Well, folks, here we go again. After a difficult 38-14 loss to No. 1 Ohio State last week, Penn State football is tasked with an equally difficult opponent in No. 2 Indiana.

There were a lot of questions coming into the season about who the next Indiana would be. Which Power Four school would make a crazy run into the playoffs and dominate in the regular season? Well, the answer was right in front of us the whole time. This season’s Indiana is Indiana.

The Hoosiers have been on a warpath this season, and despite the friendship between Penn State interim head coach Terry Smith and Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti, it doesn’t look like they are about to slow down.

If history has anything to say about it, though, the Nittany Lions could have a chance. Indiana has never beaten Penn State in Beaver Stadium and has just two wins all-time against the blue and white. Those two wins came in 2020, which was won in overtime on a controversial Michael Penix Jr two-point conversion, and 2013 thanks to a huge game from Nate Sudfeld. Penn State is on a three-game win streak in the series.

DraftKings has the line for the game set at 14.5 points in favor of Indiana, a line that has moved since it opened at 13.5. Penn State is +470 to win the game, and the over/under is 48.5.

The Team

The Hoosiers are 9-0 to start the season and 6-0 in Big Ten play. Indiana’s best win came against No. 9 Oregon at Autzen Stadium and a 63-10 blowout over Illinois. The only real close game the Hoosiers have come across was a five-point win against No. 20 Iowa.

Cignetti will lead Indiana out of the tunnel for the second straight season. He boasts a 20-2 record since moving to Bloomington, Indiana, from James Madison. His turnaround of the Hoosier football program is almost unprecedented.

Mike Shanahan is the offensive coordinator. He is entering his fourth season with Indiana after previously working for JMU as an offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach. He has followed Cignetti since his days with IUP.

The defensive coordinator for the game is Bryant Haines. He is also a Cignetti product, entering his 11th season working under the head coach. Haines is a two-time Broyles Award semifinalist and is known mainly for his great work with developing linebackers.

The Offense

Indiana is led by Fernando Mendoza, a Cal transfer, who is currently second in the Heisman voting behind just Julian Sayin, per DraftKings. If he is anything like the Ohio State quarterback, the Nittany Lions could be in for a long day after Sayin threw for 306 yards and four touchdowns with only three incompletions last week.

Mendoza has been one of the best quarterbacks in the country due to his accuracy and ability to scramble. The redshirt junior has thrown for 2124 yards and 24 touchdowns with 220 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. His four interceptions on the season have all come in the last five games.

The Cal transfer gets help from two NFL-level talents at wide receiver in Elijah Sarratt and Omar Cooper Jr. Sarratt was one of the nation’s top receivers last season, and he is back for more in 2025 with a team-high 10 touchdowns with 609 yards on top of it.

Cooper is the reverse and leads the team in yards with 669 and has added eight touchdowns. Indiana is really good at setting up its deep pass, with five different players having a 45-yard grab or more.

When the passing game isn’t on, the Hoosiers have been able to lean on the running game thanks to Kaelon Black. The six-year player has 619 and four touchdowns on the year, averaging over six yards a carry.

Roman Hemby also has over 600 yards and four touchdowns as a nice compliment to the experience of Black.

“You wanna take away the pass, OK, we’ll run 370-some yards down your throat,” Mendoza said after beating Maryland 55-10.

The Defense

Indiana’s defense has somehow flown really under the radar this season. Everyone is talking about the offense, but Cignetti and Haines have this side of the ball playing as one of the top units in the country, and with as nasty an attitude as you can find.

The Hoosiers are seventh in yards allowed per game with 248.3 and third nationally with 10.78 points per game. The trust the defense has in the whole unit allows them to throw just about anything at opposing offenses.

Louis Moore is playing as one of the nation’s best safeties, leading the country with 5 interceptions and leading the team with 56 total tackles. Amare Ferrell also helps out the secondary with three interceptions from the cornerback position.

The real story, though, has been the Hoosiers from seven. Isiah Jones, Aiden Fisher, and Rolijah Hardy are super decisive linebackers who fly around the field. This is something Penn State has struggled with, often thinking too much during the play.

Indiana also has nine different players with sacks this season, including four with over four. For reference, the Nittany Lions don’t have a single player with over two sacks.

Special Teams

The special teams unit is as elite as the rest of the team. Kicker Nico Radicic is yet to miss this season on field goals or extra points with a long of 46 yards.

Roman Hemby has been the kick returner for Indiana with seven attempts for 165 yards. The punt returner is Johnoathan Brady, who has an average return of 17.56 with one touchdown.