With Fernando Mendoza standing on the biggest stage of his career, nothing could be more surreal. A national championship game in Miami against the hometown program he grew up cheering for and the Indiana Hoosiers quarterback has made “the present moment” his rallying cry, a deliberate shield against everything swirling around him.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Mendoza said Saturday. “I’m really just focused on the present.”
That focus has been the through line of Mendoza’s media day availability, even as question after question tried to pull him toward the emotions of home, the noise of the NFL, and the gravity of a season that already includes a Heisman Trophy and an undefeated run.
For Mendoza, home starts at Christopher Columbus High School. He called the school’s “brotherhood” the foundation of who he became, not just a quarterback, but a teammate and a leader. And he connected it to the identity he sees in Indiana’s locker room.
“The brotherhood made me who I am,” Mendoza said. “I think that’s the super power of this Indiana team, the glue that we have together and the bond that we have together.”
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He spoke about coaches and teachers who shaped him, and he smiled about the idea of playing in front of “all my Columbus brothers” in the same city where he grew up. Asked in Spanish what it means to play here, Mendoza traced the story through family, culture and faith — a Cuban American kid in Miami whose grandparents immigrated from Cuba and built a life.
“It’s kind of like a full circle moment,” he said.
The moment, though, comes with a challenge of not letting it become too big.
Mendoza described stepping off the plane into humidity and Hispanic music, a sensory jolt that felt like home after Bloomington’s winter. He acknowledged the ticket requests and the pull of family. But he said he’s actively trying not to let the emotions settle in, insisting there’s time for reflection later.
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“It can sink in next week or the week after,” Mendoza said. “But I just want to focus on football right now to give my team the best chance.”
On the field, Mendoza credited Indiana’s offensive line for his efficiency, saying their protection allows him to work through full progressions and avoid desperation throws. He likened his role to a point guard — distributing the ball to playmakers and keeping the offense on schedule.
He also showed respect for Miami, recalling last season’s 39-38 game against the Hurricanes when he was at Cal. But that was against top NFL pick Cam Ward and not Carson Beck. Mendoza called Miami’s defense passionate, physical and relentless — a group that will trash talk, hit hard and “not quit.”
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It’s the same reason Mendoza keeps returning to his simplest message. Do your job, ignore the rest. He framed it as responsibility — “my 1-of-11 part” — and as a debt to teammates, coaches and a fan base chasing the first national title in school history.
“Everyone is going to remember how I finished,” Mendoza said. “Hopefully we leave with a good taste on Monday.”
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