Fernando Mendoza Delivers Purest Postgame Interview Ever After Leading Indiana Past Ohio State
The Indiana QB is as authentic as they come.
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is different. Different at the most basic of levels with his elite ability to throw a football, different in the fact that he's on the cusp of winning the Heisman Trophy as a former three-star recruit, and certainly different in the way he carries himself.
The junior signal caller simply does not care about any outside noise or the opinions of his critics, which you could chalk up to being a superpower in today's day and age.
Mendoza being Mendoza was on full display on Saturday night after he led the Hoosiers to a 13-10 win over Ohio State to give Indiana its first outright Big Ten title in 80 years. While some may call Mendoza's on-field interview corny, it was as authentic as it gets, as he immediately thanked God and let the emotions flow.
"It sounds so beautiful, I want to give all the glory to God," Mendoza said with tears in his eyes. "We were never supposed to be in this position, but by the glory to God, the great coaches, the great teammates, we were able to pull this off. Who would have thought the Hoosiers would be here, but now the Hoosiers are flippin' champs!"
The voice crack, the tears in his eyes, and the use of the word ‘flippin’ on national television. It simply does not get any better than that.
Mendoza not changing his personality for one second while helping turn Indiana into the No. 1 college football team in America and trusting in his faith and the support system around him is legitimately beautiful stuff.
The Hoosiers proved to the world on Saturday that not only is Ohio State gettable, but that they're officially not just a basketball school anymore.
Imagine writing this sentence just two years ago and it being 100% accurate: Indiana will receive a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff as the top seed in the bracket.