Turf Show Times
The Los Angeles Rams now hold a top-10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft as the Atlanta Falcons lost their fourth straight game. There is still a lot of uncertainty when it comes to which quarterbacks are going to declare for the 2026 NFL Draft. However, this past weekend was a good test when it comes to which quarterbacks rose to the occasion under adversity. It was the week of the fourth quarterback comeback and game-winning drive. Let’s get into this week’s performances.
The Rams were in attendance in Happy Valley to witness Fernando Mendoza’s fourth-quarter comeback and game-winning drive against Penn State. It may not matter, but it’s always nice to see how a young quarterback responds to adversity. This wasn’t Mendoza’s best game. Early in the fourth quarter, he threw an interception deep in his own territory to set up the Nittany Lions for a touchdown to take the lead. With the game on the line, Mendoza started the two-minute drill by taking a sack.
From there on, Mendoza was leading a game-winning drive as if he was a man possessed by Matthew Stafford. He had completions of 22 and 12 yards to put Indiana at midfield. He then had a perfectly placed ball along the sideline for a gain of 29. A 17-yard completion put Indiana inside the 10 with 48 seconds left. On third-and-goal and Penn State bringing pressure, Mendoza threw a perfectly placed ball fading away and his receiver, Omar Cooper, made an even better catch.
The Rams are big when it comes to P.A.C.E. (Performance after Critical Error). Mendoza responded in a positive way and led his team to victory when he may not have had his best day. The Indiana quarterback was calm and poised under pressure and never appeared flustered on the final drive. It was impressive and Mendoza had his Heisman moment.
Again, it wasn’t the best game from Dante Moore who was 13-for-21 for just 112 yards and an interception. He also only added four rushing attempts for 46 yards. However, with Oregon trailing 16-15 with 1:48 to play, Moore pulled out some of his best throws of the day. Moore was 5-for-7 for 47 yards, including an impressive 24-yard throw to put the Ducks into field goal range.
Oregon would end up making the field goal and winning this game. It wasn’t a pretty performance under pressure, but when Oregon needed Moore to make some plays in the passing game, he did exactly that. His 24-yard throw came at a big moment, in tough conditions, and in a hostile environment. It seems as if Moore may return to school for another season, but if he declares, this is a moment to remember.
The fourth quarter comebacks and game-winning drives were not exclusive to the FBS. Between 1894 and 2004, North Dakota vs. North Dakota State was one of the most-played rivalry games...
