Indiana clinches Big Ten championship berth with rivalry win vs. Purdue

On Friday, Indiana defeated Purdue in dominant 56-3 fashion to secure a spot in the Big Ten Championship game. If Ohio State wins against Michigan on Saturday, it will face off against the Hoosiers for the conference title.

With the win, Indiana finished its regular season with a 12-0 record. The Hoosiers haven’t appeared in a conference championship game since 1967, when they won the Big Ten.

After suffering one regular-season loss last year, Indiana narrowly missed out on the Big Ten title game. Instead, the bout was between Oregon and Penn State. Indiana won’t miss out on the opportunity this season.

The Hoosiers were spectacular on Friday, racking up 548 total yards against Purdue. In the win, IU quarterback Fernando Mendoza completed 8-of-his-15 pass attempts for 117 yards and two touchdowns, without throwing an interception.

In the backfield, running back Roman Hemby amassed a team-high 152 rushing yards and a touchdown. Kaelon Black was also excellent, adding 66 rushing yards and two scores to the Hoosiers’ winning effort.

Indiana’s defense held Purdue to 282 total yards of offense, while squeezing two turnovers out of the Boilermakers. It was nothing new for the Hoosiers, who allow the second-least points per game in the country.

The victory was only further confirmation to Indiana fans that the school made the correct choice in securing head coach Curt Cignetti‘s future. In October, Indiana signed Cignetti to new eight-year contract with an average annual compensation of approximately $11.6 million.

“At Indiana University, we are committed to performing at the highest levels in everything we do, and no one has exemplified that more than Coach Cignetti,” said Indiana University President Pamela Whitten. “Put simply, Cig is a winner.

“From last year’s College Football Playoff appearance to this year’s top-3 national ranking, the IU Football program’s success has been tremendous. Curt and Manette Cignetti are home in Indiana and we are delighted that the Cignetti family will be Hoosiers for many years to come.”

If the future looks anything like Indiana’s 2025 campaign, Hoosiers fans have plenty of exciting years ahead of them. The Big Ten Championship game will take place on Dec. 6 inside Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Indianapolis Colts.

Indiana fans will undoubtedly pack the venue as their beloved Hoosiers look to win the Big Ten for the first time in 58 years. The College Football Playoff bracket will be revealed the following day during the annual selection show.