Indiana: Has a bye before chasing the first perfect regular season in school history Nov. 28 at rival Purdue.
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