Quarterback Fernando Mendoza and the Indiana offense faced second-and-17 at its own 13-yard line, under the roar of a raucous Beaver Stadium. He had been sacked for the third time and the Hoosiers trailed with less than 90 seconds remaining.
The offense hadn’t scored since its first drive of the second half, and 17 unanswered points had given the Nittany Lions their first lead. Doubt crept in and it appeared the final nail had been put into IU’s coffin. But for Mendoza, it was just another opportunity to deliver.
What followed that first-down sack would become one of the defining moments of his season — and Indiana football history.