Indiana football reached a place it had never been before on the night of Saturday, December 13, when quarterback Fernando Mendoza was named the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner.
According to CBS News, the redshirt junior became the first Hoosier ever to take home college football’s most famous individual award. Mendoza edged out a competitive field that included Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin.
He finished with 2,362 total points and 643 first-place votes, comfortably ahead of Pavia’s second-place total. The result capped off a season in which Indiana went undefeated in the regular season, won the Big Ten title, and earned the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff.
On the field, Mendoza’s numbers were hard to ignore. The Cal transfer completed 226 of 316 passes for 2,980 yards, threw a national-best 33 touchdown passes, and limited mistakes with just six interceptions. He also added six rushing scores, finishing second nationally in total touchdowns.
His efficiency stood out as well, with a 70 percent completion rate and a 181.4 passer efficiency rating, both among the best in the country.
Beyond the stats, Mendoza became the engine of an Indiana offense that shattered school records for points and touchdowns. After a quiet debut in Week 1, his performances quickly escalated into weekly highlights.
He threw five touchdowns with just one incompletion against Indiana State, followed by another five-score game against Illinois where he completed 21 of 23 passes. Several times this season, Mendoza finished games with as many—or more—touchdown passes than incompletions.
His defining moment came in Happy Valley. Trailing Penn State late, Mendoza led a 10-play, 80-yard drive that ended with a perfectly placed touchdown throw to Omar Cooper Jr., keeping Indiana unbeaten. From there, the Hoosiers rolled through the end of the schedule and knocked off Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game.
Mendoza’s Heisman speech reflected his unconventional rise. A lightly recruited kid from Miami who once considered walking away from football, he emphasized belief and persistence over rankings and hype. “I was that kid too,” Mendoza said, per Yahoo Sports. “You don’t need the most stars. You just need discipline, heart, and belief.”