QB Fernando Mendoza Gives God the Glory After Indiana Wins National Championship
For college football fans, Monday night’s national championship game couldn’t have been more exciting. The Miami Hurricanes battled hard against Indiana’s Hoosiers, with a tight score throughout all four quarters. Perhaps the most exciting part of the night involved several nods to God and his goodness.
Acknowledging God during sporting events isn’t a new phenomenon. For decades, athletes have pointed at the sky after scoring, worn cross necklaces during competitions, or mentioned Jesus in post-game interviews. But Christians shouldn’t grow numb to the way Christ is working in these young players’ lives.
The first notable sign of evangelism during Monday night’s game came from Hurricanes running back Mark Fletcher Jr. at the beginning of the 4th quarter. Immediately after scoring a crucial touchdown, Fletcher dropped the ball and used American Sign Language to communicate “Jesus loves you” to the camera.
During his post-game interview with Holly Rowe, Heisman Trophy-winning Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza also chose to praise the Lord: “I want to give all the glory and thanks to God there.” It wasn’t the first time Mendoza used a conversation about sports to talk about his savior. In the pre-game press conference, Mendoza said of his faith, “This season is the season I’ve gotten the closest [to God], the most religious I’ve ever been. And I think it’s also been reflected by the success . . . but also the platform to praise God and to praise Jesus Christ.”
The Bible declares that God’s Word does not return void (Isaiah 55:11). Whether these declarations of faith ultimately spark spiritual questions in any of the millions of viewers or merely demonstrate how God is moving in the lives of young athletes, the 2026 national championship game left Christians with plenty to celebrate beyond the football field.
