Fernando Mendoza passed for 299 yards and four touchdowns, Charlie Becker had five catches for 108 yards with a score and No. 2 Indiana rolled to a 31-7 victory over Wisconsin on Saturday in Bloomington, Ind.
Indiana (11-0, 8-0 Big Ten) navigated multiple injuries to remain unbeaten and move to 11-0 for the first time in school history. Wide receiver Elijah Sarratt (hamstring) missed his second straight game while defensive end Mikail Kamara left in the first quarter with an apparent shoulder injury.
Mendoza helped the Hoosiers regroup from a shaky start against the Badgers (3-7, 1-6), who collected five sacks, including 2 1/2 from Darryl Peterson.
Leading 10-7 at halftime, Indiana created distance with Mendoza passing touchdowns to Holden Staes (2 yards), Riley Nowakowski (21 yards), and Omar Cooper Jr. (5 yards) on three of its first five drives in the second half.
Mendoza had twice as many touchdown passes as incompletions, finishing 22-for-44 through the air. He now has 30 TD passes, the most in a single season in program history.
Wisconsin counterpart Carter Smith was 9 of 15 for 98 yards with a touchdown and interception.
Badgers leading rusher Gideon Ituka gained 32 yards on nine carries before being taken off the field on a cart midway through the third quarter wearing a brace around his head and neck.
Roman Hemby led Indiana with 58 rushing yards on 14 carries.
The Hoosiers visited the end zone on their first possession, covering 72 yards in nine plays for a 7-0 lead. Indiana punctuated the drive with a 31-yard scoring pass from Mendoza to Becker with 2:56 left in the first quarter.
After missing a 44-yard field goal attempt and punting twice to begin the day, Wisconsin broke through on its fourth possession. On fourth down and inches from the Hoosiers’ 45, The badgers scored as Smith connected with a wide-open Lance Mason for a touchdown on a play-action pass with 3:42 left in the second quarter.
Indiana responded with a 37-yard Nico Radicic field goal with 55 seconds left in the quarter to take a 10-7 lead into halftime.
The Hoosiers outgained the Badgers 388-168 while limiting Wisconsin to eight first downs.
Wisconsin has lost 11 of its past 12 conference games.
–Field Level Media
