Podcast Summary: See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack
Episode: CFB National Championship: Fernando Mendoza CFP IMPACT | INSANE Transfer Portal Budgets
Date: January 13, 2026
Host: David Pollack (as "Wesley"), with Brent and Dre
Main Theme / Purpose
This episode delivers an in-depth discussion of the evolving landscape of college football, with a focus on the National Championship matchup, the extraordinary rise of Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza, and the unprecedented impact of transfer portal budgets and NIL (Name, Image & Likeness) money. The hosts dissect how top-tier quarterback play and massive financial investments are transforming the sport, influencing everything from playoff contenders to coaching job security.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Fernando Mendoza’s Transformative Impact
- Best QB Tape of the Year: Pollack gives high praise to Mendoza’s Indiana game as "clinic tape" and the best QB performance he’s observed all season (01:50).
- “He makes everybody around him extremely elite… He’s just that good, dude.” — David Pollack (07:04)
- Checks Every Box: Leadership, arm strength, anticipation, scrambling. Seen as an easy #1 NFL Draft pick.
- Mendoza on Other Teams: Bold claim that Mendoza would make almost any playoff team a national title favorite, with the lone possible exception being Ole Miss due to Trinidad’s unique talent (04:30).
- “If you put Mendoza on any of the final four teams, they win.” — David Pollack (04:09)
- Elevates Teammates: Particularly lauded for raising the level of everyone around him, transforming good supporting talent into elite playmakers.
- Memorable Family Note: His father celebrates while seated because Mendoza’s mother has MS, a detail about Mendoza’s character and background (10:00).
2. Indiana’s Rise – Is It Sustainable?
- Program Comparison: Discussion of Indiana vs. Notre Dame as "best in state": This year Indiana is on top, but historically Notre Dame is still the blue blood. Pollack suspects Indiana will stay competitive long-term under coach Signetti (11:13).
- The "Blueprint" Debate: No radical innovation, but the use of experienced (often older) players—especially those Signetti worked with at JMU—has paid off.
- Simple, Plug-and-Play Offense: Indiana’s system prioritizes simplicity and RPO schemes, aiding fast integration of transfers/new players (17:23).
- “It’s a very simplistic offense… in this transfer portal world you gotta be able to plug and play.” — Brent (17:23)
- Media Narrative Critique: Pollack pushes back on excessive media adoration for Signetti and common transfer portal "breakthrough" stories, emphasizing all top coaches are hands-on with portal recruitment (11:45).
3. Transfer Portal Chaos & NIL Spending
- The Money Explosion: College football’s "salary cap" and $2.7B settlement are discussed; the intended “guardrails” are seen as ineffective, with spending up and NIL deals exploding (19:19).
- “We have done nothing. Everything’s up 20%. Everybody’s getting paid through the roof. Promised NIL money ... is doing absolutely nothing.” — Pollack (20:07)
- The Texas Arms Race: Texas, Texas Tech, A&M, and other big-money programs (Oregon/Nike, Indiana/Mark Cuban, Ohio State, Michigan) are called the new power brokers.
- “If you ain’t got a B next to your name as an alum, your school is absolutely going to be behind the 8 ball.” — Pollack (21:12)
- Free Agency/Donor Fatigue: Transfer market likened to pro free agency and even fantasy football; fans now accept constant roster churn (27:24). Coach tenures get tighter; failure with big investments will no longer be tolerated.
- Coaches’ Pressure: With money comes pressure—especially at places like Texas. The minimal patience for underachievement is noted (31:09).
4. Enforcement and Governance
- Lack of Real Oversight: NCAA is considered toothless (“they do nothing… throw on the tournament and hand out the trophy” 40:26).
- Conferences as Enforcers: Real change/enforcement may only come if conferences (SEC, Big Ten) assert governance and attempt some form of cap or redistribution (40:50).
5. 2026 National Championship Matchup Discussion (Indiana vs. Miami)
- Breakdown of Individual Matchups: Detailed discussion of Indiana’s OL vs. Miami’s DL edge rushers (44:08).
- Carter Smith (IU) is elite at LT, but major weakness at RT (Khalil Benson) could be exploited by Miami’s rushers.
- Miami’s Game Plan: For Miami to win, must dominate the right side of Indiana’s OL, force known pass situations, and effectively stop the run (46:28).
- Carson Beck’s Mobility: Brent highlights Miami QB Carson Beck’s increased scrambling in the playoffs as a difference-maker; using his legs more than at Georgia (48:57).
- “The best part about that stat is it also limits Carson Beck’s … weaknesses. If I go, bam bam bam, nothing there, take off.” — Pollack (48:57)
- Penalties & Ref Trends: Fewer penalties are being called in the playoffs; defensive backs are “mugging” receivers more (50:00).
- “Every coach in America is going, ‘Guys, if you’re playing DB and you’re not mugging them every play, you’re an idiot.’” — Pollack (50:22)
6. Who Won the Weekend
- Keeping Players Is Huge: Georgia’s retention of Nate Frazier is called a massive “win”—underscoring that “winning” now means keeping your own (51:58).
- LSU’s Portal Addition (Sam Levitt): A big coup, similar to Jayden Daniels’ impact; lane for rapid improvement if it sticks (53:25).
- Miami’s Home Game & Financial Windfall: The ‘Canes get both the $20M playoff payout and full travel stipend by playing at home, possibly fueling one more big NIL splash (55:15).
- Honorable Mention: Oregon’s operations staff lauded for giving the game ball to D’Angelo Pons after his pick-six (56:31).
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Mendoza’s Ubiquity as a Winner:
“If you put Mendoza on any of the final four teams, they win. If you put Mendoza on Texas Tech, I think we could make an argument that Texas Tech could win this thing.”
— David Pollack (04:09) -
On NIL Spending Reality:
“If you ain’t got a B next to your name as an alum, your school is absolutely going to be behind the eight ball.”
— Pollack (21:12) -
On Media Narratives and Coach Hype:
“If Signetti wrote on a napkin, like, ‘hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard,’ oh my God, it’s the greatest quote in the history of the world.”
— Pollack (11:45) -
On College Football Becoming Like Fantasy Football:
“That feels kind of like what college football is right now…”
— Brent (26:11) -
On Who Can Actually Enforce Spending Limits:
“The NCAA does nothing… The conference has to be the enforcement arm of this.”
— Brent (40:26, 40:50)
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Fernando Mendoza’s dominance and draft stock: 01:50 – 10:00
- Debate: Indiana vs. Notre Dame “best in state,” Signetti praise: 10:55 – 13:45
- Indiana’s team-building “blueprint” and simplicity: 14:01 – 18:06
- NIL and transfer portal budget arms race: 19:19 – 26:20
- Coach pressure, fantasy football analogy, donor fatigue: 27:24 – 33:08
- Teams poised to break through/next “Indiana or Miami”: 33:38 – 37:59
- Playoff parity and big-money dominance: 37:16 – 39:22
- NCAA/conference enforcement dilemma: 39:22 – 41:53
- National Championship OL/DL matchups, Beck’s mobility: 44:04 – 49:51
- “Who Won the Weekend” (Georgia/Louisiana/Miami): 51:58 – 55:53
- Oregon’s classy ops gesture to D’Angelo Pons: 56:31 – 57:53
Takeaways
- Elite quarterback play (personified by Fernando Mendoza) is now the most valuable currency in college football.
- NIL/transfer portal chaos has created massive resource disparities—favoring programs with billionaire boosters or giant alumni networks.
- Roster stability is a luxury; winning can now mean successful player retention, not just new-star acquisitions.
- The major conferences may eventually have to govern themselves, but financial and legal challenges persist.
- Despite all the off-field drama, the hosts maintain high-energy banter and real tactical analysis, especially around national title matchups and schemes.
This episode is a must-listen for fans wanting to understand both the on-field tactics of the championship and the off-field business forces shaping the direction of college football.