Indiana Football Stuns the Big Ten: 5 Game-Changing Moments You Need to See

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana football has reached a crossroads that few predicted when the season kicked off in late August. The No. 12 Hoosiers (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) travel to Autzen Stadium today for a nationally-televised showdown with No. 10 Oregon (5-0, 2-0), a game that will shape both programs’ College Football Playoff hopes and tilt the balance of the expanded Big Ten race. Why this game matters • Undefeated stakes: Indiana hasn’t opened 6-0 since 1967, the year of its lone Rose Bowl appearance. Head coach Curt Cignetti’s second Hoosier squad has already knocked off Washington and Penn State, but an upset in Eugene would vault IU firmly into the CFP top eight. • Conference realignment theater: Both teams are new Big Ten opponents, thanks to the league’s coast-to-coast makeover. A head-to-head win offers a crucial tiebreaker with no East/West divisions in 2025. • National window: CBS is airing the matchup in prime time, placing quarterback Fernando Mendoza, wideout Elijah Sarratt and a suddenly stingy Hoosier defense on the biggest stage of their careers. Key storylines to watch 1. Mendoza vs. Moore: IU’s junior transfer is completing 71 percent of his passes and has yet to throw an interception. Oregon counters with blue-chip sophomore Dante Moore, who has 18 touchdown passes in five games. Whichever QB handles third-and-long better likely decides the night. 2. Red-zone resistance: Indiana leads the Big Ten in red-zone defense (57 percent scoring rate allowed). Oregon’s up-tempo attack runs 79 plays per game and converts 92 percent inside the 20. Something has to give. 3. Road warriors: Cignetti emphasized crowd simulation noise all week to prepare for Autzen’s notorious decibel level. The Hoosiers have committed just four pre-snap penalties all season, fewest in the conference. Big-picture implications Indiana’s remaining slate features Michigan State, UCLA and Ohio State, all at Memorial Stadium—each already sold out as IU announced its first full-season sellout in program history earlier this month. Beating Oregon would give the Hoosiers margin for error before that November gauntlet and could catapult them into the AP Top-10 for the first time since 1945. Players to know • Elijah Sarratt, WR – Averaging 18.7 yards per catch, the James Madison transfer has become Mendoza’s deep-ball weapon. • Mikail Kamara, EDGE – Leads IU with 5.5 sacks; his speed off the edge will test Oregon’s revamped tackles. • Hosea Wheeler, DT – A revelation in the middle, the sophomore dominated Penn State and drew double-teams in every game since. Prediction Oddsmakers opened with Oregon a touchdown favorite, but the line has narrowed to 6.5 as bettors respect Indiana’s defense. Expect a fourth-quarter thriller; if the Hoosiers protect the football and steal one possession with a takeaway, the program’s most significant victory in half a century is within reach. Search-friendly takeaways Indiana Hoosiers football, Big Ten standings, College Football Playoff scenarios, Indiana vs. Oregon TV channel, Curt Cignetti coaching record, IU sellout streak, Fernando Mendoza stats, Elijah Sarratt breakout, Mikail Kamara sacks, Autzen Stadium crowd noise—every keyword fans are googling ahead of kickoff is baked in above.