Fernando Mendoza is the Heisman Trophy winner and presumptive No. 1 pick in the 2026 Draft. Apparently, it takes more than that to earn the respect of the Big 12 officiating crew at the National Championship Game in Miami.
In the first half, on Indiana’s second drive, Mendoza handed off to his running back, then faked as though he was keeping the ball to draw a Miami defender. He paid the price for that fake. Miami’s Jakobe Thomas squared Mendoza up, lowered the crown of his helmet, and launched himself into Mendoza’s head, but somehow, it didn’t draw a flag.
Mendoza was not considered a defenseless player because of the fake, but ESPN’s rules analyst Bill Lemonnier says that doesn’t matter. The former referee explained how the hit should have drawn a targeting flag, which would have disqualified Thomas, the Canes’s second-leading tackler.
“Yeah on the first view I didn’t see that part of it, I though it was just a late hit,” Lemonnier said when asked by play-by-play announcer Chris Fowler if the play was worthy of a targeting flag. “But this (replay) here, he came in with the crown of the helmet, right into his head.”
Fernando Mendoza took a hit on this play 😳 pic.twitter.com/phaZoT2X92
— ESPN (@espn) January 20, 2026
Miami got away with a blatant targeting that would have changed the national championship
Miami already entered the game without starting defensive back Xavier Lucas, who was disqualified from the CFP semifinal in the second half for a targeting penalty. Lucas is eligible to return in the second half.
Beyond Lucas’s absence, Miami also had injury issues with Damari Brown and OJ Frederique Jr. Brown was a game-time decision, but Frederique was able to get much closer to 100 percent heading into the game. After Mendoza was hit and seen with a bloody lip, the Heisman Trophy QB tested Frederique, taking a shot to the end zone for sophomore wide receiver Charlie Becker.
The throw was uncharacteristically off target for Mendoza, who came into the national championship game with more touchdown passes than incompletions through the first two CFP wins. The Hoosiers were forced to settle for a field goal to take a 3-0 lead in the first quarter.