BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Chants of “Heis-man-do-za!” rained from the Indiana student section in the northeast corner of Memorial Stadium. It was late in the fourth quarter, and Indiana had the game against Michigan State in hand, as it has done so often under coach Curt Cignetti.

Hoosier fans were showing their appreciation for their quarterback, who again looked like one of — if not the — best players in the country.

“What a great sight to see,” Mendoza said of hearing the chants and witnessing a portion of shirtless students wave their shirts over their heads, which has become sort of a tradition at Indiana.

Mendoza went 24-of-28 with 332 yards and four touchdowns in No. 3 Indiana’s 38-13 defeat of Michigan State. It was another outstanding performance for Mendoza, who had a season-high in passing yards.

Not everything was easy for Indiana on Saturday, as Michigan State held a 10-7 lead midway through the second quarter thanks to 13- and 12-play drives for the Spartans. Indiana’s defense wasn’t as stingy as usual to begin this game, and Indiana briefly fell behind.

But the Hoosiers never truly flinched, because their quarterback didn’t flinch.

“I would say this is the sharpest we’ve seen him up to this point in a game,” Cignetti said. “He continues to improve and continues to prepare like nobody I’ve ever been around. And he’s getting better and better.”

Mendoza led Indiana on five straight touchdown-scoring drives, four of which ended with him throwing touchdowns. Indiana needed a calming presence to avoid an upset, and Mendoza was just that.

Last week against Oregon, it was Indiana’s offense that started slow as its defense held down the fort in the Hoosiers’ 30-20 win. This week, Indiana’s offense kept pace with Michigan State until its defense got it together.

“We are a team,” Mendoza said. “When the offense is going and the defense is not, we’re not arguing with each other. When the defense is going and the offense is not, we’re not arguing with each other. So, we always have each other’s backs, and we’re one team. We don’t really see it as two units.”

Mendoza is rightfully in the conversation to win the Heisman, college football’s most prestigious award. The Cal transfer has thrown 21 touchdowns and has been intercepted only twice this year. He’s the engine behind one of the country’s most dangerous offenses, and he has a legitimate shot to be the first Heisman winner in Indiana history.

“I feel like we’ve got the best quarterback in college football,” Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. said. “So I’m grateful to have him on our team, and seeing the progression that he’s been making each and every week has been amazing. So I’m just happy for him and want to see him keep working.”

When Indiana went 11-2 in 2024, its offense was led by Kurtis Rourke, whose play earned him second-team All-Big Ten honors and got him drafted in the seventh round of the NFL draft. Rourke understood Cignetti and offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan’s offense well, and he made timely throws to open receivers to guide the Hoosiers to the College Football Playoff.

But while Rourke delivered throws to open receivers, Mendoza throws receivers open. Mendoza — who has completed 73% of his passes this year — threw countless dots against Michigan State to win the Old Brass Spittoon. Mendoza made accurate passes to all levels of the field against the Spartans.

Mendoza’s accuracy and arm strength have him in discussions to also be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft. He makes difficult throws with effortless touch, and his receivers appreciate that.

“It makes it a lot easier, just knowing we’ve gotta be in a certain position and he’s going to get it to us,” Cooper said. “It just makes it easier for us, and allows us to just go out there and be comfortable with knowing that he’s back there.”

Mendoza also spread the ball around the field against Michigan State. Indiana’s top three receivers — Cooper, Elijah Sarratt and E.J. Williams Jr. — combined for 17 catches and 245 yards. Sarratt caught two of Mendoza’s touchdown passes, and Cooper and Williams caught one each. Mendoza called all three receivers “NFL players,” and his trust in them grows by the week.

“He’s a great quarterback and he puts the ball perfectly almost every single time,” Sarratt said of Mendoza. “And I’m glad I’ve got two other guys beside me that are very good as well. So we click pretty good.”

Indiana has national championship potential thanks to a quarterback who is often the best player on the field. Mendoza does everything the Hoosiers ask of him and more, and he has the Hoosiers playing extremely efficient football.