College Park, Md. — Quarterback Fernando Mendoza shook off an early miscue and helped keep No. 2 Indiana unbeaten, leading the Hoosiers to a commanding 55–10 victory over Maryland on Saturday.
Mendoza threw for a touchdown and ran for another as Indiana (9–0, 6–0 Big Ten) extended its perfect season with yet another rout. The Hoosiers have now followed up their pivotal road win at Oregon with three straight blowout victories — over Michigan State, UCLA, and Maryland — by a combined 120 points.
Mendoza Overcomes Early Interception
Mendoza’s day started shakily when he was picked off on Indiana’s opening drive, setting up Maryland at the Hoosiers’ 12-yard line. But the Terrapins (4–4, 1–4) could only manage a field goal from that golden opportunity — their last lead of the game.
From there, Indiana’s defense and ground game took over. Mendoza rebounded quickly, capping the Hoosiers’ next drive with a 7-yard touchdown run, then finding Omar Cooper Jr. for a 22-yard scoring pass later in the first quarter to put Indiana up 17–3.
The Hoosiers extended their lead to 20–3 by halftime and never looked back.
“It seemed like they wanted to take away our passing and RPO game,” Mendoza said. “They gave us space underneath, and that opened up the run game. We just kept taking what they gave us.”
Ground Game Rolls, Even Without Sarratt
Indiana piled up 367 rushing yards while holding Maryland to just 37. The Hoosiers did much of their damage without star wide receiver Elijah Sarratt, who exited in the first quarter with hamstring tightness, ending his streak of 46 consecutive games with a reception, the longest in the nation.
Running backs Kaelon Black, Roman Hemby, and Khobie Martin powered the offense, with Black rushing for 110 yards, Hemby adding 88 against his former team, and Martin contributing 80.
“It wasn’t perfect tonight defensively,” head coach Curt Cignetti said. “Open-field tackling needs work, but the defense rose up when it mattered. When our backs were against the wall, they responded.”
Maryland Misses Early Chances, Falters Late
Maryland had multiple chances to keep the game close early. After forcing a three-and-out and starting consecutive drives in Indiana territory, the Terps came away with just three points.
“When we had opportunities early, we didn’t take advantage,” Maryland coach Michael Locksley said. “Our defense starts fast, but we can’t sustain it offensively. The lack of balance really hurts us.”
Freshman quarterback Malik Washington endured a tough outing, throwing two interceptions and losing a fumble that was returned 32 yards for a touchdown by Devan Boykin.
Maryland’s lone touchdown came on a 55-yard catch-and-run by DeJuan Williams, but Indiana answered immediately with Black’s 31-yard TD run to make it 34–10.
The game unraveled for the Terps midway through the third quarter when they fumbled on back-to-back plays — one returned for a score, the other leading to a 16-yard touchdown run by Hemby.
Mendoza’s younger brother, Alberto, entered in the fourth quarter and threw a 6-yard TD pass to Jonathan Brady, before Martin closed the scoring with a 1-yard plunge.
The Takeaway
Indiana: The Hoosiers continue to look every bit the national title contender. The biggest concern is the status of Elijah Sarratt, whose hamstring issue will be monitored closely.
Maryland: A rough day for the Terps’ young offense, which showed flashes but couldn’t protect the ball. Washington’s turnovers proved costly, and Maryland has now dropped four straight.
Up Next:
Indiana: Visits Penn State next Saturday.
Maryland: Travels to Rutgers to face the Scarlet Knights.
