Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. (3) catches a touchdown pass over Penn State safety Zakee Wheatley (6) during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025, in State College, Pa. (AP Photo/Barry Reeger)

UNIVERSITY PARK — Following are the highlights and lowlights from Penn State’s 27-24 loss to Indiana on Saturday at Beaver Stadium:

Play of the game: On third-and-goal from the Penn State 7, Fernando Mendoza found a leaping Omar Cooper Jr. in the back of the end zone, and Cooper managed to catch the ball and get a toe down, giving the Hoosiers a 27-24 lead with 35 seconds remaining.

Offensive player of the game: Mendoza completed 19 of 30 for 218 yards. He completed five passes on the decisive drive. Mendoza also rushed for an 18-yard TD.

Defensive player of the game: Indiana linebacker Rolijah Hardy made a game-high 12 tackles, including seven solos and one sack.

Most telling statistic: Total yardage was almost dead even with 336 for Penn State, 326 for Indiana. The QBs threw for 219 and 218, both with one TD and one interception.

Most deceiving statistic: PSU converted 9-of-16 on third and fourth downs.

Hidden statistic: The Lions averaged 5.9 yards per carry on 15 second-half rushes compared with 1.6 on 18 first-half tries.

Best run: Nick Singleton showed some of his old speed on a 59-yard run to the Hoosiers’ 2 in the fourth quarter. Two plays later, the Lions cut the IU lead to 20-17 with 11:40 remaining.

Best pass: Mendoza made so many. In addition to his game-winner, let’s pick his 29-yarder to Riley Nowakowski over the middle to the Nits’ 24 in the last minute.

Worst pass: Early in the third quarter, with the Nits down 17-7, Ethan Grunkemeyer was intercepted by Indiana’s Jamari Sharpe at the Hoosiers’ 48. IU converted the turnover into a field goal and a 20-7 lead.

Best catch: Cooper’s play of the game.

Catch it, will ya: Devonte Ross dropped two catchable balls and Trebor Pena one.

Hold it, won’t ya: Kaytron Allen’s fumble with 1:09 left in the second quarter led to a TD and Indiana’s 17-7 halftime lead.

Best block: Lion center Nick Dawkins opened the lane for Singleton’s big run.

Best tackle: Lion corner Darius Dixson sacked Mendoza for a 7-yard loss in the red zone in the second quarter, forcing a field goal.

Best hit: Zakee Wheatley drilled Charlie Becker after a fourth-quarter reception.

Best kick: No showstoppers.

Worst kick: IU’s Quinn Warren booted the second-half kickoff out of bounds, gifting the Nits possession at their 35.

Best call: On third-and-5 from the Indiana 39, the Lions sent Allen up the middle, and he picked up the first down. They were in four-down territory so the call made sense. They finished the drive to go up 24-20 with 6:27 left.

Worst call: Didn’t like AK throwing short on third-and-10 (and then punting) when a first down could have ended the game.

Worst penalty: Tied 7-7, a holding penalty on the Lions’ Audavion Collins wiped out a third-down sack by Dani Dennis-Sutton at the PSU 48 in the second quarter that would have forced a punt.

Best effort: Singleton had 143 yards on 15 total touches (10-71 rush, 3-22 pass, 2-50 kickoff returns).

Unsung hero: Becker made seven catches for 118 yards, his best being a 17-yarder at the sideline to the PSU 7 to set up the winning score.