Why national title game vs. Miami has extra…
The national championship game will also serve as a homecoming for Fernando Mendoza.
Indiana’s star quarterback grew up less than a mile away from Miami’s campus and attended video games there as a baby, according to ESPN.
No. 1 Indiana faces No. 10 Miami — which will likely be enjoying a home game at Hard Rock Stadium — in the national championship game on Jan. 19.
Fernando Mendoza celebrates during the Indiana-Oregon College Football Playoff semifinal game on Jan. 9, 2026. Getty Images
Mendoza also went to the same high college — Christopher Columbus, an all-boys Catholic college in Miami — that Miami head coach Mario Cristobal attended.
It’s also where Mendoza’s father attended, and he and Cristobal had been teammates on the soccer crew.
“We have definitely talked about it,” Alberto Mendoza, Fernando’s youthful brother, told ESPN.
“We saw Miami in the playoffs, we’re like, ‘Wow, play Miami in Miami.’ We knew we were going to make it, but just knowing that we might see them, Miami at Miami, is just kind of crazy because everyone from my hometown are Miami fans. It will mean a lot.”
Mendoza didn’t obtain a scholarship offer from Miami popping out of high college.
Indiana has to take down Miami and coach Mario Cristobal to win the national title. AP
He began his collegiate profession at Cal, enjoying there for two seasons before transferring to Indiana this yr.
“There’s obviously a backstory there,” Cristobal said last yr before Miami performed the Golden Bears. “I’ve known the Mendoza family. I played with the dad as high school teammates.”
Mendoza emerged as the best quarterback in the nation with Indiana, profitable the Heisman Trophy.
Undefeated Indiana has steamrolled opponents on the best way to the national championship game, having fun with one of school soccer’s most dramatic turnarounds under head coach Curt Cignetti, who is in his second season in charge.
Mendoza accomplished 17 of 20 passes for 177 yards and 5 touchdowns in Indiana’s 56-22 win over Oregon in the semifinal on Friday.
“I thought he was incredible,” Cignetti said of Mendoza. “He was great. I also thought our receivers made some great contested catches. He was on top of the game and his performance was a huge difference in this football game.”
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