"The Indiana Hoosiers QB is now the favorite is now the favorite to win the Heisman Trophy, and unless something dramatic happens in the final two weeks, the race is tilting firmly in his direction. Saturday's win over Penn State Nittany Lions did not just keep Indiana undefeated. It delivered the one thing Heisman voters latch onto: a moment. The kind they replay when ballots are in hand and the highlight loop runs on repeat."
"Yet with 1:51 remaining, down 24 to 20, Mendoza jogged onto the field needing an 80-yard drive with a season's worth of pressure on his shoulders and delivered. The final boxscore shows a pedestrian passing line with only 19 completions for 218 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Nothing gaudy but the Heisman is rarely won by raw numbers. With the resume, you have games won by context, poise, command, and timing."
Fernando Mendoza led an 80-yard, game-winning drive with 1:51 remaining to beat Penn State and preserve Indiana's undefeated record. The drive consisted of four completions covering 73 yards to three different targets after an initial sack. The final boxscore showed 19 completions for 218 yards, one touchdown and one interception, numbers that appear modest but reflect context, poise, command, and timing. Indiana played without Elijah Sarratt, and Penn State entered the game desperate. Mendoza's late-game composure and clutch execution shifted him to the front of the Heisman Trophy odds heading into the final two weeks.
Read at ESPN.com
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