Overview
- Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza went 14-of-16 for 192 yards and three touchdowns in Indiana’s Rose Bowl rout of Alabama.
- ESPN Insights reported he was 8-for-8 for 161 yards and three TDs against Alabama blitzes, the first to throw three TDs vs. a Tide blitz in one game since Johnny Manziel in 2013.
- Indiana advanced to the College Football Playoff semifinal and will face Oregon in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 9.
- Pundits and betting markets now widely list Mendoza as the early favorite to be the No. 1 pick, though Albert Breer says Dante Moore could still contend depending on his decision.
- Mendoza’s postgame interview drew widespread attention for its team-first tone, and center Pat Coogan was named the Rose Bowl’s offensive MVP.