From Unthinkable to Unbeatable: No. 2 Indiana Stuns No. 1 Ohio State for First Outright Big Ten Title Since 1945

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INDIANAPOLIS, IN — The greatest turnaround in college football history culminated on Saturday night as the No. 2 Indiana Hoosiers (13-0) shocked the nation, defeating the reigning national champion No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes (12-1) 13-10 in the Big Ten Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium.

The victory not only cements the Hoosiers’ perfect 13-0 season but also secures the program’s first outright Big Ten Championship since 1945—an 80-year drought. The win simultaneously snaps a 30-game losing streak against the Buckeyes dating back to 1988 and guarantees Indiana the coveted No. 1 overall seed in the 12-team College Football Playoff.

Defense Wins the Day

In a duel between the two top-ranked defenses in the country, the Hoosiers proved the more resilient and ferocious unit.

Hoosier Dominance: Indiana’s defense held the explosive Ohio State offense to just 322 total yards and a mere 58 rushing yards. The defensive front lived in the Buckeyes’ backfield, generating nine tackles for loss and five sacks, led by Isaiah Jones (2 sacks, 2 TFL).
Clutch Goal Line Stands: The defense rose to the occasion twice in the second half, stopping the Buckeyes inside the 5-yard line. The most critical came late in the third quarter when a replay review overturned a first-down call, ruling Ohio State QB Julian Sayin short on 4th-and-1 from the IU 5-yard line, turning the ball over to the Hoosiers.
The Miss: The defense’s efforts were nearly undermined when Ohio State kicker Jayden Fielding missed a potential game-tying 29-yard field goal wide left with 2:48 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Mendoza’s Heisman Moment

The Heisman Trophy frontrunners, Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza and Ohio State’s Sayin, largely played to a draw, but Mendoza delivered the one defining score that mattered.

The Go-Ahead Strike: Trailing 10-6 at halftime, Indiana marched 88 yards in seven plays on their first drive of the third quarter. After a 51-yard bomb to Charlie Becker, Mendoza tucked a 17-yard pass into the hands of Elijah Sarratt in the corner of the end zone, giving Indiana its first lead of the second half at 13-10.
Icing the Game: Mendoza sealed the victory by connecting with Becker again for a crucial 33-yard pass on third down late in the fourth quarter, allowing the Hoosiers to run the clock down and punt the ball away with seconds remaining

Mendoza finished 15-of-23 for 222 yards and the decisive touchdown, a performance likely securing him the Heisman Trophy.

An Unstoppable Ascent

Before head coach Curt Cignetti arrived two years ago, Indiana football was languishing with a 3-24 record over three Big Ten seasons. Now, the Hoosiers have achieved their first-ever undefeated regular season and hold the most wins in a two-year span in program history.

“We were never supposed to be in this position, but now we’re the flipping champs,” shouted Mendoza after being named the game’s MVP.

Coach Cignetti, ever composed, remarked, “It’s another step we needed to take as a program. We’re going to go in the playoffs as the No. 1 seed, and a lot of people probably thought that wasn’t possible. But when you get the right people and you have a plan and they love one another and play for one another and they commit, anything’s possible.”

Indiana’s seismic win not only ends a near-eight-decade wait for an outright title but also transforms them from one of college football’s all-time losingest programs into the nation’s No. 1 team heading into the postseason.