4 Takeaways From Indiana’s Dominant Win Over UCLA on ‘Big Noon Saturday’

If college football fans weren’t convinced of Indiana’s quality when the Hoosiers smacked then-No. 9 Illinois by 53 points, or when they went on the road and came from behind in the fourth quarter to beat Iowa, or when they flew across the country and knocked off then-No. 3 Oregon, 30-20, perhaps this season’s latest data point will finally do the trick: a 56-6 demolition of previously red-hot UCLA.

Save for one punt late in the opening half, Indiana scored touchdowns on seven straight possessions from the waning minutes of the first quarter through the 11:11 mark of the fourth quarter. It was an impeccable performance in all three phases that left little doubt about the Hoosiers’ credentials as a legitimate national championship contender and snapped a feel-good UCLA winning streak. 

Here are my takeaways: 

1. Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza continues to flash resiliency  

Two weeks ago, during Indiana’s highly anticipated matchup with then-No. 3 Oregon, quarterback Fernando Mendoza tossed an ill-fated interception that was returned 35 yards by cornerback Brandon Finney Jr. for a touchdown that tied the game early in the fourth quarter. It was only the second interception of the season for Mendoza, a highly coveted transfer from Cal, and one that might have rattled his confidence given the raucous atmosphere at Autzen Stadium and everything that was on the line for the Hoosiers, who were still clawing for respect from the national media despite reaching last year’s College Football Playoff. 

Mendoza was approached along the visiting sideline by inside linebacker Aiden Fisher, arguably Indiana’s best defensive player and a holdover from head coach Curt Cignetti’s time at James Madison. Fisher told Mendoza that he believed in him, that he knew Mendoza would bounce back strongly, that one poorly thrown ball wouldn’t seal the Hoosiers’ fate. The quarterback responded by leading a 12-play, 75-yard touchdown drive that was capped by an 8-yard pass to wide receiver Elijah Sarratt for what proved to be the winning score. Resiliency at its finest. 

In the first quarter of Saturday’s game against UCLA, which arrived at Memorial Stadium as one of the hottest teams in the country, Mendoza threw another interception on Indiana’s first drive. His fifth pass of the afternoon was batted by a defensive lineman at the line of scrimmage and — after the ball rattled back through Mendoza’s hands — snagged by nickel defender Scooter Jackson near midfield, injecting the Bruins with life after their own quarterback, Nico Iamaleava, had thrown a pick-6 to begin the game.  

Aiden Fisher gets a PICK-SIX off Nico Iamaleava to put Indiana up 7-0 over UCLA

But just like he did at Oregon earlier this month, Mendoza responded with the coolness and poise expected from one of the best quarterbacks in the country. Mendoza ripped a beautiful completion to wideout E.J. Williams Jr. on Indiana’s next drive, nimbly navigating the pocket before sliding to his left to create a throwing lane. The 30-yard gain pushed Indiana inside the 10-yard line on a possession that ultimately ended with a short rushing touchdown by tailback Roman Hemby. And just like that, the Hoosiers led 14-0 with 4:02 remaining in the opening quarter. 

By game’s end, Mendoza had completed 15 of 22 passes for 168 yards and three touchdowns while also rushing five times for 45 yards and one additional score. 

2. Back-shoulder throws continue to propel Hoosiers’ offense   

Even after Indiana wide receiver Elijah Sarratt knifed across the goal line to catch a short touchdown from quarterback Fernando Mendoza early in the second quarter on Saturday, his stat line was far from eye-catching: two receptions, 6 yards, one score. To that point, fellow wideout E.J. Williams Jr. had been the more dynamic target with a 30-yard catch to set up a rushing touchdown for tailback Roman Hemby. 

But Sarratt’s uncanny ability to execute what has become a staple of Indiana’s offense ever since head coach Curt Cignetti took over — the back-shoulder throw — makes him a thorn in the side of opposing defensive backs, even when he’s not actually catching the football. Sarratt drew a 15-yard pass interference penalty late in the first quarter when Mendoza intentionally underthrew his pass toward the left sideline, at which point Sarratt broke back toward the ball and cornerback Andre Jordan Jr. grabbed him out of desperation. Three plays later, Sarratt drew another 15-yard pass interference penalty when UCLA’s other starting corner, Rodrick Pleasant, couldn’t stop himself from grabbing Sarratt at the point of attack. 

Those two penalties accounted for 40% of the total yardage on an 11-play, 75-yard touchdown that ended with Mendoza’s short throw to Sarratt, extending the Hoosier’s lead to 21-0 early in the second quarter. It was an emphatic reminder that Sarratt is one of the most dangerous receivers in the country both with and without the ball — and that’s all because of how smoothly and effectively Indiana executes the back-shoulder throw. 

Sarratt, who entered the weekend having amassed more receiving yards (603) and receiving touchdowns (nine) than Ohio State star Jeremiah Smith, finished Saturday’s game with the lowest single-game receiving output of his career — 6 yards — and didn’t even have to play in the fourth quarter. And yet, his impact on Indiana’s blowout win was significant nonetheless. 

3. Transfer success highlights Curt Cignetti’s evaluation skills 

When Indiana put the finishing touches on its 2025 transfer portal class, the group was ranked 25th in the country and seventh in the Big Ten by 247Sports. The year prior, when Cignetti initiated a significant roster overhaul that saw the Hoosiers bring in 31 transfers — many of them from Cignetti’s old team at James Madison — the class was ranked 29th overall and eighth in the conference. Neither batch of newcomers set the college football world on fire relative to splashier bunches at schools like Ole Miss, Oregon, LSU, Texas Tech and Miami.

Based on the high-level production Indiana received from some of its transfers during Saturday’s demolition of UCLA, though, it’s hard to argue that many coaches or personnel departments around college football have keener eyes for talent than the group Cignetti has assembled in Bloomington, where the Hoosiers are ranked No. 2 in the nation for the first time in program history. 

Fernando Mendoza #15 of the Indiana Hoosiers throws a pass against the UCLA Bruins. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

Even putting aside quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who was a standout at Cal last season and has played even better for Indiana in 2025, vaulting himself into legitimate Heisman Trophy consideration, there were newcomers making sizable impacts all over the field: 

— Consider tailback Roman Hemby, a transfer from Maryland who starred in 2022 before his role shrunk each of the last two seasons. On Saturday, Hemby carried 17 times for 81 yards and two touchdowns to brutalize UCLA’s defensive front. 

— Consider center Pat Coogan, a starter in last year’s national championship game for Notre Dame, is now anchoring an Indiana offensive line that only surrendered one tackle for loss and zero sacks before easing off in the fourth quarter against the Bruins. So much about Saturday’s discrepancy in yards per play — Indiana averaged 6.6; UCLA averaged 3.8 through the first three quarters — was indicative of what happened in the trenches. 

— Consider defensive tackle Hosea Wheeler, a first-team All-Conference USA performer at Western Kentucky, who has accepted reduced playing time with Indiana but sliced into the backfield to recover a fumble by tailback Jalen Berger early in the second quarter, setting up another touchdown for the Hoosiers. 

Performances like those and so many others — including from a handful of former James Madison players still flanking Cignetti in their push toward a national championship — are why Indiana will continue to be a popular destination for players in the portal. And at this point, nobody should doubt Cignetti’s eye for talent. 

4. New challenges await retooled UCLA coaching staff

The first batch of hurdles that interim coach Tim Skipper needed to traverse after he was elevated to the leading role following an early-season firing of head coach DeShaun Foster, were equal parts logistical and emotional. 

He needed to reorganize the coaching staff after the departure of defensive coordinator Ikaika Malloe and offensive coordinator Tino Sunseri, whose roles were ultimately filled by the freshly hired Kevin Coyle and the elevated youngster Jerry Neuheisel, respectively. He needed to galvanize UCLA’s roster at a time when Foster’s departure meant the transfer portal would immediately open for 30 days, giving each Bruin the chance to reassess his individual future. He needed to find ways to put a significantly better product on the field considering UCLA had already dropped two games to teams outside the power conferences in UNLV and New Mexico.

Those challenges, without question, were handled with aplomb when UCLA reeled off three straight wins over then-No. 7 Penn State, Michigan State and Maryland entering this weekend’s showdown with the second-ranked Hoosiers. And off the field, where maintaining roster continuity is more difficult than ever, Skipper didn’t lose a single player to the transfer portal. His efforts should be lauded and commended. 

But now, in the wake of a lopsided beatdown at Indiana, the challenges facing UCLA’s leaders are significantly tougher — from a football perspective, anyway — given how challenging the Bruins’ remaining schedule is. UCLA will have a week off before embarking on a brutal run that includes Nebraska (home), No. 1 Ohio State (away), Washington (home) and USC (away).

Things could go sideways in a hurry for the Bruins if the letdown against Indiana represents the end of a wonderful honeymoon period for Skipper and Co. the last few weeks.  

4 ½: Indiana should finish the regular season unbeaten

Regardless of what people thought about the resurgence at UCLA, it was fair to argue that the Bruins are — or, considering what happened on Saturday, were — the least dysfunctional team remaining on Indiana’s schedule. 

The Hoosiers’ next game comes against a Maryland squad that failed to notch a win in October and has blown three straight fourth-quarter leads. Then comes Penn State, which is riding a four-game losing streak; Wisconsin, which entered Week 9 on a five-game losing streak; and Purdue, which entered Week 9 on a five-game losing streak. 

Which of those teams might be capable of beating the Hoosiers considering how flawlessly Cignetti’s group operates? The answer, at least right now, is almost certainly none of them. Indiana should roll into the Big Ten Championship game. 

Michael Cohen covers college football and college basketball for FOX Sports. Follow him at @Michael_Cohen13.

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