Two Miami products made sure the Hoosiers got to the national championship game in their hometown.
Naturally everyone wanted to ask Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza about going home to face the Miami Hurricanes in ten days.
But the player who gave a turbo boost to Indiana’s 56-22 Peach Bowl win over Oregon on the first play of the game is from Miami too.
IU coach Curt Cignetti made sure to remind everyone of that.
“We have another Miami guy here returning to Miami, don’t we,” Cignetti said.
Mendoza was certainly aware.
On Friday night in Atlanta, D’Angelo Ponds intercepted Oregon’s Donte Moore just a few seconds into the game and cruised into the end zone for a stunning game-opening score that immediately set the tone.
But not that long ago, it was Mendoza who learned how dangerous the All-American cornerback can be. Then it was Mendoza’s Christopher Columbus H.S. against Ponds’ Chaminade Madonna.
“D’Angelo actually picked me off in high school in a Miami game,” Mendoza said.
“He’s a really good player and he picked me off. I mean, it was starting off against man, but against this guy, it’s tough. I’m thankful to be on his team now. It’s a good full-circle moment for both of us to play on the same team now.”
Mendoza more than did his part too on Friday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. In fact, he was nearly flawless, completing 17 of 20 passes for 170 yards, with five touchdowns and no interceptions. It was his second straight College Football Playoff game with more touchdowns than incompletions.
“I thought he was incredible. He was great,” Cignetti said. “I also thought our receivers made some nice contested catches. I thought (Elijah) Sarratt was on fire. Charlie Becker made some big plays. EJ and Cooper got in the act as well. And when he wasn’t there, Fernando used his legs. I mean, he was on top of the game.”
Ponds and Mendoza were not recruited to play for the University of Miami. Neither were fellow Miami products Alberto Mendoza or Jamari Sharpe.
So to go home and play their hometown team certainly means a little more. In fact, the Mendoza brothers grew up in the very neighborhood they’ll play in on Jan. 19 against the Hurricanes.
“I’ve actually not played in Hard Rock (Stadium) before, but I’ve been to a lot of games there,” Fernando said.
“And it’s a very full-circle moment for myself. If you open Google Maps and put my address, the University of Miami campus, it’s under a mile away. And I walked there, biked there, played basketball rec games in the offseason there. It means a lot to me. However, I think the National Championship means a lot to everybody. So I wouldn’t want it any other way, on a great stage, that the Indiana Hoosiers are going to have to compete their butt off. They’re (Miami) a great team, and really looking forward to the opportunity.”
Although he’s never played in Hard Rock Stadium, it won’t be the first time Mendoza has played against Miami.
Last year with California, Mendoza lost a heartbreaker to the Canes, and took a memorable hit in the process.
“I remember running on the third down, getting knocked out by Wesley Bissainthe,” Mendoza said. “I remember getting knocked out there, and we lost by one point. It was heartbreaking. So just looking forward to the opportunity to play them again.”
Miami rallied from a 25-point hole to beat Cal 39-38 a year.
But now he’s a Hoosier, and the link that tied Mendoza and Ponds together is Cignetti of course.
Mendoza came to Indiana to improve as a quarterback, and Ponds because he trusted Cignetti’s resume of success.
“I believed since day one, trusted this guy (Cignetti),” Ponds said. “If I didn’t believe, I wouldn’t have came here. I knew we were going to be successful. Honestly, couldn’t have asked for this. Didn’t think we were going to a National Championship, but I trusted in him and trusted his process, and I knew we were going to be successful.”
They were successful. And they are going to the National Championship.
And for Mendoza and Ponds, they are going home.
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