Thousands of Hawkeyes fans left Kinnick Stadium disappointed, but Fernando Mendoza had concerns for a specific subset of fans who may not have allegiance to any team. They are the gamblers who bet on these games. After Indiana forced Iowa to fourth down with all 3 timeouts, Mendoza fired a 49-yard game-winner to WR Elijah Sarratt with 1:28 left. But that is not where the star QB issued a sincere apology to fans after Indiana’s 20-15 win over Iowa.

Under pressure on third down, Mendoza kept his cool and delivered to Sarratt over the middle. Sarratt shook off a tackle and sprinted into the end zone, finishing with six catches on eight targets for 132 yards. Mendoza himself threw for 233 yards and two scores, guiding the Hoosiers through their first road test. To cap it off, RB Roman Hemby chipped in 86 yards, helping Indiana outgain Iowa 337-284 in total yards. But to seal the win, Mendoza improvised. On the last drive, with only second left, they were forced by Iowa to snap on fourth down. The Hawkeyes had used all their timeouts. Mendoza was told by Curt Cignetti to run back and out of the endzone. But instead he just fell down for a safety after crossing the goal line, ignoring Cignetti’s plan. Here’s why Mendoza made that move.

IU insider Zach Osterman reported that in the postgame conference, Mendoza explained his thinking. “I didn’t want to ever put our team in jeopardy,” he said. “Maybe if I slide with one second left, there might be some quirk where we’d have to punt it.” Then came the apology. “I just wanted to get out of the safety,” admitted Mendoza. “I know I shouldn’t be saying this, but I probably messed up some people’s spreads, and I really apologize for that. In that moment, my goal was just to win the game.” And even with the apology, Mendoza left no doubt about his decision.

People who bet on Indiana -6.5 were disappointed when Mendoza took the win formation at his 40. “I know they aren’t happy, and I’ve put my apologies out there,” he said with a smile. “For us we are looking out for the Indiana moneyline, which is a win.” Look, Indiana came in as the -300 favorite, Iowa at +250. Now, with the Hoosiers pulling off a 20-15 win, anyone who bet on Iowa lost, while Indiana backers cashed in. But who were the standout contributors?

Indiana got off to a fast start with Mendoza hitting Omar Cooper for a 14-yard TD, giving the Hoosiers an early 7-0 lead. Mark Gronowski was sharp, completing 19-of-25 passes for 144 yards before leaving in the 4th quarter with a leg injury. Then backup Hank Brown struggled to move the offense, finishing 5-of-13. Although Iowa grabbed a 13-10 lead on Drew Stevens’ 54-yard field goal. But Indiana quickly responded with Nico Radicic’s 44-yarder to tie it. By halftime, key plays, including Mendoza to Sarratt and Radicic’s 46-yard field goal, had kept the game knotted at 10-10. But in the final seconds, Mendoza ran 40 yards into the end zone for a safety, sealing the dramatic win.

Why did Fernando Mendoza choose Indiana?

With 6th-year starter Kurtis Rourke gone, Indiana needed a QB to step up. And Mendoza answered the call. Passing on finalists Missouri and Georgia, he picked the Hoosiers: a place to develop, lead, and make his mark. Although Mendoza’s hometown, Miami, initially seemed like the perfect fit. But the timing wasn’t right.

“Whenever talking to scouts or, honestly, just analyzing my own game, I realized I needed to develop as a quarterback into a pro-ready quarterback and really allow my NFL goals,” stated Mendoza. Indiana offered the path to develop and showcase his talent. More importantly, family played a role too.

His younger brother, Alberto Mendoza, is a backup QB for the Hoosiers. “When really deciphering and putting all the information down on one piece of paper, seeing all the different schools, seeing how they stacked up against each other, the extra information that Indiana brought, plus having the aspect of being able to play with my brother, develop with him and just unite with him, was also an additional gaining factor for Indiana,” explained Mendoza. Indiana look like true dark horse contenders for the natty with the way they have been playing these past few weeks.