Indiana Hoosiers WR new leader for college football's catch of the year

Down in the waning seconds on the road, undefeated Indiana pulled out a gutsy last-second win on the back of this insane touchdown grab.

Indiana Hoosiers wideout Omar Cooper brought in this athletic touchdown catch to help beat Penn State. | Fox Sports

Down on the road and in danger of losing its undefeated season and No. 2 ranking, Indiana drove down the field and pulled out a game-winner for the ages, and turned out college football’s most insane catch of the 2025 season.

With under a minute remaining in the game, Fernando Mendoza led the Hoosiers down the field in a frenzy, and located wide receiver Omar Cooper in the back of the end zone. The very back of the end zone.

THE MOST INSANE TOE TAP YOU'LL SEE ALL SEASON

Omar Cooper Jr. take a bow 👏@IndianaFootball pic.twitter.com/07MncUCK4d

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) November 8, 2025

One of college football’s four remaining undefeated teams, Indiana looked like it was about to lose its No. 2 ranking in the playoff committee room in a game it was a more than two touchdown favorite against unranked, three-win Penn State on the road.

Instead, the Hoosiers responded perfectly, pulling off an 80-yard touchdown drive despite having no timeouts left, pulling off the comeback on Cooper’s hard-earned 8-yard touchdown play with just 36 seconds left in regulation.

In the process, Indiana not only saved its perfect record and College Football Playoff ambitions, but possibly earned its quarterback a decisive Heisman moment.

Mendoza had to earn every yard of it, playing with remarkable poise standing in a constantly-deteriorating pocket in the face of an aggressive Penn State defense that called blitz after blitz to throw the quarterback out of his rhythm.

Indiana’s heart-stopping final drive included a tough 29-yard advance when Mendoza connected with Riley Nowakowski and then located Charlie Becker on a 17-yard leaping catch that put the offense in position to score the game-winning touchdown.

Cooper’s airborne touchdown in the back of the end zone was ultimately upheld after a brief review by officials as the receiver tapped his left toe just inside the boundary of the end zone before tumbling out of bounds.

The late offensive heroics, in which Mendoza went 5 of 8 passing and the touchdown, culminated in an inspiring comeback for the now 10-0 Hoosiers, after they trailed by a 20-7 count as late as the third quarter.

Mendoza led the offense to score 17 unanswered points to help Indiana win its first-ever game as a program at Beaver Stadium.

The win should help keep the national-title hopeful Hoosiers in the No. 2 position when the College Football Playoff committee reveals its next rankings this coming week, and further cements them as a favorite to play for the Big Ten championship.