Opportunities to flaunt a Heisman-winning alum don’t often come around. Hence, Fernando Mendoza’s Miami school did not shy away from showing pride in one of their own, as Indiana-Miami head to Hard Rock Stadium for the National Championship title clash.

Mendoza’s Miami-area Christopher Columbus High School shines in the spotlight as they honor their alum ahead of their Monday night playoff clash. They hung a huge banner in front of the school backing up their Heisman-winning student, which read, “Fernando Mendoza Class of 2022 He15man Winner” all in caps.

His relation with the school goes deep. His brother, quarterback Alberto Mendoza, was also on the same team, and both were teammates in 2022 before reuniting in Indiana. Even his father, Fernando Mendoza Sr., was in the same school as both of them. Even Miami head coach Mario Cristobal attended the same school and had a close bond with Mendoza’s dad, leaving Christopher Columbus High in a great dilemma on who to root for.

However. it’s pretty clear that Mendoza’s high school already picked a side. Everyone knew Mendoza’s potential from his time on the school team. There, he completed 133 of his 203 passes for 1,396 yards and 16 touchdowns with four interceptions across 17 games. This later translated to his performance with the Hoosiers, as he recorded 3,349 yards and 41 touchdowns in the 2025 season and might also go No. 1 overall in the 2026 draft. Hence, his school betting on him doesn’t come as a shocker.

It’s a defining moment for Columbus High, as seven of their alumni are participating directly in the title game. There’s Mendoza, his brother Alberto, and then Miami has head coach Mario Cristobal, associate head coach Alex Mirabel, defensive back Bryce Fitzgerald, offensive lineman Ryan Rodriguez, and backup quarterback Vinny Gonzalez. So, overall, it’s a win-win situation for the school.

For Mendoza, too, it’s a family business, as his home sits less than a mile from the Miami campus, and their mother, Elsa Mendoza, played tennis for the Hurricanes. Now, with that, it’s not just the high school that is putting up the banner; even local shops are selling “Mendoza Dog.” Emotions are right on the surface for all of them.

However, Indiana fans were also not subtle as they showed their support with grandeur in Miami.

Indiana’s crowd join at Miami to support their team

Miami just turned into a hot red crowd as Indiana fans gathered together at Miami’s skyline to support their team. The crowd came together singing the team’s fight song, “Indiana, Our Indiana,” whose lyrics were written by IU band director Russell P. Harker. The music came in from a march called “The Viking March.”

“You guys 🥹 this huge crowd in downtown Miami singing the fight song with the Miami skyline in the background at the Big Red Warm-up @IUAA ❤️,” MLB Friday Night sideline reporter Tricia Whitaker said on X.

The song brought all the fans together to sign and cheer for Indiana and show their school’s pride in the other city. The sight might seem neutral, but in reality, the Hurricanes will see no difference in their routine. The players will use their normal locker rooms and will play in the same Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.

Historically, this situation is rare but not new to college football. This will be the ninth time in the BCS and CFP era where one team is from the same state, and the other comes into play. It will be interesting to see if the in-state game gives any advantage to Miami or turns into their worst nightmare.