NEW YORK, NY — This is about as storybook as it gets with two Cuban-Americans fighting for the right to win the 2026 College Football National Championship Monday night in Miami, Florida.
The No. 10 seeded Miami Hurricanes will be taking on the No. 1 ranked Indiana Hoosiers at Hard Rock Stadium, which is the home of the Hurricanes. It will be a full-circle moment for Hoosiers quarterback and Cuban-American Fernando Mendoza, who was born in Miami.
No. 10 Miami and No. 1 Indiana will face off in the 2026 College Football National Stadium at Hard Rock Stadium on Monday night in Miami, Florida – Image Credit: NCAA/College Football National Championship
The Hurricanes’ head coach, Mario Cristobal, also born in Miami, is a former player of the program at Miami, winning two national championships as an offensive lineman (1989 & 1991).
The Miami Connection between Mario Cristobal and Fernando Mendoza
Mendoza and Cristobal also share the similarity of both attending Christopher Columbus High School in Miami which was where Cristobal and Mendoza’s father, Fernando Mendoza Sr. were teammates.
The head coach on one side as well as the quarterback on the other take a lot of pride in their Cuban heritage. Cristobal recently spoke about what his parents sacrificed to give him an opportunity to play football.
“Well, mom and dad, they worked two jobs, went to night school, and learned the language,” the 55-year-old said. “They came from Cuba. Couldn’t ask for anything better in terms of parents.”
Mario Cristobal getting Miami fans pumped up during a rally leading up to Monday’s National Championship between Miami and Indiana – Image Credit: Miami Football
Cristobal was an assistant coach with the Hurricanes from 2004 to 2006 and before then was a graduate assistant from 1998 to 2000. It’s hard to find an individual that represents Miami more than him.
In 2022, the stars finally aligned as Cristobal left Oregon and took the job to be the next head coach of the Hurricanes. Since then, he has brought Miami back to a state of relevance and much more.
The Journey of the Title Game for Miami
Cristobal came in a time of turmoil when ‘The U” was far from what we see now, and the glory days of the past five championships were a distant memory. Their last championship came in 2001, and they almost went back-to-back, but a controversial pass interference call gave the Ohio State Buckeyes the 2002 National Championship instead.
Fast forward to this season, the Hurricanes got some long-awaited revenge with a 24-14 win against the Buckeyes in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.
And as it goes further for the playoffs, Miami almost didn’t see their name appear in the top-12, with two losses to the Louisville Cardinals and SMU Mustangs. They clearly showed they belonged with three wins against high quality opponents in the Texas A&M Aggies, Ohio State and Ole Miss Rebels.
The Miami Hurricanes defeated the Ole Miss Rebels in the College Football Playoff semifinals to advance to the National Championship – Image Credit: Miami Football
Essentially, Cristobal has brought the swagger back to “The U.” This team reflects his toughness and the way he wants to win by dominating the trenches, which Miami has excelled at with several projected NFL first-round draft picks across the offensive and defensive line.
Cristobal didn’t start off so great, going 5-7 in 2022, though he improved slightly with a 7-5 in 2023, and took a bigger leap going 10-3 in 2024. This year, they stand 13-2, but this Indiana Hoosiers team will be their toughest test yet.
Indiana’s Road to the CFP National Championship
Prior to this year, the Hoosiers were not a team on the national radar, despite making the College Football Playoff last season. They were a solid group last year, going 11-2, but didn’t have a difference maker at the quarterback position. After two years with the California Golden Bears, Mendoza decided he needed a change of scenery and entered the transfer portal at the end of the 2024 season. That’s when Indiana’s head coach Curt Cignetti pulled out the full-court press to land Mendoza.
Fernando Mendoza with a Hoosiers fan during a media/fan event ahead of Monday’s College Football National Championship – Image Credit: Indiana Football
As the months went on, Mendoza led the Hoosiers to their first BIG 10 Championship since 1967, and if he can win the National Championship Monday, the Hoosiers will be the first team in College Football history to go 16-0. But to do it, he will now have to go to a place he grew up watching games in to try to add to his historic campaign.
He was the clear-cut Heisman Trophy winner for 2025, becoming the first-ever Hoosier to hoist the award and the third-ever Latino—Mexican-Americans Bryce Young (Alabama) in 2021 and Jim Plunkett (Stanford) in 1970.
On a game-to-game basis, Mendoza has been lights out this season with 41 touchdowns, just six interceptions, 3,349 yards, and a completion percentage over 73. He has also rushed for six touchdowns.
Fernando Mendoza became the first College Football player of Cuban heritage to ever win the Heisman Trophy and is just the third Latino ever, joining Bryce Young and Jim Plunkett – Image Credit: Indiana Football
Indiana has been the top team for the majority of the College Football season, and they got a bye in the first round of the CFP. They then proceeded to beat up on the Alabama Crimson Tide (38-3) in the quarterfinals and the Oregon Ducks (56-22) in the semifinals.
Mendoza’s story continues to hit home
The story hits home even more for the Mendoza family because his younger brother, Alberto, is also on this Indiana team. Alberto has gotten some action in blowouts, and it’s possible he could be the heir apparent once his older brother declares for the 2026 NFL Draft.
All projections have him going No. 1 overall to the Las Vegas Raiders, a perfect landing spot for the oldest Mendoza as the Raiders franchise have a long and rich history with their Latino fan base.
Fernando spoke about his grandparents and what his Cuban heritage means to him:
“My grandparents lived there, and then they immigrated to the United States. As they made the American dream, sacrificed so much to support my parents, and then for them my parents to support myself and learn about the heritage, you know, actually them taking myself, my brother, and me back to Cuba when we were in high school to see where we came from. I saw how much it meant to them, and I believe that’s where a lot of the pride comes from. It’s like the Hispanic culture. The Hispanic family is so prideful and supportive of one another.”
Mendoza also mentioned that he would like to learn Spanish in the near future as he can hold a conversation but is not fluid. It would mean a lot for him because of the impact it has on the Hispanic community, connecting to one another.
“I know there’s a lot of Hispanic football fans and it’s something I look forward to representing,” he said.
Will Miami break their 24-year title drought or will Indiana win their first ever national championship?
Either way, Cubans and Latinos from all over will be extremely proud to watch this game Monday night and celebrate the winning team.
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