QB Fernando Mendoza‘s addition to this Indiana side has been fruitful so far this season. The newly recruited QB has taken control of the center for the Hoosiers, leading them to a 5-0 start. With two conference wins in his pocket, HC Curt Cignetti now has his eyes on another Big Ten victory against Oregon this week. Mendoza has been providing numbers for the Hoosiers, but George Wrighster thinks there is one area where the quarterback can falter.

In the October 7th episode of his podcast, George Wrighster talked about how Fernando Mendoza has adjusted to the team. “Mendoza with the 16 touchdown passes in five games, which is already a huge jump when you consider that he threw 30 touchdown passes in 20 games at Cal. The kid has remained confident, and he is much better in the red zone, and then continues to be a threat with his legs,” said Wrighster. In five games, Mendoza has a passing completion rate of 73.0. Not only that, he has also thrown for 1,208 yards with just 1 interception. While those are impressive stats, Wrighster emphasized that Mendoza has to be perfect on Saturday.

“Any turnovers in this game are going to have a massive impact,” stated Wrighster, who believes the matchup will come down to the QB who will make fewer mistakes. Mendoza hasn’t faced any team of Oregon’s caliber yet. Most of his numbers come from playing against weaker opposition like Indiana State. So, the real test for him comes on Saturday. However, this is not the first time he has faced the Ducks.

Back in 2023, the California Golden Bears went to Eugene in a week 10 clash. Fernando Mendoza was the starting quarterback, but failed to make an impression against an overpowered Oregon side, which won the game with a 63-19 score. It was one of Mendoza’s worst performances that season, constantly losing yardage with a 53% passing completion rate. Wrighster, however, scuffed at the idea of another abysmal performance from the QB on Saturday. “I think that he was rattled by the crowd a little bit, and he’ll probably be better composed in his 26th start than he was in his fourth ever start. So, the crowd is definitely going to play a factor. Just a matter of how much,” said Wrighster.

Whether the crowd plays a part or not, it will be Mendoza’s responsibility to lead the offense. Oregon is a No. 3-ranked team, so a win against them would be a boost to his confidence. He has failed once already, but this time he enters the Autzen Stadium in a much better form and with a better team.

How do Fernando Mendoza and Indiana fare against the Ducks?

From an odds perspective, Oregon is the favorite going into this matchup. While both teams are undefeated, Oregon has faced much better opponents, like Penn State. The game could come down to the QBs on both sides. Dante Moore is also having a great season, throwing for 1,210 yards, 14 touchdowns, and just one interception, boasting a 74.6% completion rate. There is no room for fumbles for either of the QBs on Saturday.

Another game-changing factor could be the defense. “Indiana’s defense has forced seven interceptions in five games and more. Only one pick. And if Indiana can flip more to have one, maybe two turnovers in the game, then the game script could go upside down. And if not, Oregon’s efficiency typically snowballs. Now, Indiana their rush defense has been nasty. It has held its last four opponents to 222 yards on 114 attempts,” said Wrighster. Both defenses have been solid this season. While the Oregon defense has been tested more in terms of quality, it is too soon to write off Indiana’s defense.

Whatever happens on Saturday, one thing is clear- It’s going to be a banger of a game. Whether Oregon’s defense will be able to hold out Indiana’s offense, or if Oregon can disrupt Indiana and force hurried throws or sacks, remains to be seen. The game will decide who remains unbeaten out of the two.