Mendoza joins the likes of Vince Young, Maurice Clarett, Tua Tagovailoa, Hunter Renfrow and more with iconic BCS and CFP championship plays.

Indiana's unbeaten season had its storybook ending, a fourth-down touchdown run from Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza with 9:18 remaining to give the Hoosiers a 10-point cushion in Monday night's College Football Playoff National Championship.

The Bulldogs captured back-to-back SEC championships for the first time since 1980-82, but bowed out in the CFP quarterfinals.

USC announced the deal Friday with Patterson, who was part of the College Football Hall of Fame’s 2026 class announced this month, recognizing his four-decade coaching career highlighted by 22 seasons as the groundbreaking head coach of the Horned Frogs. He is one of just four coaches to win The Associated Press' Coach of the Year award twice.

Fernando Mendoza powering Indiana Hoosiers to the national title. Meet the 2025-26 All-American offensive team.