FSU football had a shot at landing Indiana's Fernando Mendoza

The 2026 College Football National Championship is set to kick off tonight at 7:30 p.m ET and will feature two top-tier teams led by quarterbacks in Indiana's Fernando Mendoza and Miami's Carson Beck.

Added to Florida State’s growing list of “what could have been” moments, one of the two signal callers under center tonight ultimately had a choice of both FSU and Miami. Florida State once passed on Lamar Jackson, who went on to win the Heisman Trophy and build an NFL career with the Baltimore Ravens.

Years later, the current Heisman winner wanted to play in Tallahassee, even camping at FSU while also drawing interest from Miami. Now, Indiana and Miami are playing for a national championship, serving as a reminder of how thin the margins in college football can be.

Indiana is on a landmark stretch heading into Miami Gardens, Florida. They're ranked No. 2 in offense and going up against arguably one of the best defenses in the country when they face the Hurricanes.

While Miami viewed Mendoza as a walk-on, and Florida State took a pass on the reigning Heisman Trophy winner, his dismissal from major in-state programs motivated him to the position he is in today. Staff at both programs have undergone a serious overhaul since then, but sometimes, in Mendoza's eyes, the sting of rejection gets you to where you want to be.

"It Lit A Fire Under Me"

Jan 9, 2026; Atlanta, GA, USA; Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) throws a pass against the Oregon Ducks during the third quarter of the 2025 Peach Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

"After the camp (Miami), I was seeing if there was any interest, and they just said 'hey, we might take you or consider you as a walk-on', and even the fact of maybe them not valuing me, it lit a fire under me," Mendonza said. "I probably wouldn't have gotten the opportunity at Miami or a school like Florida State that I've gotten here."

Mendoza threw for 3,349 yards and 41 touchdowns in 2025, adding another 284 and six scores on the ground. Even after being rejected by both programs, the South Florida native still holds them in high regard.

“I pay respect to Miami… People do the upside-down U, but that is something that I'll never do just because of the respect."

Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza Always 'Respects' #Miami 👀 🔥

➡️ https://t.co/rB0qxLBNAL…

pic.twitter.com/qtLDXvspK2
— TrintonBreeze (@TrintonBreeze) January 18, 2026

Respect Beyond Rivalry

Even though both the Seminoles and the Hurricanes passed on Mendoza, it only fueled his need for success, and the slight didn't alter his respect for either program. He remained adamant about how the two schools molded his career.

"I respect Florida State, although I grew up a UM fan, and even though I was cheering against them, I respect them, especially when you see Dalvin Cook, James Blackman, and all those Florida State legends; Jameis Winston," Mendoza continued. "And with Miami, Brad Kaaya is somebody I used to look up to. Those two teams, I have major respect for."

Watch Mendoza and the Hoosiers compete for a national title against the Miami Hurricanes at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

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