After week 4, it’s all about Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers. A lot of folks thought Indiana’s 2024 magic run was a fluke. After opening this year against lesser opponents, critics circled this Illinois matchup in red ink. Indiana’s first three games looked like layups. Old Dominion (27-14 win), Kennesaw State (56-9), and Indiana State (73-0) weren’t exactly the kind of opponents that convince doubters. That’s why Illinois was circled in red. There was finally a ranked, physical Big Ten foe. But their performance last weekend completely changed the chatter to a strong playoff stance this time. Let me remind you, it’ll not be a mere appearance this time.

Josh Pate didn’t mince words. He said Indiana is a real threat if it gets into the playoff mix this season, not just a one-hit wonder. “I didn’t watch Indiana at any point last year, and thought that team was a danger if they made the playoffs. I thought they were a good, solid story. Thought [Curt] Cignetti was a revelation as a head coach. I thought there was a very workable schedule where they could backdoor their way into the playoffs, but they’ll get buried if they face quality competition,” Pate said on his show. “I don’t feel that way about this team.” In 2024, Indiana surprised a ton of folks by making the College Football Playoff. But they never really were a serious threat last year.

Sure, they had that nice 56-7 beatdown of Nebraska and showed flashes of potential. But against top-tier teams like Ohio State and Notre Dame, they fell flat. The Buckeyes handed them a 38-15 loss, and Notre Dame edged them 27-17. It felt like they were riding momentum and an easy schedule more than real talent or toughness. Now in 2025, the script has flipped as they dismantled a top-10 Illinois team. “I don’t feel that way about this team,” Pate added. “I legitimately think this team could do damage if they make the playoffs. Now, they got a tougher schedule, but they got a better team. They got a better quarterback.” Indiana’s 2025 schedule is no joke. After crushing Illinois, the Hoosiers faced tough road tests at Iowa and top-10 Oregon.

There are no more easy first-half pats on the back. But guess what? The team is also flat-out better. Indiana’s offense is a balanced beast. Their rushing attack is electric, averaging over 300 yards per game. It’s the first time since 2014 that IU has topped 300 rushing yards in back-to-back games, the year Tevin Coleman set the single-season record with 2,036. The line features backs like Roman Hemby, Kaelon Black, and Lee Beebe Jr., cranking out plays consistently. The offensive line, led by Carter Smith and Pat Coogan, clears lanes and keeps Mendoza’s stat line clean. But let’s not forget the cherry on top. The transfer QB, Fernando Mendoza, who’s already turning heads with his NFL-level precision.

When he first arrived from Cal, it wasn’t all simple. He had to toughen up and improve his patience and reads in the pocket. And analysts like Joel Klatt were openly backing Illinois for the upset. He said Illinois planned to slow Indiana down with a grind-it-out game, counting on defensive coordinator Aaron Henry to pressure Fernando Mendoza and force mistakes. But man, he has come a long way. Fernando Mendoza went on a spree against the Illini. He completed 21 of 23 passes, 267 yards, five touchdowns, and a stretch of 17 straight completions for good measure. Week by week, Mendoza’s completion rate skyrocketed from 58% in Week 1 to a jaw-dropping 95% by Week 3.

Take the Indiana State game, for example: he completed 19 of 20 passes for 270 yards and five touchdowns, tying the most TDs thrown by a QB in a single game in Indiana history. And of course, he polished all his flaws under Cignetti’s watch.

Fernando Mendoza is under Curt Cignetti’s watchful eye

Curt Cignetti’s hold on Fernando Mendoza is, honestly, something special. And analysts like Todd McShay would call it more of a “cultish” type of approach. “Mendoza is going to be a really tough evaluation because Cignetti didn’t let him go to the Manning Passing Academy. You want to know why? He wanted every single second he could get with him,” Todd said on his show. “It’s almost like cultish, like this is how we do it.” Imagine a coach so invested that he didn’t even let Mendoza go to the Manning Passing Academy, the premier quarterback development camp.

Why? It’s because Cignetti wanted every second of offseason time to mold Mendoza right there in Bloomington. He wanted to maximize his growth with nonstop, real-time coaching tailored specifically for this offense. After arriving from Cal, Mendoza struggled a lot with a few aspects. But under Cignetti’s tight guidance, his completion rate soared like anything. Cignetti’s system blends old-school, power running from backs like Roman Hemby and Lee Beebe Jr. with a modern, uptempo RPO scheme that keeps defenses guessing and creates space for Mendoza to shine.

Mendoza’s ability to dodge sacks and sling pinpoint throws has turned Indiana’s offense into a 50+ point scoring machine. Cignetti’s obsessive style has the system running like a well-oiled machine. McShay also hinted that the Hoosiers have the right pieces to be a “real problem” in college football this year. Plus, Mendoza’s performance has sent his NFL draft stock soaring. After shattering IU passing records and torching top-10 defenses, Mendoza is now viewed as a legit first-rounder.