MUST SEE: Quarterback Gives All Glory To God After Winning National Championship

Indiana football didn’t just win a title on Monday night. It delivered one of the most emotional, unlikely, and faith-filled moments college football has seen in decades.

After leading the Indiana Hoosiers to a 27–21 victory over the Miami Hurricanes in the College Football Playoff National Championship, quarterback Fernando Mendoza broke down in tears on live television, giving all credit to God and his teammates.

“That’s one thing about our team. We’re always gonna put all on the line, and, you know, I want to give all the glory and thanks to God there,” Mendoza said. “My offensive lineman blocked perfectly, and we’re able to execute the team towards a common goal, have the Indiana Hoosiers synergy to score, and then give our team a chance to win the game.”

Played at Hard Rock Stadium, the title game capped a perfect 16–0 season for Indiana, marking the program’s first-ever national championship in football and its first undefeated campaign since the 19th century at the FBS level.

Mendoza finished the night passing for 186 yards, protecting the football, and avoiding turnovers in a tight, pressure-packed title game. But it was his legs that ultimately decided the outcome. Late in the fourth quarter, with Indiana clinging to a three-point lead, Mendoza kept the ball on a critical fourth-down play and went airborne to score the go-ahead rushing touchdown that put the Hoosiers ahead for good.

When pressed on how he managed to get the ball across the goal line, Mendoza didn’t hesitate.

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JUST IN: Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza gives all glory to God, breaks down in tears after winning the College Football National Championship.

“I was a two-star recruit coming out of high school. I got declined a walk-on offer to the University of Miami, full circle moment… pic.twitter.com/jhufc5yvVN

— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 20, 2026

“I had to go airborne and I’ll die for my team,” he said. “Whatever they need me to do, they need me to take, you know, shots in the front and the back, whatever it is, I’m gonna die for my team out there, and I know they’re gonna do the same for me. That’s what makes us so close, and that’s what makes this National Championship so special.”

After the game, Mendoza was asked about that defining moment.

Indiana’s defense delivered when it mattered, too. Mikail Kamara earned Defensive MVP honors after blocking a punt that led directly to a Hoosiers touchdown, swinging momentum early. Later, Jamari Sharpe sealed the win with a late interception that shut down Miami’s final comeback attempt.

Miami made a push in the second half behind Mark Fletcher Jr., who rushed for 112 yards and two touchdowns, but the Hurricanes were held scoreless in the first half and never fully recovered from Indiana’s steady control of the game. For Mendoza, the night carried deep personal meaning. A former two-star recruit, he revealed that he had once been turned down as a walk-on by Miami, making the championship victory in his hometown even sweeter.

“I mean, shout-out to Miami defense. You can see why they’re two edges, our first-round picks,” Mendoza said. “I was a two-star recruit coming out of high school. I got declined a walk-on offer to the University of Miami. Full circle moment here, playing in Miami, for all the friends and family.”

He closed by thanking his coaches and once again pointing upward. “Just give all the glory to God,” he said.

Led by head coach Curt Cignetti, Indiana’s title run stands as one of the most remarkable turnarounds in modern college football history.

As Mendoza put it simply while fighting back tears: “There’s no words. There’s no worries. This is the most special moment of my life.”