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January 01, 2026 Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza 15 celebrates after a touchdown during the CFP quarterfinal between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Indiana Hoosiers at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Mandatory Photo Credit : /CSM Pasadena United States of America – ZUMAc04_ 20260101_zma_c04_196 Copyright: xCharlesxBausx

Imago
January 01, 2026 Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza 15 celebrates after a touchdown during the CFP quarterfinal between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Indiana Hoosiers at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Mandatory Photo Credit : /CSM Pasadena United States of America – ZUMAc04_ 20260101_zma_c04_196 Copyright: xCharlesxBausx
For the second playoff game in a row, the Indiana Hoosiers went in and pounded their opponents, rendering them useless soon after the game started. Just one week after beating Alabama by 35 points in the Rose Bowl, the Hoosiers dominated Oregon on their way to a 34-point victory in the Peach Bowl, earning a berth in the college football title game. Several IU players stood out, but here are five risers from the game Friday night.
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Pat Coogan/C/Indiana
Barely seven days after being named MVP of the Rose Bowl, Coogan turned in another dominant performance, this time against a potential first-round draft pick. The Hoosier offense rushed for 185 yards, and their line allowed just a single sack. A’Mauri Washington, the Oregon defensive tackle who projects as a first-round pick, totaled just two tackles in the game and was handled by Coogan when they went man-to-man.
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NCAA, College League, USA Football: Indiana at Iowa Sep 27, 2025 Iowa City, Iowa, USA Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza 15 greets offensive lineman Pat Coogan 78 before the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium. Iowa City Kinnick Stadium Iowa USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xJeffreyxBeckerx 20250927_szo_bc9_0113
This will be Coogan’s second trip to the national title contest, as he was the starting center for Notre Dame last year when the Irish lost the championship to Ohio State. Coogan entered the season graded as a lowly free agent by scouts, as he lacks the size for a power-blocking scheme and athleticism to play in a zone-blocking system. Yet he’s smart, tough as nails and gets the most from his ability, attributes that are often found in late-round centers who end up starting on Sundays.
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Elijah Sarratt/WR/Indiana
Sarratt has been prominent all season long during the Hoosiers’ ride at the top, and he was a standout against Oregon. He led all Indiana pass catchers with seven receptions for 75 yards and two TDs. All of Sarratt’s receptions against Oregon resulted in either a first down or a touchdown for his team, and he came away with several difficult contested catches in battles.
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The senior is a big-bodied, game-controlling wideout with reliable hands and outstanding football intellect. He’s not a deep threat, but he projects as a terrific possession wideout who will be selected somewhere in the third round.
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Aiden Fisher/LB/Indiana
Fisher is another Hoosier prospect who has been under the radar outside the scouting community. He led Indiana with nine tackles in the Peach Bowl while recording 1.5 TFLs and breaking up one pass. Fisher is a high-intensity linebacker with great instincts and a three-down game. He’s outstanding defending the run up the field or in pursuit, gets depth on pass drops, and shows a lot of ability in coverage.
Measuring just over six feet tall and a little more than 230 pounds, Fisher doesn’t pass the eyeball test, yet his intellect and ability to make plays in any situation, as well as play special teams, will be very attractive to NFL teams.
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D’Angelo Ponds/CB/Indiana
Ponds continues to prove he’s one of the premier cover corners in the nation, and if he’s not shutting down opposing receivers, he finds a way to change the momentum of games with huge plays. After knocking quarterback Ty Simpson out of the Rose Bowl with a big, albeit legal, hit, Ponds delivered the knockout blow against Oregon in the Fiesta Bowl on the first snap of the game. He jumped a route and then intercepted a pass that he took back 25 yards, setting the tone of the contest.
Besides the pick, Ponds finished with six tackles and even contributed on offense, catching a pass for six yards. The only limitation with Ponds is size, specifically height, as he barely measures 5-foot-9, which will knock him out of the first round. Yet, the consensus among scouts is nearly unanimous, as they believe Ponds possesses All-Pro potential as a nickelback in the NFL.
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Fernando Mendoza/QB/Indiana
Once again, it was an efficient, productive, and flawless game from Mendoza, who did not have eye-popping stats but rather played within the system and led his team to a dominating victory. Mendoza was 17-for-20 for 177 yards with five TDs, all solid numbers except for the exceptional passing scores. He made several difficult throws on third down and found a way to move the offense down the field. Mendoza is a great leader who does what’s asked of him.
He’s not a quarterback that will carry the team on his shoulders as Cam Ward did one year ago; rather, he’s a signal caller who stays away from mistakes and continues to improve. As a result, he’ll be the first pick of the draft in April.
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