3 Takeaways as Indiana Football Blows Out Purdue, Earns Spot in Big Ten Title Game

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — As Purdue quarterback Ryan Browne climbed through the pocket and took off, his environment suddenly became louder.

The speakers accompanying the videoboard in Ross-Ade Stadium's south endzone began playing an advertisement for Purdue Global in the middle of the play. Fans bemoaned the sudden entrance of noise. Then, they had another reason to complain.

Browne, who had a 39-yard throw negated due to a holding penalty the play before, fumbled. Indiana senior defensive back Devan Boykin recovered, and the Hoosiers, already in control with a 35-3 lead over halfway through the third quarter, added another touchdown two plays later, as redshirt junior receiver Omar Cooper Jr. beat three defenders in space for a 43-yard score.

Little went right for Purdue on Friday, from the videoboard to the on-field product, while No. 2 Indiana football cruised to an undefeated regular season and a spot in the Big Ten championship game — before celebrating in the heart of enemy territory.

The Hoosiers (12-0, 9-0 Big Ten) took a 56-3 victory over archrival Purdue (2-10, 0-9 Big Ten) on Friday night at Ross-Ade Stadium in the coldest home game in Boilermaker history and chilliest rendition of the first 100 battles for the Old Oaken Bucket.

The temperature sat at 24 degrees moments before kickoff, and it dipped to 20 degrees by the start of the second half. Mother Nature set the stage for a physical, hard-nosed style of play, and the Hoosiers embraced it.

Indiana redshirt junior quarterback Fernando Mendoza went only 8-for-15 passing for 117 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions while adding two rushes for 27 yards and a seven-yard rushing score.

But the Hoosiers controlled the line of scrimmage, dominated on the ground and made life difficult for the Boilermakers' offense en route to a history-making victory.

Here are three instant takeaways from Indiana's win over Purdue.

Indiana secures first unblemished regular season, clinches spot in Big Ten title game

In July at Big Ten Media Days, Indiana coach Curt Cignetti scoffed at the idea of Indiana merely repeating its success from last season, when it went 11-2 and lost to Notre Dame in the first round of the College Football Playoff. Cignetti didn't want to replicate, he wanted to improve.

The Hoosiers put substance behind Cignetti's hopes Friday, earning their first perfect regular season
— no losses or ties — in program history and a spot in the Big Ten championship game Dec. 6, their first ever conference title appearance.

Indiana made history many times in 2024, and it had already accomplished a few other feats throughout this season, be it the school's first 11-0 start or first road win over a top-5 team.

But this — putting the finishing touches on a perfect regular season and securing a Big Ten championship appearance — is a height the Cignetti-led Hoosiers hadn't yet reached.

Indiana runs over Purdue

While Mendoza set season lows with eight completions for 117 yards, the Hoosiers leaned on their rushing attack and found all they needed. Indiana finished with 37 carries for 355 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.

Senior running back Roman Hemby rushed for a season-high 152 yards on only 12 carries, capped by an 82-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. According to Indiana's strategic communications staff, Hemby's 82-yarder is tied for the longest touchdown run by a Hoosier in Old Oaken Bucket game history.

Kaelon Black, a sixth-year senior running back, added 13 carries for 66 yards and two touchdowns. Redshirt freshman Khobie Martin rushed eight times for 51 yards and a touchdown, and backup quarterback Alberto Mendoza notched a 58-yard run in the third quarter.

Indiana tallied 548 total yards to Purdue's 282.

Hoosiers defense suffocates Boilers

Indiana junior safety Amare Ferrell intercepted Browne on the second play from scrimmage, setting the tone for a dominant defensive effort.

Indiana's defense held Purdue to just 44 rushing yards on 27 attempts, an average of 1.6 yards per play. Browne went 25-for-47 passing for 238 yards, no touchdowns and one interception. The Boilermakers' lone score came on a 22-yard field goal with 46 seconds remaining in the first quarter after a redzone stop by the Hoosiers' defense.