Observe our stay protection of Indiana-Miami within the nationwide championship sport.
Indiana coach Curt Cignetti blasted the officiating at halftime of the nationwide championship, arguing the officers missed “apparent private fouls” on hits in opposition to Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
As Cignetti walked off the sphere on the finish of the primary half, his crew up 10-0, ESPN sideline reporter Holly Rowe requested in regards to the Miami protection getting some hits on Mendoza.
“There’s three private fouls on the quarterback not known as on one drive that have to be known as as a result of they’re apparent private fouls,” Cignetti stated. “I’m all for letting them play, however once you cross the road, you gotta name it. They had been black-and-white calls.”
Cignetti appeared to be referencing Indiana’s second drive of the sport, which ended with a 34-yard subject purpose to take a 3-0 lead late within the first quarter. Probably the most controversial hit got here on a first-down handoff to operating again Kaelon Black, through which Mendoza faked a quarterback keeper and took a shot below the chin strap from Miami security Jakobe Thomas. Tv cameras confirmed Mendoza with a bloody lip after the play.
Fernando Mendoza took successful on this play 😳 pic.twitter.com/phaZoT2X92
— ESPN (@espn) January 20, 2026
Thomas appeared to guide with the crown of his helmet on the hit. Terry McAulay, a former NFL referee and present guidelines analyst for NBC Sports activities, wrote on social media that the hit violated each focusing on guidelines, saying Mendoza was a defenseless participant as a result of he not had the ball, and there was forcible contact to the top and neck space.
A good higher angle. As I stated, merely inexcusable that focusing on wasn’t known as on the sphere or created by Replay. pic.twitter.com/9l6PYMPCcL
— Terry McAulay (@tjmcaulay) January 20, 2026
Following a business break after the sphere purpose, ESPN addressed the hit as effectively, with guidelines analyst Invoice LeMonnier stating, “The primary view I didn’t see that a part of it, I assumed it was only a late hit. However this (view) right here, he got here in together with his crown of the helmet proper into (Mendoza’s) head.”
Coloration commentator Kirk Herbstreit chimed in, including, “I’m with Invoice, I’m stunned we didn’t see a flag come down. I believe finishing up the pretend, the quarterback is in play, possibly they held the flag due to that.”
Mendoza took a number of hits earlier within the drive as effectively, together with a shot by defensive lineman Ahmad Moten Sr. close to the sideline after a rollout and incompletion, and an earlier hit from Thomas on a third-down completion from Mendoza to Elijah Sarratt. There was additionally what seemed to be a authorized blindside hit by linebacker Mohamed Toure simply as Mendoza was releasing a cross, which fell incomplete. It’s unclear which of the opposite hits Cignetti felt ought to have been flagged.
Mendoza by no means got here out of the sport — his youthful brother and backup quarterback, Alberto, helped clear up the blood on the sideline, in response to Rowe — and the Heisman Trophy winner completed the half 12-for-17 passing for 116 yards and one rush for two yards.
