The No. 2-ranked Indiana Hoosiers were on the verge of losing to the Penn State Nittany Lions in what would have been one of the biggest upsets of the college football season, but potential No. 1 overall NFL Draft pick Fernando Mendoza came through in the clutch.
With the Hoosiers trailing the Nittany Lions, 24-20, with two minutes to go, Mendoza orchestrated a methodical drive to lead Indiana down the field into the red zone with no timeouts left.
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That’s when the unthinkable happened, with Mendoza finding Omar Cooper Jr. in the back of the endzone for what turned out to be a Touchdown of the Year candidate.
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Cooper elevated above the Nittany Lions’ defense and managed to tiptoe in the back of the endzone to haul in the go-ahead touchdown grab with just over 30 seconds to go in the game.
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FOX Sports’ Gus Johnson was losing his mind after the stunning grab.
This might be the catch of the year!
Fernando Mendoza just marched the Indiana Hoosiers down the field for 80 yards and puts IU back up against Penn State on the road with a TD pass to Omar Cooper Jr. in the back of the endzone.
It was one of the most insane catches you will… pic.twitter.com/Eh5BaJjxVr
— Dusty Baker (@DustyBakerTV) November 8, 2025
Simply incredible.
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The Hoosiers’ defense was able to hold on for a nail-biting 27-24 win on the road against the Nittany Lions to remain unbeaten on the season, advancing to 10-0 on the year.
Up next for the Hoosiers is a return home to Bloomington, where they will welcome the Wisconsin Badgers to The Rock on Saturday, November 15. Penn State, meanwhile, hits the road to East Lansing, where they will face the Michigan State Spartans.
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Sep 27, 2025; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (3) reacts after a touchdown reception against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the first quarter at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images
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