Miami coach Mario Cristobal has revealed the “full circle” moment facing his former high school football teammate’s son, Fernando Mendoza, in Monday’s national championship game.
The Hurricanes will play the Indiana Hoosiers in their own backyard of Miami, with the national championship on the line, following a shocking playoff run that saw them beat Texas A&M, defending champions Ohio State, and Ole Miss. It’s a matchup that will pit hometown Mendoza, the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner, against the Hurricanes, whom he grew up yearning to play for.
He’ll also face a familiar face, Miami HC Cristobal, who played high school football with Mendoza’s dad, Fernando Mendoza Sr., on the same offensive line at Columbus High School, and even won a district championship together. After graduating from high school, their lives took markedly different directions…