When Miami quarterback Carson Beck’s face flashed on the Jumbotron inside Lucas Oil Stadium at the NFL combine on Saturday, many of the pro-Indiana fans in attendance let him hear it.
Beck was booed during every pass attempt during the individual on-field portion of the day’s events. That reception came on the heels of his battle with Fernando Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy winner who led Indiana to a national championship victory over Beck’s Hurricanes last month.
So why the disdain from the faithful in Indianapolis? It’s not totally clear, but some have theorized that Hoosiers fans are angry with Beck for walking off the field without shaking Mendoza’s hand. Like most of his teammates, Beck left the field as red and white confetti rained down inside Hard Rock Stadium following Indiana’s 27-21 victory.
Beck’s final throw of his college career was intercepted by Miami native and Indiana defensive back Jamari Sharpe, sealing the Hoosiers’ unbeaten season and first national title.
“The guy made a really good play,” Beck said after the loss. “They were in Cover 2 and he sunk with no flat threat and made a really good play on the ball. A lot of credit to them and their defense. They played really, really well. Obviously in the moment, you react and that’s what happened. He made a really good play on it. It sucks. It’s going to sting for a while.”
According to CBS Sports’ NFL Draft rankings, Beck is considered the seventh-best available option at quarterback and the No. 199 prospect overall. Mendoza is the unanimous choice to go No. 1 overall in various mocks to the Las Vegas Raiders, who are in need of a franchise quarterback.
Beck committed to the Hurricanes in January 2025 as the top-rated player in the transfer portal after previously playing at Georgia. He posted a 24-3 record as a starter for Georgia and was expected to declare for the draft until he suffered a serious arm injury in the SEC title game. Instead, he put his name in the transfer portal and played one final collegiate season.
At Miami, Beck threw for 3,813 yards and 30 touchdowns with a completion rate at 72.4%, helping the Hurricanes beat Texas A&M, Ohio State and Ole Miss in the CFP before falling to Indiana. He was a sixth-year redshirt senior and one of college football’s highest-paid players last fall.
Beck told CBS Sports after the title game that his year at Miami was “the best of his life.”
“For it to end like that is hard,” Beck said. “It’s really tough, but again, a group that has faced so much adversity, to have that opportunity to win at the end says a lot about this team and about us.”
