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By Matthew Couden
Contributing Writer
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Fernando Mendoza completed an epic college football season with the Indiana Hoosiers, leading them to their first National Championship in school history.
The Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback may not have displayed his best passing numbers in a game this season, but he showed poise and determination. That included him running on a fourth-down play, crashing through the Miami Hurricanes' defenders before twisting and diving to stretch for a touchdown.
Ultimately, that helped the Hoosiers achieve a 27-21 victory over a tough Miami team that had toppled previous College Football Playoff foes, including the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Ole Miss Rebels. Mendoza finished his college career with a championship, adding that to an impressive resume before taking his talents to the NFL.
Read More on NCAA
Read more: Urban Meyer Warns Curt Cignetti After Indiana Championship Win
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His championship celebration and reflection have continued beyond the game and the postgame interviews. Mendoza updated his official LinkedIn page with a powerful message on Wednesday evening, reflecting on his time with Indiana and on winning the CFP National Championship.
In his post, he explained, indicating he was sort of joking, the significance of winning a National Championship and what it taught him about B2B sales. That included three key lessons he learned over his four years playing for the Hoosiers.
His first lesson was to “Believe in yourself,” as he went from a two-star recruit playing high school football near Hard Rock Stadium four years ago to winning a National Championship at the same stadium this year.
His second lesson was to “Take the risk,” telling others, “When it’s 45th and 5 at the 12-yard line, go for it.”
His final message was one of his most heartfelt, reminding everyone to "Remember who got you there," and celebrating the supportive relationships he had during his college football career.
"Thank you to my teammates, coaches, support staff, professors, and everyone behind the scenes who helped make this happen," he wrote at the end of his message.
Next up for Mendoza will be a journey to the NFL. Among those attending his final college game were Las Vegas Raiders minority owner Tom Brady and owner Mark Davis, who watched Mendoza capture the National Championship.
It's believed the Raiders will select Mendoza as the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft in several months, as the Indiana quarterback appears to have the necessary skills, tools, and traits of a winning franchise player.
Read more: Miami’s Mark Fletcher Jr. Throws Punch at Tyrique Tucker After CFP Championship
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