Fernando Mendoza threw five touchdown passes and D’Angelo Ponds scooped up the punt he blocked and returned it 11 yards for a score Saturday night, leading No. 19 Indiana past No. 9 Illinois 63-10 for its first win over a top 10 foe in five years — and easily the most lopsided.
Indiana’s previous best was a 31-10 victory at then No. 9 Ohio State in 1987. It marked the first time since 1950 the Hoosiers and Fighting Illini squared off with each ranked.
Ponds’ blocked punt return opened the scoring, and Mendoza went 21 of 23 with 267 yards to become the first Hoosiers player with multiple games of five or more TD passes in three quarters. He also completed his final 17 passes as Indiana (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) extended its school record home winning streak to 12, all coming under second-year coach Curt Cignetti.