Fernando Mendoza Was Unstoppable | Defector

"But after a pair of blowouts to get them to the championship, the finale put a bright spotlight on their ability of execute in the clutch. Just one dumb slip-up could have cost them their fairytale ending, but everything went right in the big moments, all the way through to the Carson Beck interception that sealed the win."

"Just a few seconds into the final period, Indiana got the kickoff after a Miami touchdown made the score 17-14, Hoosiers. They moved the ball pretty quickly into Hurricane territory, but an incompletion on 3rd-and-five just outside field goal range presented a tough choice. After taking a timeout, Curt Cignetti opted to go for it, and Mendoza confidently completed a back-shoulder throw to a falling Charlie Becker on the sideline."

"Two runs and an incompletion made it 4th-and-four on the Miami 12. Again, not an easy decision, and again Cignetti called timeout to think about it. But Mendoza has spent the entire year asserting himself as the guy you want to trust in a do-or-die look, and his coach gave him the ball. Mendoza had an option to pass, depending on the defense's strategy, but Plan A was the QB draw, and after a second of hesitation he went full speed ahead."

Indiana completed an undefeated 16-0 season and won the national college football championship. The finale showcased precise execution and clutch decision-making throughout the roster. Early in the fourth quarter Indiana received the kickoff after a Miami touchdown with the score 17-14. Indiana advanced into Miami territory, faced third-and-five outside field-goal range, and Curt Cignetti chose to go for it; Mendoza completed a back-shoulder throw to a falling Charlie Becker. Later Miami faced fourth-and-four at its 12 and Cignetti again trusted Mendoza. Plan A on the decisive series was a QB draw, and Mendoza accelerated to convert. A Carson Beck interception ultimately sealed the win, and Mendoza’s fourth-quarter drive created a lasting image in his likely final game as a Hoosier.

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