Fernando Mendoza Literally Breaks Records with Jimmy Fallon While Celebrating Indiana Hoosiers National Championship Win Natasha DyeJanuary 23, 2026 at 11:25 PM 0 Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Fernando Mendoza on Fallon Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Jan. 22 to celebrate his team's national championship win Fallon challenged Mendoza, who broke several records in the Rose Bowl Game and for the Hoosiers, to break literal records for a segment Mendoza, who announced his declaration for the 2026 NFL Draft on Jan.
- - Fernando Mendoza Literally Breaks Records with Jimmy Fallon While Celebrating Indiana Hoosiers National Championship Win
Natasha DyeJanuary 23, 2026 at 11:25 PM
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Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty
Fernando Mendoza on Fallon -
Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Jan. 22 to celebrate his team's national championship win
Fallon challenged Mendoza, who broke several records in the Rose Bowl Game and for the Hoosiers, to break literal records for a segment
Mendoza, who announced his declaration for the 2026 NFL Draft on Jan. 23, broke eight of the ten records Fallon threw for him
Fernando Mendoza just can't stop breaking records.
The Indiana Hoosiers quarterback, 22, appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Thursday, Jan. 22 after leading his team to a national championship just days before, where he and the late night host literally broke records.
Jimmy Fallon congratulated Mendoza on the title to kick off the segment and showed viewers the touchdown that secured the Hoosiers their victory. The quarterback then revealed that he felt "like a human pinball machine" scoring the points.
Fresh off @IndianaFootball's historic college football championship win, 2025 Heisman Trophy Winner Fernando Mendoza crashes Jimmy's monologue to break some more records! #FallonTonight pic.twitter.com/FuzF2M5IKB
— The Tonight Show (@FallonTonight) January 23, 2026
Then, Fallon, 51, challenged Mendoza to break more records — literal ones.
Mendoza was up for the challenge and impressively hit eight of the ten records Fallon threw into the air. Fallon accidentally threw one behind himself, but that fortunately didn't count toward Mendoza's score.
In addition to the eight literal records he broke on television, Mendoza set the Rose Bowl Game record for completion percentage and passer rating, and broke Kellen Lewis' single-season record for most touchdowns in a year against Ohio State, per the Hoosiers.
Following his appearance on Fallon, Mendoza announced he's officially declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft in a video on social media.
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"Coming to Indiana was a leap of faith," Mendoza said in a voiceover as highlights from his college career played in the clip.
Mendoza said that leap of faith led him to a national championship and to where he is now, ready to declare for the draft.
Mendoza thanked his family — whom he shared an emotional viral moment with after the Hoosiers won the championship — as well as the teammates that "pushed" him and the coaches who "took a chance on" him.
"It is only with your support and the glory of God that I am here today," he said.
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Mendoza captioned the video, "Let's get to work. I'm humbled to announce that I am officially declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft," and received support in the comments from fans and teammates, like Indiana offensive tackle Carter Smith, who wrote, "Go get it done, like you always have🤞🏼."
on People
Source: "AOL Entertainment"
Source: Entertainment
Published: January 23, 2026 at 05:36PM on Source: OPERA MAG
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