2025 / 2026 College watch thread

[mayoclinic]

Tonight's game feels a bit like the national championship, particularly with what's potentially at stake for the first overall pick battle between Moore and Mendoza.

Hopefully Bain and Mesidor can put up a better fight.

 

[manxman2601]

Hopefully Bain and Mesidor can put up a better fight.

Carter Smith v Mesidor. Binky battle!

 

[mayoclinic]

 

[manxman2601]

 

[manxman2601]

Raiders fans got to be feeling pretty good after tonight.

 

[manxman2601]

You see! The matures rule.

 

[upstater1]

Raiders fans got to be feeling pretty good after tonight.

Mendoza can make so many throws and he's highly accurate, and although I have nothing against upbeat goofy people in real life, I'd be a little worried that Mendoza is another Mac Jones with arm talent.

I have absolutely no knowledge of how he takes hits or reacts to getting hurt, but his affect really rubs me the wrong way. He just sounds like a huckster or salesman. I appreciate it at the level of it being a breath of fresh air to have a kid get up there and spout upbeat stuff, but I'd be a little wary of his personality.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

Mendoza has 5 games this year with more TD passes than incompletions. No other college QB has had more than 2 in any season, ever. And Oregon's DBs were good. He kept hitting incredibly tight windows.

 

[manxman2601]

Mendoza can make so many throws and he's highly accurate, and although I have nothing against upbeat goofy people in real life, I'd be a little worried that Mendoza is another Mac Jones with arm talent.

I have absolutely no knowledge of how he takes hits or reacts to getting hurt, but his affect really rubs me the wrong way. He just sounds like a huckster or salesman. I appreciate it at the level of it being a breath of fresh air to have a kid get up there and spout upbeat stuff, but I'd be a little wary of his personality.

I don't think he's a huckster, I think he's genuinely that goofy. I can see it getting tiresome, but I also appreciate it in this cynical media-driven world.

 

[manxman2601]

Mendoza has 5 games this year with more TD passes than incompletions. No other college QB has had more than 2 in any season, ever. And Oregon's DBs were good. He kept hitting incredibly tight windows.

Mendoza is understandably the story but the coaching, the work ethic and how well coached and smart the rest of the roster is is just as important a story for me.

 

[Triumph]

Raiders fans got to be feeling pretty good after tonight.

Mendoza is for real.

 

[Triumph]

How about the Oregon coach at halftime talking about the ball slipping out of Moores hand on the first Hoosier TD.

Yeah, that was 4 TDs ago.

 

[Triumph]

Mendoza is understandably the story but the coaching, the work ethic and how well coached and smart the rest of the roster is is just as important a story for me.

Indy is a complete team.

Last night we watched Special Teams stand out, Defense step up and deliver and of course, Mendoza and the Offense execute like clockwork. Miami should give them a tougher game because the U is big in the trenches.

 

[Triumph]

Raiders fans have to be pretty excited when watching this kid. The way he held the safety on that TD throw was very similar to a TD throw that Maye had to Williams with the eye manipulation.

Mendoza stared down his WR on the first half TD throw left front corner of the EZ.

That obviously wont fly in the big league. I expect FM to take his rookie lumps, bit develop into a franchise QB.

 

[upstater1]

I don't think he's a huckster, I think he's genuinely that goofy. I can see it getting tiresome, but I also appreciate it in this cynical media-driven world.

100% absolutely agree. It's just some of the stuff seems canned self-help book spew.

 

[patsfaninpa]

Mendoza has 5 games this year with more TD passes than incompletions. No other college QB has had more than 2 in any season, ever. And Oregon's DBs were good. He kept hitting incredibly tight windows.

I haven’t seen Elijah Sarratt mentioned yet. Holy hell did he make some difficult catches.

 

[manxman2601]

I haven’t seen Elijah Sarratt mentioned yet. Holy hell did he make some difficult catches.

He's one of my favourite receivers. I do think that in the NFL however, he's mainly a contested catch/scheme him open guy rather than one who gets open based upon speed/athleticism.

 

[upstater1]

He's one of my favourite receivers. I do think that in the NFL however, he's mainly a contested catch/scheme him open guy rather than one who gets open based upon speed/athleticism.

These guys seem to rarely work out. For every Anquan Boldin, there are 20 Kelvin Benjamins.

 

[dliverey44]

Mendoza stared down his WR on the first half TD throw left front corner of the EZ.

That obviously wont fly in the big league. I expect FM to take his rookie lumps, bit develop into a franchise QB.

I agree that he will take lumps as a rook. To be fair all QBs stare down targets at some point during games, Maye has stared down Booty on a few back shoulder throws that I can remember. Not as big an issue 1v1, but the important thing is moving players to avoid double teams when a Safety or LB has an opportunity to get into a passing lane or collapse onto the targeted WR.

 

[Triumph]

I agree that he will take lumps as a rook. To be fair all QBs stare down targets at some point during games, Maye has stared down Booty on a few back shoulder throws that I can remember. Not as big an issue 1v1, but the important thing is moving players to avoid double teams when a Safety or LB has an opportunity to get into a passing lane or collapse onto the targeted WR.

FM will have Brady tutoring him too.

If rumors materialize Daboll as well.