The dismal season for the Las Vegas Raiders has been given a sudden jolt of hope, thanks to a spectacular college football performance that has the fanbase dreaming of a franchise-altering NFL Draft.
Rose Bowl Brilliance Cements Draft Status
On Thursday in Pasadena, Fernando Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback for undefeated Indiana, delivered a near-perfect display in the Rose Bowl. Leading his top-ranked team to a dominant 38-3 victory over No. 9 Alabama, Mendoza needed only 16 passes to dismantle one of the nation's better defences.
He completed 14 of those attempts, an astonishing 87.5 percent completion rate, for 193 yards. While his yardage totals are not eye-watering, his ruthless efficiency was the story. The performance included three sensational touchdown passes, each seemingly more impressive than the last, and zero risks with the football.
This clinical showing has all but cemented Mendoza's status as the presumptive first overall pick in April's draft. As NFL analyst Adam Schein joked on social media after one particularly brilliant throw: "Raiders just deactivated the rest of the roster seeing that Mendoza throw."
Raiders Faithful See Their Saviour
For the league-worst Raiders, who fell to 2-14 with a defeat last week to the New York Giants, the timing could not be more poignant. The team has effectively clinched the first selection and can make it official with a loss on Sunday to the Kansas City Chiefs.
The fan reaction has been swift and unequivocal. On social media platform X, one confident supporter declared, "He’s going to resurrect the Raiders franchise in Vegas." Another simply stated, "I've seen enough. Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders."
The excitement isn't confined to Nevada. Even a Miami Dolphins fan, noting Mendoza's roots in the city, called for his team to "trade the farm" to move up and select him.
A Glaring Need Meets a Rare Talent
The Raiders' desperation for a transformational quarterback is stark. The offence, led by veteran Geno Smith, ranks a dismal 27th in the NFL, averaging just 172.8 passing yards per game. Smith has failed to recapture the form he showed under head coach Pete Carroll in Seattle, leaving a gaping hole at the sport's most critical position.
While Oregon's Dante Moore remains an outside possibility after a strong Orange Bowl showing, the public momentum is overwhelmingly behind Mendoza. "… and with the first pick in the 2026 NFL draft," one fan prophesied online, "the Raiders select FERNANDO MENDOZA."
With multiple roster needs and questions over Carroll's future after a miserable first season, the decision at the top of the draft will define the franchise's trajectory. For a weary fanbase, Fernando Mendoza's Rose Bowl heroics have provided a clear and compelling vision of what that future could be.
