Adam Hicks
Writer
Indiana didn’t just beat Penn State; they pulled off a miracle that will go down as one of the greatest moments in Hoosier football history.
Down 24–20 with under two minutes left and no timeouts, the drive started shaky a sack, a near interception but Heisman Hopeful Fernando Mendoza found his rhythm. From there Mendoza took the huddle with 80 yards to go and a wall of noise crashing down from Beaver Stadium’s stands. The odds, The belief? What would win, as the game hung in the balance. The Unshakable Mendoza started threading darts through the Penn State defense. First a 22-yard bullet to Charlie Becker, another strike to E.J. Williams, and a perfectly timed throw to Omar Cooper Jr. to push the Hoosiers inside the 10. Every play tightened the tension, every yard pulled the impossible closer.
Then came the moment, the Hoosier glory, the kind that separates ordinary games from legend. Third and goal from the seven. Thirty-six seconds left. Mendoza dropped back, blitzing pressure closing in, he launched a high, piercing pass toward the middle of the end zone.
Omar Cooper Jr. rose to the occasion like Air Jordan vs the Jazz. The ball darting through the air, Cooper climbed the ladder, snatching it above the defender’s hands. As he came down, the magic happened, a perfect toe touch, just inside the white line. The crowd froze, both sidelines held their breath. Then the referee’s arms went up. Touchdown, Indiana.
The Hoosiers erupted, helmets flying, the team sprinting to embrace Cooper as chaos swallowed the field.
“I knew I had to get a foot down,” Cooper said afterward, grinning through the noise. “It felt like slow motion. I saw the line, got the toe in, and hoped the ref saw it too.”
Mendoza, shaking his head in disbelief, laughed. “I just threw it high enough for him to go get it,” he said. “He made it look like something out of a dream.”
Head coach Curt Cignetti called it “a play that defines what we’re building here.” He added, “That’s trust, toughness, and a little bit of Hoosier magic.”
Final 27-24 Indiana
The weather hit Kinnick Stadium like enemy artillery. Two squadrons took to the skies: the Oregon Ducks and the Iowa Hawkeyes. Rain lashed across the field, wind howled through the stands, and every play became a maneuver in a deadly dogfight.
Oregon struck first. A chaotic Iowa punt snap sent the ball tumbling, a safety for the Ducks. The first strike in a battle that would rage for 60 minutes. Dierre Hill Jr. then powered through the line for a 19-yard touchdown, giving the Ducks the high ground.
The Hawkeyes responded with fierce determination, moving methodically downfield, threatening to shift the advantage. But the Ducks held, their formations tight, their passes precise. Dante Moore led calculated drives, evading defenders like enemy fighters.
As the fourth quarter unfolded, with the Ducks trailing, Oregon positioned themselves for the decisive strike. Moore threaded a 24-yard missile to Malik Benson, setting up the 39-yard field goal attempt. Atticus Sappington stepped up, the snap was clean, the hold steady, and the kick sailed through the rain and uprights.
The Hawkeyes launched one final desperate counterattack: a 58-yard field goal attempt to reclaim the skies. The kick flew through the air like a last-ditch bomb, but it hooked wide. The Ducks’ victory was secured.
On the ground, Noah Whittington bulldozed through defenders for 118 yards, engines roaring with every step. Moore finished with 215 passing yards, executing every maneuver with intent.
The storm began to lift. The Ducks’ warbirds circled overhead, wings held high. The Hawkeyes had fought valiantly, but only one squadron emerged victorious. Oregon had claimed the skies, delivered the final strike, and etched this battle into legend. A true B1G style game of November.
Final 13-10 Oregon
With light snow falling in Madison the Wisconsin Badgers, long struggling in the Big Ten, staged a mutiny that nobody saw coming. Ranked, playoff-hopeful Washington Huskies sailed confidently into Madison, but the Badgers refused to follow the expected course, and they were determined to send the Huskies’ playoff dreams down the slope.
It was a defensive battle from start to finish. Wisconsin’s defense held Washington to just 10 points, forcing two key turnovers that shifted momentum. Running back Theo Wease led the Badgers on offense with 94 rushing yards, keeping drives alive and wearing down the Huskies. Quarterback Luke McCaffrey added 162 passing yards, managing the game efficiently without any costly mistakes.
Special teams delivered the game’s decisive blow. With the score tied 10-10 in the fourth quarter, kicker Miles Raetz drilled a clutch 28-yard field goal to put Wisconsin ahead. That proved to be the final score, as the Huskies were unable to answer in the closing minutes.
The Badgers’ victory sent Madison into celebration. After the final whistle, players and fans stormed onto the field of Camp Randall, sharing the moment together. Wisconsin’s first Big Ten win of the season and the upset over Washington sparked cheers of “On Wisconsin, fans waved flags and UW scarves while players posed for photos and took to snap to capture the magic, soaking in the rare, but hard-earned triumph. The Huskies’ playoff hopes were dashed, but for the Badgers, the team, and the fans, the field became a place of pure celebration, marking a memorable day in Madison, potentially the kind of win that can turn a program.
Final 13-10 Wisconsin
Rutgers showed up, ran the game, and left Maryland scrambling. Antwan Raymond carried 240 yards on 41 carries, punishing the Terrapins’ defense every chance he got, while Athan Kaliakmanis threw for 291 yards and four touchdown passes, spreading the offense around and keeping Maryland guessing.
Maryland had one bright spot that’s Malik Washington and his 73-yard touchdown run, that was about it. The rest of the day was a embarrassment of mistakes and missed opportunities. With five losses in a row now, it’s starting to feel like Head Coach Mike Locksley was never meant to coach in the B1G. The Terrapins can’t seem to catch on to B1G play, they start the season 3-0 then go on the B1G slide, the annual fall of Mayland, conference play, and each B1G game just adds to the mounting frustration, the fans and I have watching this madness, maybe in March Maryland can make madness fun, but until then we get Coach Locksley and the disappointment.
For Rutgers, the win is huge. They’re now just one victory away from bowl eligibility, a feat that once seemed impossible for Rutgers and Coach Schiano’s Knights.
Final 35-20 Rutgers
Purdue came into the game proudly embracing their “Spoilermakers” nickname, hoping to knock off top-ranked Ohio State on November 8, 2025. Playing at Ross‑Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, the Boilers got an early look at just how hard it is to spoil the Buckeyes.
Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin completed 27 of 33 passes for 303 yards and a touchdown, while Jeremiah Smith hauled in 10 catches for 137 yards, including a 35-yard touchdown that helped break the game open. On the ground, Ohio State racked up 170 rushing yards, with C.J. Donaldson Jr. scoring twice from the 1-yard line. The Buckeyes dominated time of possession, holding the ball over 40 minutes.
Purdue opened with a 40-yard field goal by Spencer Porath, but Ohio State answered with 34 unanswered points, effectively shutting down the Boilers’ spoiler plans. Purdue managed some touchdown late, but the Buckeyes’ combination of steady offense and opportunistic defense kept them firmly in control.
In the end, the Spoilermakers couldn’t pull off the upset. Ohio State added another win, stayed on track for the postseason, and reminded everyone that trying to spoil a Buckeye is no easy task.
Final 34-10 Buckeyes
Northwestern rolled into the Coliseum with upset on their mind, but USC kept their playoff dream alive with a 38–17 win that had everything big plays, jersey tricks, and a quarterback’s laying licks.
Jayden Maiava threw for 299 yards and two touchdowns, but his highlight of the night didn’t come through the air. After tossing a second-quarter interception to Northwestern’s Najee Story, Maiava sprinted him down, delivered a jarring hit near the goal line, and knocked the ball loose. The fumble rolled through the end zone for a USC touchback, from disaster to ESPN Top 10.
USC’s offense stayed hot from there. Makai Lemon tore through the Wildcats’ secondary with 11 catches for 161 yards and two scores, while King Miller bruised his way to 127 yards and a touchdown on the ground. And just when Northwestern thought they had the Trojans figured out, Lincoln Riley dipped into his left-over bag of trick or treats and pulled out a fake punt where backup quarterback Sam Huard, disguised himself in the punter’s jersey, took the snap and floated a perfect pass to Tanook Hines for a first down. One play later, USC punched it in for six.
Northwestern’s Caleb Komolafe ran hard for 118 yards, but every time the Wildcats found daylight, USC slammed the door shut. The Trojans’ mix of QB hits, speed, and a little mischief turned what could’ve been a trap game into another step toward the playoffs.
Final 38-17 Southern Cal
Nebraska hit the Rose Bowl riding the Big Ten swell, leaving UCLA paddling behind. T.J. Lateef was sharp, completing 13 of 15 passes for 205 yards and three touchdowns, while Emmett Johnson tore through the Bruins for 129 rushing yards, 103 receiving, and two scores. You could hear the band jamming, “If everybody had an ocean… they’d be surfing USA,” because Nebraska was gliding across the field like Kelly Slater.
UCLA tried to paddle into the wave, with Nico Iamaleava throwing for 191 yards and two touchdowns and running for 86 more. But every time the Bruins looked like they might catch a waive, Nebraska was ready to let them eat it, proving they were the ones ready for the barrel ride.
After a 28‑7 lead, UCLA made a late push to 28‑21, but Nebraska held firm at the shorebreak, sealing the win. The Cornhuskers move to 7‑3 overall and 4‑3 in the Big Ten, while UCLA drops to 3‑6, left wishing they’d stuck the landing.
By the final whistle, Nebraska was still riding high with UCLA feeling ripped up and getting smoked
Final 28-21 Nebraska
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Cody Croy
Writer
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