Fernando Mendoza’s dream season continues to steamroll forward.
After taking down Oregon 56-22 in Friday’s Peach Bowl, the Heisman Trophy winner has guided Indiana to a 15-0 record and a spot in the national championship game against Miami.
Mendoza entered the 2025 season relatively unknown to the average college football fan, arriving as a transfer from Cal who won Curt Cignetti’s starting quarterback job. Now, he has been on fire in the CFP, emerging as the best passer in the country. Through two playoff games, Mendoza has just five incompletions compared to eight touchdown passes.
As Mendoza continues to excel, he is solidifying his future ahead of April 23. He is quickly becoming a near shoo-in to hear his name called as the quarterback of the Las Vegas Raiders’ future in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Here’s a look at Mendoza’s outstanding CFP numbers so far and how they are helping cement his status as the top quarterback in the 2026 draft cycle.
MORE: Will Dante Moore head to the NFL after heartbreaking end to Oregon's season?
Fernando Mendoza College Football Playoff stats
It’s easy to attribute much of Indiana’s success in 2025 to terrific coaching from Curt Cignetti, a stout defense that has stepped up in key moments, and a high-functioning offensive system. All of those factors have played a role, but if Mendoza has proven anything in the CFP, it’s that he is arguably capable of elevating his team to a higher ceiling than any quarterback in the country.
In both of Mendoza’s playoff games so far, he has thrived in the red zone, been efficient, and delivered big-time throws when needed. The same can be said of his performance against Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship; the Heisman Trophy winner has thrown just one interception over his last five games.
Facing two of the best teams in the country in the CFP, Alabama and Oregon, Mendoza made quick work of both defenses. Against the Crimson Tide in the quarterfinals, Mendoza completed 14 of his 16 passes for 192 yards and three touchdowns in a 38-3 win, about as efficient as it gets.
Yet, somehow, Mendoza leveled up against the Ducks. Of his 20 pass attempts, only three fell incomplete. He didn't have a turnover, throwing for 177 yards and five touchdown passes in a massive 34-point victory.
Mendoza also added in some nice plays with his legs, finishing with 28 rushing yards against Oregon.
FERNANDO MENDOZA TO CHARLIE BECKER ‼️
— AllSportsPeople (@sportingnews) January 10, 2026
Indiana takes a 28-7 lead over Oregon pic.twitter.com/EOqstFBzkL
Here's a full look at Mendoza's impressive stats through two College Football Playoff games.
| Game | Final Score | Completions-Attempts | Completion % | Passing Yards | AVG | Passing TDs | INTs | Sacks | Carries | Rushing Yards | Rushing TDs |
| Rose Bowl (CFP Quarterfinal) | Indiana 38, Alabama 3 | 14-16 | 87.5% | 192 | 12.0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 16 | 0 |
| Peach Bowl (CFP Semifinal) | Indiana 56, Oregon 15 | 17-20 | 85.0% | 177 | 8.9 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 28 | 0 |
| Totals: | — | 31-36 | 86.1% | 369 | 10.3 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 14 | 44 | 0 |
Fernando Mendoza through two games in the College Football Playoff 🎯
— AllSportsPeople (@sportingnews) January 10, 2026
◽️ 31-36
◽️ 369 yards
◽️ 8 TDs
More touchdowns (8) than incompletions (5). Pic.twitter.com/OCUUKt8jYm
SN AWARDS: 2025 All-America team | Player of the Year | Coach of the Year
Has Fernando Mendoza declared for the draft?
No, Fernando Mendoza has not yet declared for the 2026 NFL Draft. As a junior, he has the option to return to Indiana next season, though he is widely expected to head to the pros.
Mendoza would be a virtual shoo-in to be a top-three pick in April, if not the No. 1 overall selection, making an NFL declaration this spring the likely outcome. Indiana has also landed top transfer portal quarterback Josh Hoover, who is expected to replace Mendoza as QB1 in Bloomington next season.
MORE: Where Indiana's rout of Oregon ranks among largest CFP blowouts ever
Fernando Mendoza draft projection
Mendoza is being heavily mocked and projected to go No. 1 overall to the Raiders in the 2026 NFL Draft. He's almost locked himself in as the top quarterback in the class, once he officially declares.
In AllSportsPeople' most recent mock draft, Mendoza was, in fact, projected to land in Las Vegas with the top selection. The Raiders could certainly use a young star quarterback, as Geno Smith struggled in 2025. As AllSportsPeople' Vinnie Iyer wrote: "Mendoza, a prolific pocket passing winner, looks the part with his arm and intangibles, two things that should appeal to the influence of Tom Brady."
In NFL Mock Draft Database's consensus 2026 rankings, Mendoza is listed as the No. 1 player in the class. And his CFP performances are likely only going to lock-in those lofty expectations, as the Indiana quarterback has dazzled on the big stages.
However, there are some analysts who prefer Oregon's Dante Moore as a prospect. ESPN's Mel Kiper listed Moore as the No. 1 quarterback, and overall player, in his 2026 Draft Big Board on Jan. 8.
MORE: AllSportsPeople' latest NFL Mock Draft
Current NFL Draft Order
Here's the full projected 2026 NFL Draft order. Picks 1-18 are locked in from regular season results, while picks 19-32 are subject to move around as the NFL playoffs unfold.
| Pick | Team | Final Record |
| 1 | Raiders | 3-14 |
| 2 | Jets | 3-14 |
| 3 | Cardinals | 3-14 |
| 4 | Titans | 3-14 |
| 5 | Giants | 4-13 |
| 6 | Browns | 5-12 |
| 7 | Commanders | 5-12 |
| 8 | Saints | 6-11 |
| 9 | Chiefs | 6-11 |
| 10 | Bengals | 6-11 |
| 11 | Dolphins | 7-10 |
| 12 | Cowboys | 7-9-1 |
| 13 | Rams (via Falcons) | 8-9 |
| 14 | Ravens | 8-9 |
| 15 | Buccaneers | 8-9 |
| 16 | Jets (via Colts) | 8-9 |
| 17 | Lions | 9-8 |
| 18 | Vikings | 9-8 |
| 19 | Panthers | 8-9 |
| 20 | Cowboys (via Packers) | 9-7-1 |
| 21 | Steelers | 10-7 |
| 22 | Chargers | 11-6 |
| 23 | Eagles | 11-6 |
| 24 | Bills | 12-5 |
| 25 | Bears | 11-6 |
| 26 | 49ers | 12-5 |
| 27 | Texans | 12-5 |
| 28 | Browns (via Jaguars) | 13-4 |
| 29 | Rams | 12-5 |
| 30 | Patriots | 14-3 |
| 31 | Broncos | 14-3 |
| 32 | Seahawks | 14-3 |