Tough Luck for Dan Lanning: Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza Shocks No. 5 Oregon in Peach Bowl
College football fans witnessed a historic upset in the 2026 Peach Bowl , as Indiana dismantled No. 5 Oregon 56-22. On paper, Oregon’s combination of elite recruits, elite resources, and elite results should have overwhelmed a Hoosiers team that went 3-9 before Curt Cignetti arrived. But the night belonged to Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza , who exposed the gap in star ratings and proved that team culture and grit can outweigh individual rankings . “This is just such a great opportunity for my entire team,” Mendoza told ESPN. “Like Pat Guggen said, we’re a bunch of misfits. There’s zero five stars on our team. We’re just a bunch of gritty guys who are glued together and going towards a common goal, which is to win every single game.” Why Star Ratings Don’t Tell the Whole Story Indiana has never signed a 5-star recruit straight out of high school . Their roster included only two former 4-stars: receivers E.J. Williams and Omar Cooper Jr. Meanwhile, Oregon has signed 21 five-star and...
