2026 NFL Draft: College Game Recaps – CFP Semifinal

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is the favorite to be the top quarterback prospect for the 2026 NFL Draft, and this game will only serve to help Mendoza become the first player drafted next April. Mendoza crushed Oregon, and the Ducks were overwhelmed by the Hoosiers’ offense.

On the opening drive of the game, Mendoza produced a touchdown as he went 4-for-4 for 41 yards and a scoring strike on an out route to Omar Cooper. On the next drive, Mendoza got Indiana moving by scrambling and taking off for a run of about 20 yards, showing underrated athleticism and speed as a runner. Later in the first half, Mendoza had another good back-shoulder throw to Elijah Surratt. To cap the drive, he lofted in a bomb for a 35-yard touchdown pass to Charlie Becker. Just before halftime, Mendoza fired a bullet to Surratt on a quick slant for a touchdown pass.

At the beginning of the third quarter, Mendoza had a nice run showing some speed and athleticism to dodge defenders, but he fumbled the ball on a big hit from behind. He got lucky that his center fell on the ball, and to cap the drive, Mendoza found E.J. Williams Jr. wide open for a 13-yard touchdown. In garbage time, Mendoze added another scoring strike to Surratt. Mendoza finished completing 17-of-20 passes for 177 yards with five touchdowns and zero interceptions.

For the NFL, Mendoza looks like a pro starter and a franchise quarterback. Mendoza has a strong arm, a quick release, and is accurate in passing at all levels of the field. This year, he has shown improvement in his pocket presence, reading coverage, working through progressions, and manipulating the pocket with his feet. He is smart and reads the field well. Mendoza throws accurately with good timing and anticipation. This tape will help Mendoza become the No. 1 overall pick next April.

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore struggled in the first meeting against Indiana, and prior to this game, the Ducks insisted they were a better team and equipped to compete better against the undefeated Hoosiers in the rematch. However, Oregon was awful, and Moore played poorly. He was quickly rattled, and his turnovers gave the game away to Indiana.

On the first play from scrimmage, Moore telegraphed his throw on an out route to the flat, and DeAngelo Ponds jumped the route for an interception, and he sprinted 23 yards for a touchdown. Moore responded with a nice drive, throwing some accurate passes to move the chains, including a conversion on a third-and-long with rushers bearing down on him. Moore finished the drive by throwing a strike down the seam to Jemari Johnson for a 19-yard touchdown to tie the game. Midway through the first half, Moore reached back to throw the ball, but the running back bumped into the ball and caused a fumble that was recovered at the Oregon 3-yard line. The running back carried the fault of the fumble, and he has not played a lot this season. He was at the wrong spot on an RPO play.

On the next drive, Moore took a bad sack, holding the ball way too long, and took a bad sack for a loss of nine. He should have thrown the ball away. On the next play, a third down, a twist from the defensive line caused Moore to drop his eyes, and that led to him taking another sack that forced a punt. On the following Oregon possession, Moore got whalloped as he threw and fumbled the ball away again. Moore held the ball too long again, and the fumble set up the Hoosiers inside the Oregon 25.

In the third quarter, Moore lofted in a bomb to wide receiver Jeremiah McClellan. The pass was thrown a little late, letting Ponds close the gap as McClellan slowed up for the ball, but McClellan outfought Ponds for the reception. In the final minute, Moore threw a garbage-time touchdown to Roger Saleapaga. Versus Indiana, Moore completed 24-of-39 passes for 285 yards with two touchdowns and one interception.

Overall, this tape will hurt Moore. He showed that he needs development in his field vision, decision-making, and ball security. He has a good skill set for the NFL with arm talent and some mobility. Moore is an accurate passer who throws a very catchable ball with good location. He also has some mobility to move around and use his feet to make some plays. However, Moore needs to get faster at processing; he needs to get the ball out faster and needs to avoid negative plays by taking bad sacks. This season of tape will illustrate that Moore is talented, but he needs development for the next level.

Miami offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa has played well to close out the 2025 season. Mauigoa was excellent against Texas A&M and Ohio State in the Hurricanes’ playoff wins. Mauigoa was very good at opening holes for running back Mark Fletcher and protecting quarterback Carson Beck. Against Ole Miss, Mauigoa was not as good but was solid overall.

In the first half, Mauigoa tied up his defensive end to open a hole on a third-and-2 and then another run inside the five to produce a touchdown for Miami. He had a nice block to cut off the edge from Ole Miss speed rush linebacker Suntarine Perkins. Mauigoa rode him deep and then pancaked him into the turf. Mauigoa did not react late to a loop to the inside, which allowed pressure on Beck.

At the start of the fourth quarter, Mauigoa had a missed assignment, not picking up Perkins blitzing off the edge and letting him run free unblocked for a sack. The next play, Mauigoa gave up pressure when he got caught bending at the waist. It didn’t matter because Perkins got to Beck for a sack before Mauigoa’s defender got there, but he did meet Perkins at the quarterback to join in on the hit. Later in the fourth, Miami went behind Mauigoa on an off-tackle run that sprung Fletcher for a big gain. Mauigoa had some excellent plays in pass protection showing his quickness and agility to cut off the edge and force defenders to run themselves out of the play.

For the NFL, Mauigoa looks like a starting right tackle. He has quality strength at the point of attack and can generate a push in the ground game. While he is not an overwhelming bull, Mauigoa is a quality run blocker. He is also quick and agile enough to be an edge protector. Mauigoa looks capable of starting quickly as a pro. Next April, Mauigoa looks like a first-round pick.

Miami defensive ends Rueben Bain Jr and Akheem Mesidor have been superb in the college football playoff. Bain and Mesidor ramped up a relentless pass rush to lead Miami to wins over Texas A&M and Ohio State. However, Ole Miss almost completely shut them down. Bain had some contributions as a run defender, but he was a non-factor as a pass rusher and totaled only one tackle in the game. Mesidor had a pressure and a nice hustle tackle in the first half, but Mesidor went out of the game for a while in the second half with an arm injury. He came back late in the fourth quarter, but was still not getting to the quarterback.

One of the Rebels who did an excellent job of blocking Bain and Mesidor was left tackle Diego Pounds. Pounds was stonewalling bull rushes and cutting off the edge in pass protection. His feet were not outstanding, but he was able to get Bain far around the pocket and tied up enough for his quarterback. Pounds got a huge block on Bain for a fourth-quarter touchdown pass that gave Ole Miss a late lead. Pounds may not have the feet and agility to be a starting left tackle in the NFL, but he could be a nice left guard. This tape is going to help Pounds’ draft grade, as he was very good taking on two future NFL starters and early-round picks.

For the NFL, Bain looks like a prospect for the middle of the first round. He is strong and quick at the point of attack. Bain shows a nice ability to shed and scrap with offensive linemen. On top of his functional strength, Bain has some speed to close, and he plays hard. Bain has an excellent motor, and he gets some sacks based on his effort. However, Bain is a tweener, as he lacks the height and length to be an NFL defensive end and the weight to be an NFL defensive tackle. Thus, some sources have him lower than others in the media. Bain’s issues getting off blocks from Pounds illustrated that, and this tape won’t help Bain’s chances of being a top-10 pick.

Mesidor has speed off the edge and plays with good leverage. He is quick to close and shows an ability to use his hands and feet at the same time. With agility and loose hips, Mesidor can redirect and weave through traffic. Some team sources have said they think Mesidor could be a day-two pick. However, Mesidor could rise in the lead-up to the draft and may end up being a candidate for the back half of the first round.