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Kirk Herbstreit, ESPN rules analyst criticize missed targeting call that bloodied Fernando Mendoza

IMG_0985by: Griffin McVeigh01/20/26griffin_mcveigh

For the first time in a while, Fernando Mendoza is facing constant pressure. Miami is getting after the Indiana quarterback early in the College Football Playoff national championship game. Some plays have even resulted in big hits on Mendoza. But one possibly crossed the line, even if the officials did not throw a flag.

ESPN rules analyst Bill Lemonnier was not a fan of the hit Miami’s Jakobe Thomas put on Mendoza. While he did not have the ball due to a handoff, Mendoza got lit up under the chin strap. A brief moment on the ground took place before Mendoza got back on his feet. Blood immediately showed from his lip. Lemonnier thought there should have been a personal foul called.

“He’s not a defenseless player,” Lemonnier said. “But at the same time, that hit was totally unnecessary and could have easily been a foul.”

After a commercial break from ESPN, Chris Fowler asked if there should have been a targeting call on Thomas. Lemonnier responded, saying, “Yeah, he came in… He came in crown of the helmet, right into his head.”

Miami is not attempting to lose another player to targeting, already playing the first half without cornerback Xavier Lucas. The Hurricanes are attempting to get a few licks on Mendoza throughout the game, though. Color analyst Kirk Herbstreit revealed as such when watching a replay of the moment.

“You see Jakobe Thomas coming down,” Herbstreit said. “They’ve been told this week to hit Mendoza as often as they can. That time, carrying out the fake — you can see he got up underneath the chin strap, the facemask… Again, when they get their chances, they want to lay the wood. And you see right there, sending a message early in this game.”

As for the lack of a targeting call, Herbstreit agreed with Lemonnier. “I’m with Bill,” Herbstreit said. “I’m surprised we didn’t see a flag come down. But I think carrying out the fake, quarterback is in play. Maybe they held the flag because of that.”

Thomas gets off the hook this time, at least in the opinion of the ESPN broadcast. Maybe it’s something to watch moving forward, if Miami is going to continually hit Mendoza. You know head coach Curt Cignetti will not be too thrilled with his quarterback taking a few shots either. Cignetti getting the ear of the officials might pay off down the road.