3 Instant Takeaways from Indiana Football's 31-7 Win vs Wisconsin

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — After leading just 10-7 at halftime as four-touchdown favorites, No. 2 Indiana football (11-0, 8-0 Big Ten) hit its stride in the second half, surging to a 31-7 victory over Wisconsin (3-6, 1-5 Big Ten) on Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium.

The Hoosiers achieved their first 11-0 start in program history with Saturday's victory.

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza went 22-for-24 passing for 299 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions, though he was sacked five times. The Hoosiers' ground game struggled, however. Excluding sacks, Indiana rushed 32 times for 112 yards, an average of 3.5 yards per carry.

Wisconsin's offense struggled in the third quarter, as the Badgers mustered just 11 total yards to Indiana's 135. The Hoosiers scored two touchdowns, pushing their advantage to three scores and creating a comfortable cushion entering the final frame.

Here are three takeaways from Indiana's victory over Wisconsin.

Indiana flips switch in second half

Wisconsin's defense entered Saturday as a middle-of-the-pack Big Ten unit, as it ranked No. 10 in scoring at 22.3 points per game and No. 10 in yards allowed at 330.9 yards per game. Indiana struggled in the first half, collecting only 159 yards from scrimmage.

The second half proved a different story, as the Hoosiers posted 229 yards of offense and three touchdowns.

Wisconsin, which had 145 yards of offense in the first half, had only 23 yards from scrimmage after halftime. The Badgers ran just 15 plays in the second half, an average of 1.5 yards per play, and quarterback Carter Smith went 2-of-4 passing for seven yards after the break.

Bye week a welcomed sight for hobbled Hoosiers

Indiana has battled a severe case of the injury bug over the past month, and the Hoosiers were bit again Saturday. Already without starting left guard Drew Evans due to a multi-week-long undisclosed injury, receiver Elijah Sarratt entered the day doubtful with a hamstring injury and did not play.

Defensively, the Hoosiers lost starting edge rusher Mikail Kamara to an apparent injury in the first half. Kamara spent the final three quarters standing at the front of the sideline without his helmet. Sophomore Daniel Ndukwe took his spot.

Indiana is already down starting edge rusher Kellan Wyatt, who suffered a season-ending knee injury against Michigan State on Oct. 18, to go along with complementary running back Lee Beebe Jr. and special teams ace Bryson Bonds, each of whom suffered season-ending knee injuries during non-conference play.

The Hoosiers, who played six consecutive Big Ten games, will enter their second bye week hobbled and in desperate need of rest.

Becker's breakout continues

Through his first 21 games at Indiana, sophomore receiver Charlie Becker caught seven passes for 157 yards and one touchdown while adding a rushing score in 2024.

But amid Sarratt's absence, Becker has ascended into a potent pass-catching piece. Following his seven-catch, 118-yard breakout against Penn State on Nov. 8, Becker started — and shined — once more Saturday.

The 6-foot-4, 209-pound Becker recorded five catches for 108 yards and one touchdown. He led the Hoosiers in receiving yards and tied with redshirt senior E.J. Williams Jr. for the lead in receptions.