Even after the last whistle, the heartbreak and sadness linger a little longer in the chilly air of Beaver Stadium. This was meant to be Penn State’s chance to turn things around against Indiana. The preseason No. 2 was about to beat the current No. 2. After a wait of nine years, a top-5 win was under their grasp with 40 seconds left in the game, and it all slipped away. The Lions lost 24-27.

Interim head coach Terry Smith talked to the press after the game and addressed the current state of his dressing room after such a grueling loss. “Tough loss. Very, very difficult one to handle,” he said. “The locker room is taking it very tough… I’m super proud of the effort that our guys put out there. These guys play hard. I feel awful for them.” 

“We have to hit the reset button again tomorrow and figure out how to win a game,” Smith added.

With the defeat, Penn State has now lost six back-to-back games. However, the last two losses are unlike others after James Franklin was fired, and Drew Allar’s season ended due to an injury. The Lions showed promise against Ohio State in the first half. In their Week 11 game, it was more than the promise. They were leading 24-20, and the Hoosiers’ QB1, Fernando Mendoza, was looking like he had seen ghosts.

But then it happened. With 1:51 left in the game, the Hoosiers had the ball at their 20-yard line. On the first play, Mendoza was sacked, but after that, he led a flawless drive. Tough plays after tough plays. It was as if he had finally remembered that he was the favorite to win the Heisman.

The best play of the game and even Indiana’s season so far happened from Penn State’s 7-yard line. 3rd and goal, with defenders in his face, Mendoza threw it in the air, and Omar Cooper made the catch, with his left toe barely touching the ground. The ref ruled it a touchdown, thereby ending Penn State’s hopes.

To be fair, the Lions still had around 35 seconds to either tie or win the game, but Ethan Grunkemeyer couldn’t strike any magic. And just like that, the impossible became reality at Beaver Stadium.

The Hooisers pulled off a miracle in Happy Valley

At last, it took place. Thirteen Happy Valley visits, thirteen heartbreaks, and thirteen “maybe next years” later, Indiana football walked out of Beaver Stadium with a victory. In front of almost 100,000 shocked Penn State fans on a chilly November evening, Curt Cignetti’s Hoosiers changed the course of events that had haunted them for decades.

With fewer than two minutes remaining and a 24-20 deficit, Heisman candidate Fernando Mendoza pulled off one of the most spectacular drives in college football this year. His pass to Omar Cooper Jr. in the back of the end zone with 36 seconds remaining, just barely into the end zone, was the last visual of Indiana’s most unlikely win ever.

Following that, HC Curt Cignetti was unable to control his emotions. “Refused to lose,” he said, shaking his head in disbelief. “It was a great throw and catch. I’ve seen a lot of football, but never anything quite like this.” He added, “We were on the two-yard line, no timeouts, and hadn’t done much offensively for a while….then suddenly, we started making incredible plays. It’s a game of inches, and the team refused to lose.” That statement reflected that in the last two years, Indiana football has subtly developed into a team that thrives under pressure. Saturday night proved to be a miracle in Happy Valley marked by an unforgettable touchdown.