Fans Fooled By Fernando Mendoza's Alleged Pregame Meal

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Fans Fooled By Fernando Mendoza's Alleged Pregame Meal

Before No. 1 Indiana and No. 5 Oregon squared off in the Peach Bowl, a rumor about Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza gained serious traction online.

Mendoza has been the best quarterback in the country this season, completing 72.3% of his passes for 3,172 yards with 36 touchdowns and six interceptions. Although fans were worried he’d be rusty against Alabama in the Rose Bowl, he completed 14-of-16 pass attempts for 192 yards and three touchdowns in a 38-3 win.

“After (the first drive), I mean, he was tremendous,” Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said. “He had more touchdown passes than incompletions. He used his legs to make plays like he’s done all year, and he was 100% on point. And then we got the run game going and we didn’t need his arm quite as much. He hit the clock, get out of the game. I’d give him an A-plus.”

Jan 1, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) celebrates with tight end Riley Nowakowski (37) after a touchdown against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the second half of the 2026 Rose Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images© Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images.

So why is Mendoza going viral ahead of the College Football Playoff semifinals? A social media user by the name of Shane Tuttle shared Mendoza’s “pregame meal” on the platform formerly known as Twitter.

“Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza says his dinners consist of dinosaur chicken nuggets with mac and cheese the night before a big game,” the post read. “A meal of champions.”

This post went viral, receiving over 900,000 views in under 24 hours. Fans questioned how Mendoza is able to play so well despite having a childish pregame meal. Well, it’s because this is a made-up story. The person who spread this rumor runs a parody account.

Mendoza might have an unorthodox pregame meal, but he’s definitely not telling the media about his affinity for chicken nuggets.

What do we know about Mendoza?

Earlier this week, Mendoza told reporters that he doesn’t listen to his critics in large part because he doesn’t have TikTok, X and other platforms on his phone.

“Not having social media – I only have LinkedIn and YouTube on my phone right now – has really helped put things into perspective and keep all the opinions to people in the building,” Mendoza said. “I’m not online reading, ‘Fernando’s great, Fernando sucks.’ I’m listening to what my quarterbacks coach Chandler Whitmer thinks and what the quarterbacks in our room think.”

Mendoza has proven this season that he’s more than just a productive quarterback, he’s a steady leader. That’s a big reason why Indiana finds itself two wins away from a national title.

This story was originally published by The Spun on Jan 9, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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