Indiana fans absurdly ripping Ohio State for 'dirty' hit on Fernando Mendoza

There was more chaos in the first nine seconds of the Big Ten Championship than there was in any of the other conference championship games all day on Saturday. In the first play of regulation, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza snapped the ball and completed a nine-yard pass, but a step after he released the pass, defensive tackle Caden Curry laid a massive hit on him.

The hit was 100% legal as Curry did not launch himself, didn't lead with the crown of his helmet, and did not make contact with the head or neck area. It wasn't a roughing the passer penalty either because the hit came within a step of Mendoza releasing the ball.

After the hit, Mendoza lay on the ground for a lengthy amount of time, and it looked like he was in some serious pain. Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti came out to check on his Heisman candidate while his younger brother, Alberto Mendoza, warmed up to go into the game.

Mendoza was able to jog off the field under his own power and only sat out one play before re-entering the game. He looks to be okay ever since, even throwing the ball downfield during that first drive.

Of course, it is good that Mendoza isn't hurt, but Indiana fans are whining about something that is totally bogus, and they may want to crack open a rule book.

Indiana fans are call for a penalty on the Mendoza hit that simply isn't there

Hits on the quarterback are always "planned" in a sense, as defensive linemen are always trying to hit the quarterback. Players are never trying to injure people, but especially on the first play of the game, the juice is there, and guys are pinning their eyes back and trying to get to the quarterback as fast as possible. Even Joel Klatt, the announcer for the game, said it was a completely legal hit, just a really big one at that.

Really? Thugs? It was a completely legal hit that many quarterbacks have taken before. This is tackle football; if guys don't want to get hit, maybe they should consider playing flag football.

It was simply a hard hit and that is all, no ill intend behind it.

In no way was that a hit targeting, and if it had been called targeting on the field, it almost 100% would have been overturned on the replay, as nothing about the hit would have warranted that foul. It was a good no-call by the officials.

There is no argument for targeting; the refs made the right choice in keeping their flags in their pockets.