Postgame Notes: Illinois
9/21/2025 1:35:00 AM | Football
Postgame Notes
Illinois at Indiana
September 20, 2025
Illinois at Indiana
September 20, 2025
TEAM
• Indiana is 27-46-2 all-time against Illinois with a 17-13-1 mark in Bloomington.
• Indiana's game captains were OL Pat Coogan, LB Aiden Fisher, TE Riley Nowakowski, WR Elijah Sarratt.
• Indiana won the coin toss and deferred the opening kickoff. Illinois received the opening kick.
• Saturday's attendance of 56,088 is the second largest crowd in program history behind the 1969 crowd of 56,223 versus Purdue. At the time of the 1969 game, the capacity of Memorial Stadium was 48,344.
• The attendance was the most in a game since the expansion of the capacity of Memorial Stadium to 50,000-plus in 1970.
• Indiana improved to 6-1 all-time in home games where both teams are ranked.
• The Hoosiers grabbed its sixth win over an AP top-10 team all time.
• The Hoosiers are 39-27-1 all-time as a ranked team, which includes a 25-7-1 record at home and a 28-20-1 mark in Big Ten play.
• Indiana's 63 points marked the most scored by a Big Ten team against an AP Top-10 opponent. Ohio State twice had scored 62, most recently in 2018 against No. 4 Michigan.
• The victory over Illinois marked the largest margin of victory over an AP top-10 team (53) and the largest overall margin of victory over a ranked opponent in program history. The previous mark was 21 points against Ohio State (31-10) in 1987.
• The 53-point margin of victory is the largest by a team outside the AP top-10 against an AP top-10 team.
• Indiana starts a season 4-0 for the ninth time in program history.
• It is the second-straight season Indiana has started 4-0 to mark just the second time in program history consecutive seasons were started at 4-0 or better. The 1985 and 1986 teams each began the season 4-0.
• The 219 points scored over the first four games of the season is the most in any four-game stretch in program history. The previous mark was set in 2024 (213).
• The Hoosier offense has only scored 200-plus points in a four-game stretch three times in program history: 219 points, 2025 (Game 1-4); 213 points, 2024 (Game 2-5), 202 points, 2024 (Game 1-4).
• The 63 points mark the fourth 60-point game under head coach Curt Cignetti since 2024, which are the most in the FBS during that span.
• Indiana has scored at least 31 points in eight Big Ten games since the start of 2024.
• Indiana posted four-straight 300-yard rushing games for the first time in program history.
• With 7.0 sacks in the game, Indiana tied for third most in a single game against a Big Ten opponent in program history behind games at Iowa (9.0; 2007) and at Illinois (8.0; 2017).
• Saturday marked the sixth time since at least 1958 that Indiana held a team to single-digit or fewer yards rushing: 2, Illinois, 2025; minus-36, at Michigan State, 2024; minus-32, William & Mary, 2002; minus-8, Purdue, 2001; minus-1, Iowa,1988; minus-26, Northwestern, 1982.
• The first-quarter blocked punt return for a touchdown was the program's first since Javon Swinton against Idaho in 2021.
Jonathan Brady | WR | Sr.
• Moved into No. 12 on the single-season punt return yardage list with 27 yards to push his season total to 238.
Omar Cooper | WR | R-Jr.
• His 11-yard score in the first quarter moved him to 14 career receiving touchdowns which puts him in a tie at No. 10 on the career receiving touchdowns chart.
Amare Ferrell | DB | Jr.
• Had his sixth career interception when he picked off Ethan Hampton in the fourth quarter.
Isaiah Jones | LB | R-Jr.
• Has recorded 1.0 sacks in three of four games this season.
Mario Landino | DL | So.
• Notched a career-high 2.0 sacks and tackles for loss.
Khobie Martin | RB | R-Fr.
• Posted his second-consecutive and second-career 100-yard rushing game with 107 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries.
• Tied a career-long 31-yard rush on his first touchdown of the day. He last reached the mark on a 31-yard touchdown in Week 2 of 2024 against Western Illinois.
Fernando Mendoza | QB | R-Jr.
• Had a 21-for-23 passing day with 267 yards and tied a career-high five passing touchdowns.
• His .910 (21-for-23) completion percentage put him at No. 3 on the game completion percentage charts just a week after setting the program's record of .950 (19-for-20) in Week 3 against Indiana State (9/12).
Riley Nowakowski | TE | R-Sr.+
• Had a career-long 43-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter. His previous high was a 23-yard gain against Indiana in 2023.
D'Angelo Ponds | DB | Jr.
• Blocked second-career punt in the first quarter and returned it 11 yards for a touchdown.
• The blocked punt was the second of his career - both coming at Indiana - with his last coming at Michigan State in 2024.
• It is his second-career special teams touchdown, as he also returned a blocked punt for a touchdown against Virginia in 2023 while at James Madison.
Nico Radicic | K | R-So.
• His 9-for-9 effort on extra points pushed him to No. 7 on the career extra points made charts, passing Bill Manolopoulos (94; 1993-96).
• He became the third Hoosier to make 100 consecutive extra points as he joined Mitch Ewald (100-for-100 before first miss; 2010-13) and Pete Stoyanovich (107-for-107; 1985-88).
Elijah Sarratt | WR | Sr.
• Continued his nation-leading consecutive games with a catch streak to 42 on his 14-yard reception in the first quarter.
• Posted his ninth career multi-touchdown game with his two receiving scores.
Tyrique Tucker | DL | R-Jr.
• Posted a career-high 2.0 sacks and 2.0 tackles for loss.
• Indiana is 27-46-2 all-time against Illinois with a 17-13-1 mark in Bloomington.
• Indiana's game captains were OL Pat Coogan, LB Aiden Fisher, TE Riley Nowakowski, WR Elijah Sarratt.
• Indiana won the coin toss and deferred the opening kickoff. Illinois received the opening kick.
• Saturday's attendance of 56,088 is the second largest crowd in program history behind the 1969 crowd of 56,223 versus Purdue. At the time of the 1969 game, the capacity of Memorial Stadium was 48,344.
• The attendance was the most in a game since the expansion of the capacity of Memorial Stadium to 50,000-plus in 1970.
• Indiana improved to 6-1 all-time in home games where both teams are ranked.
• The Hoosiers grabbed its sixth win over an AP top-10 team all time.
• The Hoosiers are 39-27-1 all-time as a ranked team, which includes a 25-7-1 record at home and a 28-20-1 mark in Big Ten play.
• Indiana's 63 points marked the most scored by a Big Ten team against an AP Top-10 opponent. Ohio State twice had scored 62, most recently in 2018 against No. 4 Michigan.
• The victory over Illinois marked the largest margin of victory over an AP top-10 team (53) and the largest overall margin of victory over a ranked opponent in program history. The previous mark was 21 points against Ohio State (31-10) in 1987.
• The 53-point margin of victory is the largest by a team outside the AP top-10 against an AP top-10 team.
• Indiana starts a season 4-0 for the ninth time in program history.
• It is the second-straight season Indiana has started 4-0 to mark just the second time in program history consecutive seasons were started at 4-0 or better. The 1985 and 1986 teams each began the season 4-0.
• The 219 points scored over the first four games of the season is the most in any four-game stretch in program history. The previous mark was set in 2024 (213).
• The Hoosier offense has only scored 200-plus points in a four-game stretch three times in program history: 219 points, 2025 (Game 1-4); 213 points, 2024 (Game 2-5), 202 points, 2024 (Game 1-4).
• The 63 points mark the fourth 60-point game under head coach Curt Cignetti since 2024, which are the most in the FBS during that span.
• Indiana has scored at least 31 points in eight Big Ten games since the start of 2024.
• Indiana posted four-straight 300-yard rushing games for the first time in program history.
• With 7.0 sacks in the game, Indiana tied for third most in a single game against a Big Ten opponent in program history behind games at Iowa (9.0; 2007) and at Illinois (8.0; 2017).
• Saturday marked the sixth time since at least 1958 that Indiana held a team to single-digit or fewer yards rushing: 2, Illinois, 2025; minus-36, at Michigan State, 2024; minus-32, William & Mary, 2002; minus-8, Purdue, 2001; minus-1, Iowa,1988; minus-26, Northwestern, 1982.
• The first-quarter blocked punt return for a touchdown was the program's first since Javon Swinton against Idaho in 2021.
Jonathan Brady | WR | Sr.
• Moved into No. 12 on the single-season punt return yardage list with 27 yards to push his season total to 238.
Omar Cooper | WR | R-Jr.
• His 11-yard score in the first quarter moved him to 14 career receiving touchdowns which puts him in a tie at No. 10 on the career receiving touchdowns chart.
Amare Ferrell | DB | Jr.
• Had his sixth career interception when he picked off Ethan Hampton in the fourth quarter.
Isaiah Jones | LB | R-Jr.
• Has recorded 1.0 sacks in three of four games this season.
Mario Landino | DL | So.
• Notched a career-high 2.0 sacks and tackles for loss.
Khobie Martin | RB | R-Fr.
• Posted his second-consecutive and second-career 100-yard rushing game with 107 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries.
• Tied a career-long 31-yard rush on his first touchdown of the day. He last reached the mark on a 31-yard touchdown in Week 2 of 2024 against Western Illinois.
Fernando Mendoza | QB | R-Jr.
• Had a 21-for-23 passing day with 267 yards and tied a career-high five passing touchdowns.
• His .910 (21-for-23) completion percentage put him at No. 3 on the game completion percentage charts just a week after setting the program's record of .950 (19-for-20) in Week 3 against Indiana State (9/12).
Riley Nowakowski | TE | R-Sr.+
• Had a career-long 43-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter. His previous high was a 23-yard gain against Indiana in 2023.
D'Angelo Ponds | DB | Jr.
• Blocked second-career punt in the first quarter and returned it 11 yards for a touchdown.
• The blocked punt was the second of his career - both coming at Indiana - with his last coming at Michigan State in 2024.
• It is his second-career special teams touchdown, as he also returned a blocked punt for a touchdown against Virginia in 2023 while at James Madison.
Nico Radicic | K | R-So.
• His 9-for-9 effort on extra points pushed him to No. 7 on the career extra points made charts, passing Bill Manolopoulos (94; 1993-96).
• He became the third Hoosier to make 100 consecutive extra points as he joined Mitch Ewald (100-for-100 before first miss; 2010-13) and Pete Stoyanovich (107-for-107; 1985-88).
Elijah Sarratt | WR | Sr.
• Continued his nation-leading consecutive games with a catch streak to 42 on his 14-yard reception in the first quarter.
• Posted his ninth career multi-touchdown game with his two receiving scores.
Tyrique Tucker | DL | R-Jr.
• Posted a career-high 2.0 sacks and 2.0 tackles for loss.
Players Mentioned
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DL
/ FootballFB: Fernando Mendoza - Illinois Postgame Press Conference (09/20/25)
Sunday, September 21
FB: D’Angelo Ponds - Illinois Postgame Press Conference (09/20/25)
Sunday, September 21
FB: Week 4 (vs. Illinois) - Curt Cignett Post Game Press Conference
Saturday, September 20
FB: Inside IU Football with Curt Cignetti - Week 4 (Illinois)
Thursday, September 18