Indiana
Indiana’s Curt Cignetti praises UCLA as ‘undefeated’ in wake of midseason surge
As UCLA prepared to try to topple its highest-ranked opponent in nearly two decades, one coach talked about the challenges of beating an undefeated team, of stopping its vaunted rushing attack, of halting its quick starts.
The coach was Curt Cignetti.
His team just happened to be No. 2 Indiana, the pop-up juggernaut that the Bruins will try to take down on Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
“We’re playing a 3-0 football team that’s undefeated, that’s 3-0 in the conference since they have retooled their staff,” Cignetti told reporters. “Very impressive football team.”
So startling is the transformation that the Bruins have made since their winless start that they are the ones now being praised by the coach of one of the nation’s top teams.
Surging UCLA (3-4 overall, 3-1 Big Ten) is only the third Big Ten team to lose its first four games and win its next three, joining 1963 Indiana and 2001 Penn State.
Of course, the Bruins hope the parallels end there given that those Hoosiers went on to lose their final two games and those Nittany Lions finished with a losing record.
Cignetti made the 2025 Bruins sound like a team for the ages, pointing out that they were averaging 233 yards rushing per game over the last three games while dominating the time of possession battle and outscoring opponents 58-17 in the first half over that same span.
UCLA will head into a nationally televised “Big Noon” showdown against Indiana (7-0, 4-0) having already taken down a top-10 team this season, though their 42-37 victory over then-No. 7 Penn State earlier this month has lost considerable luster given the Nittany Lions’ ensuing free fall.
Fortunately for the Bruins, interim coach Tim Skipper played for Pat Hill at Fresno State, meaning he embraces the “Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere” mindset that made the scrappy Bulldogs a national phenomenon because of their fearlessness.
UCLA wide receiver Kwazi Gilmer catches a pass over Maryland defensive back Jamare Glasker during the Bruins’ win on Oct. 18.
(Harry How / Getty Images)
“That’s always part of me; I’ve been brainwashed that way, to be honest with you,” Skipper said. “But, yeah, I mean, to me, once the whistle blows, it’s just us against you. I mean, it’s time to go. Let’s see who had the better week of practice, let’s see who’s more prepared, let’s see who wants this thing. So that’s how I see it. We’re going to kick it off, we’re going to have to be ready to strain for every inch and let’s see what happens.”
Asked to assess Indiana, Skipper heaped praise upon a team that is among the best in the nation in almost every major statistical category.
“I am still trying to identify weaknesses,” Skipper said. “Like, it is crazy how disciplined they are.”
UCLA last beat a team ranked as high as Indiana in a game that many Bruins fans will forever cherish — their 13-9 triumph over No. 2 USC in 2006 at the Rose Bowl.
A recruiting win
At a time of great uncertainty, when it would be easy for UCLA’s staff to worry more about their own futures than those of high school prospects who may never play for them, the Bruins have continued to recruit.
They landed another verbal commitment Monday from Travis Robertson, an offensive tackle from West Bloomfield, Mich., who was previously committed to Bowling Green.
“They have shown me that no matter what situation they are in,” Robertson told The Times, “they will always get the job done with the coaching staff and players. And I’m rooting for this staff 100%.”
UCLA’s staff has also continued to pursue recruits who have backed out of their verbal commitments, including Cooper Javorsky, an offensive lineman from San Juan Hills High who spent time visiting with offensive line coach Andy Kwon before the Bruins’ game against Maryland last weekend.
“We’re grinding over here, we’re not letting anything go to waste or not giving effort in one area or another,” Skipper said of his staff’s recruiting efforts. “It’s full speed in everything that we’re doing.”
UCLA’s 2026 recruiting class is currently ranked No. 78 nationally by 247Sports.com, with 12 players committed.
Injury updates
Skipper said he would wait to further assess quarterback Nico Iamaleava and running backs Anthony Woods and Jaivian Thomas before providing injury updates.
Iamaleava returned from an apparent right knee injury sustained late in the game against Maryland to lead the Bruins on their winning drive. Woods and Thomas were sidelined after “both guys kind of got rolled up on,” Skipper said.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indiana High School Athletic Association’s (IHSAA) football postseason has arrived.
This week will be the first week of high school playoff football across the Hoosier State.
No teams in Class 6A will be playing this week. Instead, they all have a week off before beginning postseason play on Friday, Oct. 31.
Meanwhile, most of Class 5A has the week off as well, although there will be one matchup this Friday. Whiteland will travel to Seymour to take on the Owls this Friday night in a first-round sectional contest.
The other classes across the state (4A, 3A, 2A and 1A) will all begin postseason play though this Friday with first-round sectional matchups.
Here is a look at the Class 4A playoff games this week:
- Sectional 17 – Hanover Central at Lowell
- Sectional 17 – Highland at East Chicago Central
- Sectional 17 – Kankakee Valley at Gary West Side
- Sectional 17 – New Prairie at Hobart
- Sectional 18 – Plymouth at South Bend Washington
- Sectional 18 – Mishawaka at NorthWood
- Sectional 18 – Wawasee at Northridge
- Sectional 18 – South Bend Riley at South Bend St. Joseph
- Sectional 19 – Fort Wayne Wayne at Fort Wayne South Side
- Sectional 19 – New Haven at East Noble
- Sectional 19 – Columbia City at DeKalb
- Sectional 19 – Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger at Leo
- Sectional 20 – Lebanon at Culver Academies
- Sectional 20 – Muncie Central at Marion
- Sectional 20 – Huntington North at Logansport
- Sectional 21 – Beech Grove at Richmond
- Sectional 21 – Pendleton Heights at Mt. Vernon (Fortville)
- Sectional 21 – New Castle at Greenfield-Central
- Sectional 22 – Shortridge at Danville
- Sectional 22 – Roncalli at Northview
- Sectional 22 – Bishop Chatard at Mooresville
- Sectional 22 – Crispus Attucks at Brebeuf Jesuit
- Sectional 23 – Bedford North Lawrence at Jennings County
- Sectional 23 – Connersville at Shelbyville
- Sectional 23 – Martinsville at Greenwood
- Sectional 23 – Silver Creek at Charlestown
- Sectional 24 – Evansville Central at Evansville Reitz
- Sectional 24 – Heritage Hills at Washington
- Sectional 24 – Jasper at Boonville
- Sectional 24 – Evansville Bosse at Evansville Harrison
Here is a look at the Class 3A playoff games this week:
- Sectional 25 – Glenn at Calumet
- Sectional 25 – Mishawaka Marian at River Forest
- Sectional 25 – Griffith at Hammond Bishop Noll
- Sectional 25 – Knox at Jimtown
- Sectional 26 – Garrett at Fairfield
- Sectional 26 – Woodlan at Lakeland
- Sectional 26 – Tippecanoe Valley at Angola
- Sectional 26 – Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran at West Noble
- Sectional 27 – Northwestern at Peru
- Sectional 27 – Maconaquah at Twin Lakes
- Sectional 27 – West Lafayette at Western
- Sectional 27 – Frankton at Benton Central
- Sectional 28 – Mississinewa at Oak Hill
- Sectional 28 – Jay County at Bellmont
- Sectional 28 – Norwell at Heritage
- Sectional 28 – Fort Wayne Bishop Luers at Delta
- Sectional 29 – Cascade at Indianapolis George Washington
- Sectional 29 – Tri-West Hendricks at West Vigo
- Sectional 29 – Speedway at Crawfordsville
- Sectional 29 – Guerin Catholic at Hamilton Heights
- Sectional 30 – Franklin County at Batesville
- Sectional 30 – Greensburg at Purdue Polytechnic-Downtown
- Sectional 30 – Rushville Consolidated at South Dearborn
- Sectional 31 – Owen Valley at Madison Consolidated
- Sectional 31 – Corydon Central at North Harrison
- Sectional 31 – Edgewood at Scottsburg
- Sectional 32 – Gibson Southern at Vincennes Lincoln
- Sectional 32 – Mt. Vernon at Southridge
- Sectional 32 – Evansville Mater Dei at Princeton Community
Here is a look at the Class 2A playoff games this week:
- Sectional 33 – Wheeler at Lake Station Edison
- Sectional 33 – Rensselaer Central at Boone Grove
- Sectional 33 – Bremen at Whiting
- Sectional 34 – Delphi Community at Southmont
- Sectional 34 – North Putnam at Western Boone
- Sectional 34 – Lafayette Central Catholic at Seeger
- Sectional 34 – Lewis Cass at North Montgomery
- Sectional 35 – Prairie Heights at Manchester
- Sectional 35 – Whitko at Eastside
- Sectional 35 – Central Noble at Adams Central
- Sectional 35 – Bluffton at Churubusco
- Sectional 36 – Eastbrook at Alexandria Monroe
- Sectional 36 – Rochester Community at Elwood Community
- Sectional 36 – Eastern (Greentown) at Blackford
- Sectional 36 – Wabash at Tipton
- Sectional 37 – Indianapolis Lutheran at Covenant Christian
- Sectional 37 – Heritage Christian at Cardinal Ritter
- Sectional 37 – Monrovia at Scecina
- Sectional 38 – Northeastern at Shenandoah
- Sectional 38 – Triton Central at Centerville
- Sectional 38 – Lapel at Winchester Community
- Sectional 38 – Eastern Hancock at Union County
- Sectional 39 – Sullivan at South Vermillion
- Sectional 39 – Pike Central at North Posey
- Sectional 39 – Greencastle at Brown County
- Sectional 39 – Mitchell at Linton-Stockton
- Sectional 40 – Crawford County at Clarksville
- Sectional 40 – Salem at Switzerland County
- Sectional 40 – Brownstown Central at Tell City
- Sectional 40 – Eastern (Pekin) at Paoli
Here is a look at the Class 1A playoff games this week:
- Sectional 41 – LaVille at Culver Community
- Sectional 41 – North Judson-San Pierre at South Central (Union Mills)
- Sectional 41 – West Central at South Newton
- Sectional 41 – North Newton at Bowman Academy
- Sectional 42 – Frontier at Tri-County
- Sectional 42 – Pioneer at Caston
- Sectional 42 – Carroll (Flora) at Winamac Community
- Sectional 42 – North White at Taylor
- Sectional 43 – North Miami at Northfield
- Sectional 43 – Southern Wells at Triton
- Sectional 43 – Fort Wayne Blackhawk Christian at Fremont
- Sectional 44 – Union City at Hagerstown
- Sectional 44 – Cambridge City Lincoln at Monroe Central
- Sectional 44 – Madison-Grant at South Adams
- Sectional 44 – Wes-Del at Tri
- Sectional 45 – Attica at South Putnam
- Sectional 45 – Parke Heritage at Fountain Central
- Sectional 45 – Covington at North Central (Farmersburg)
- Sectional 45 – Riverton Parke at North Vermillion
- Sectional 46 – Clinton Central at Cloverdale
- Sectional 47 – South Decatur at Eastern Greene
- Sectional 47 – West Washington at Knightstown
- Sectional 47 – Greenwood Christian at North Decatur
- Sectional 48 – Forest Park at Springs Valley
- Sectional 48 – Providence at North Knox
- Sectional 48 – North Daviess at Perry Central
- Sectional 48 – South Spencer at Tecumseh
Of course, as always, be sure to tune into The Zone on Friday night beginning at 11:08 on WISH-TV for highlights from the first week of the high school football postseason.
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Hoosier football team moved up one spot to No. 2 in this week’s Associated Press college football poll.
The move comes after Indiana dominated Michigan State, 38-13, in the Old Brass Spittoon Game on Saturday afternoon in Bloomington, while last week’s second-ranked team, Miami, was upset by unranked Louisville at home, 24-21, on Friday night.
The No. 2 spot breaks the record the Hoosiers set just last week for the highest ranking in program history. Indiana also received six first-place votes, the only No. 1 votes top-ranked Ohio State didn’t receive in this week’s poll.
The Hoosiers and Buckeyes are both 7-0 and the only two undefeated (4-0) teams left in the Big Ten. They are on track to meet in the Big Ten Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday, December 6.
There are seven teams sitting at 3-1 in Big Ten play, including Indiana’s opponent on Saturday, UCLA. The matchup will be featured on FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff. You can watch the game on FOX59.
BLOOMINGTON — As Indiana’s historic season has unfolded across the last several weeks, a minor urban legend has taken hold here in Bloomington.
It’s been said that, on more than one occasion, team staffers checking in on the football offices late into the evening have found one light on, and one man working under its glare.
There, they discover Fernando Mendoza — a quarterback Curt Cignetti repeatedly describes as among the hardest-working he’s ever coached — combing through film and studying keys, long after teammates and even coaches have gone home.
It turns out this is the product of a scheduling quirk. Mendoza, who graduated from Cal-Berkeley with a business degree in just three years, maintains a strict and detailed daily schedule. One that often includes evening film study and solo preparation.
Most of the time, Mendoza told IndyStar, his day concludes somewhere between 9 and 9:30 p.m., when he returns to the off-campus apartment he shares with his brother and backup, Alberto.
But on Thursdays, Mendoza makes a point to take his offensive line out to dinner. Never one to abbreviate that routine, Mendoza pushes those end-of-day sessions a little later in the evening.
Usually, his Thursdays wrap sometime between 10 and 11 p.m. He’ll lengthen his day before he shortens his process.
As Mendoza’s first — and perhaps only — season in Bloomington matures, more and more teammates, coaches and fans are coming to appreciate the meticulousness with which he approaches his job, one he is doing just about as well as any player in the country right now.
After another superlative performance Saturday afternoon, one interrupted by lightning but never Michigan State, it’s fair now to start believing the answer to the question, “Can Fernando Mendoza win the Heisman Trophy?” is, in fact, yes.
“Don’t ever tell him I said this, because he hates hearing stuff like this,” wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. said. “I feel like we’ve got the best quarterback in college football.”
IU students certainly made up their minds Saturday evening when, near the conclusion of a rain-soaked 38-13 homecoming victory over Michigan State, they began “HeisMendoza.”
Or maybe it’s “Heisman-doza.” We have time to work out the spelling, but the conversation needs having. Because Mendoza, who on Saturday helped Indiana retain the Old Brass Spittoon for the first time since 1969, certainly looks the part.
The redshirt junior widely considered among the best NFL prospects at his position in this draft class before the season began has done little to temper those expectations across the Hoosiers’ 7-0 (4-0 in Big Ten play) start.
He was ruthless against Illinois. He delivered game-winning moments in hard-fought victories at Iowa and at Oregon. And on Saturday, he unpacked Michigan State’s defense to the tune of 24 of 28, for 332 yards and four touchdowns.
Mendoza was not sacked once. He mixed in a handful of important quarterback runs, including one that converted a key third down. And he saved his best for his last, Mendoza’s final touchdown pass a 27-yarder dropped into a bucket, right on Elijah Sarratt’s facemask.
“This is the sharpest we’ve seen him, up to this point, in a game,” Cignetti said. “He continues to improve. He continues to prepare like nobody I’ve ever been around, and he’s getting better and better.”
Indiana’s coach has not always praised so publicly his latest transfer quarterback success.
A former quarterback himself, and a coach with considerable success developing players at that position, Cignetti keeps a high standard for his signal callers. Even as he often suggests quarterbacks get both too much praise and too much blame, that did not stop him demanding excellence of Kurtis Rourke, in 2024, and it has not stopped him setting the bar just as high (if not higher) for Mendoza, in 2025.
Increasingly, the Miami native is clearing it.
While it was not the toughest test he’s seen or will see in an Indiana uniform, Saturday felt in some ways like Mendoza’s most complete game thus far as a Hoosier.
The accuracy, the arm talent and the leadership qualities have always shined through, virtually since the day he set foot on campus in winter. The Spartans, though, felt the full force of a quarterback who looks more comfortable now than he has at any point so far this season.
Forty-one (41) sacks last season at Cal left Mendoza, by his own admission, with some undeniably bad habits: a lack of trust in protection, antsy feet in the pocket, a lack of comfort cycling through three or four reads each dropback.
Cignetti, quarterbacks coach Chandler Whitmer and offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan spent the offseason slowing Mendoza down, teaching him to trust, preaching patience and helping Mendoza understand the next level he could reach. The level his game now approaches.
Already an impressive quarterback with the Bears, Mendoza is now joining — whether he’ll admit it or not — conversations about the best quarterback in the country.
In fact, he’s more than joining them. He’s beginning to define them.
Mendoza teased this top-of-the-game dominance when he turned in back-to-back performances of similar quality against Indiana State and Illinois, two ends to the competitive spectrum that each suggested Mendoza’s abilities independent of the stage or the stakes.
“We have so many great players on our team,” Mendoza said. “Whatever spotlight that I might get from the offense’s success, I’m just trying to dish it out to all my teammates, because they really deserve it.”
He was not perfect at Iowa, nor at Oregon. But those are moments when a quarterback should be tough, not perfect, and in each game Mendoza delivered in the pivotal moment. First, the touchdown pass to Sarratt in Iowa City, then that decisive 12-play, 75-yard touchdown drive responding to his own pick-six in the fourth quarter against the Ducks.
On that decisive drive in Eugene, Mendoza was 5 of 7, for 62 yards and what turned out to be the game-winning touchdown.
No such heroics were required Saturday. Just a steady hand and a cool head. Mendoza delivered both.
“He keeps building on previous performances,” Cignetti said. “I can’t say enough good things about him.”
A Heisman Trophy, like a national championship, is a difficult thing to win. That Indiana and its rapidly ascending quarterback approach Halloween chasing both speaks to the remarkable nature of this remarkable season.
There are still miles left to travel. No Big Ten schedule forgives complacency, the thing that might be Cignetti’s greatest enemy between now and the end of the season.
So long as IU’s offensive line keeps Mendoza upright — he took no sacks Saturday — quarterback play isn’t something Cignetti needs to sweat. He’s got a good one. Maybe a great one.
Maybe the best, as Cooper suggested, in all of college football.
Want more Hoosiers coverage? Sign up for IndyStar’s Hoosiers newsletter. Listen to Mind Your Banners, our IU Athletics-centric podcast, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Watch the latest on IndyStar TV: Hoosiers.
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