Fernando Mendoza Reveals Honest Opinion of Oregon Coach Dan Lanning

With a trip to the national championship on the line, the Peach Bowl clash between the No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers (14-0, 9-0 Big Ten) and No. 5 Oregon Ducks (13-1, 8-1 Big Ten) will consist of elite quarterback play from Indiana redshirt junior quarterback Fernando Mendoza and Oregon redshirt sophomore quarterback Dante Moore.

One of the contenders for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Mendoza spoke to the media at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday, Jan. 8, about his admiration for Oregon and Ducks coach Dan Lanning.

Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) rushes up the field Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, during the 112th annual Rose Bowl game in Pasadena. Indiana Hoosiers defeated Alabama Crimson Tide, 38-3. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Although Mendoza couldn't be happier about his decision to transfer to play under coach Curt Cignetti in Bloomington, Indiana, he has great reverence for what coach Dan Lanning has built in Eugene, Oregon, in such a short span of four seasons.

Mendoza actually believes his group is the underdog coming into the rematch.

"They're a national powerhouse, and although we've beaten Oregon, it shows that we are still the underdogs. At that point, we were for sure the underdogs. They were ranked above us," Mendoza stated to the media. "However, we were trying to keep that underdog mentality going into this game, as we might be ranked higher than them now in the College Football Playoff, but it's a neutral site. They have fantastic talent on their team, draft picks all across the board, offense, defense. We are really trying to have that underdog, hungry, and humble mentality."

The Hoosiers beat the Ducks 30-20 in the first meeting between the two Big Ten Conference foes at Autzen Stadium back on Oct. 11. The eventual Heisman Trophy winner threw for 215 passing yards, one touchdown, and one interception on 20-for-31 completions in the road victory.

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Oregon head coach Dan Lanning speaks during the head coaches’ press conference ahead of the Peach Bowl at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta, Georgia, on Jan. 8, 2026. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Mendoza spent some more time with the media explaining how much fun it would be to play for a guy like Lanning. He could only dream of that opportunity coming out of high school as a three-star recruit from Christopher Columbus in Miami, Florida. Mendoza started his collegiate career with the California Golden Bears from 2022 to 2024.

"Dan Lanning is a great coach. He's a coach that I would want to play for. Lanning is a coach that, if I were coming out of high school, I would want to play for. That guy is fantastic, and he's a great motivator. He's also great at schematics. He knows how to get his team playing."

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore carries the ball as the Oregon Ducks take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Both Mendoza and Moore have a lot on their minds, even outside of their head-to-head matchup in the Peach Bowl. The pair of talented arms has until Jan. 24 to enter their names into the NFL Draft pool or decide to return to school for one more go-around of college football. A busy and vital time in these young men's careers.

The winner of Friday's College Football Playoff Semifinal between Indiana and Oregon moves on to the national title game on Jan. 19 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida, to take on the Atlantic Coast Conference's No. 10 Miami Hurricanes (13-2, 6-2 ACC).