Fernando Mendoza leaves a lasting impression for Heisman voters
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza scrambles outside of the pocket in the Big Ten Championship Game against Ohio State Saturday December 6, 2025 at Lucas Oil Stadium. (Lynn Harrington/stayaliveinpower5)
INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana’s quarterback continues to separate himself from the rest of the pack following a stellar performance in the victory over Ohio State, and now his name is at the top of the Heisman discussion.
No one can question Fernando Mendoza’s toughness, leadership and determination. After all, he placed the Hoosiers on his back, and carried them to the finish line against the reigning National Champs. Now that Indiana finally has Big Ten supremacy, Mendoza can add another milestone to the incredible year he’s having with the program.
Saturday night’s win over the Buckeyes is a testament of Mendoza’s value to the Hoosiers. Not to mention he checks all of the boxes in terms of a Heisman finalist. The Miami native led the Hoosiers to their first 13-0 start in school history. He’s the Big Ten Quarterback of the Year, and will take home numerous awards once the season concludes. Mendoza leads the entire FBS with 33 touchdown tosses, ranks second nationally in passing efficiency and sixth in completion percentage.
His outing against the Buckeyes was the cherry on top, in which he completed 15 of his 23 passes for 222 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Mendoza made some clutch throws, never panicked and handled adversity like a veteran. That’s why he was named MVP of the contest, which Coach Curt Cignetti thought Mendoza deserved.
“You know, he’s a tough guy, he takes some shots and he extends plays, and can’t say enough about the way he competes,” Cignetti said. “He (Mendoza) got the heart of a champion, and played great tonight and when we needed him.”
Mendoza is going to appreciate the legendary invite to New York, and can’t wait to experience the event of a lifetime. His journey up to this point is nothing short of inspirational, and there’s much more to accomplish and add to his legacy with the program. However, Mendoza understands that he wouldn’t have the jaw-dropping stats, and success on the field without his teammates.
“I don’t want to go in deep depth in with the Heisman, but I remember Coach Cignetti brought me in after, I think it was after UCLA, and he told me, he was like, hey, the Heisman’s a team game,” Mendoza said. “It’s a team award, and it’s not a player award, and if you win, then you can get nominated for it.”
The Hoosiers don’t have to play again until January because of a first-round bye in the Playoffs, and that could either hurt, or help the team. Going that much time without playing a game can lead to a team being rusty. On the other hand, Cignetti could use the time to get everyone healthy, and add some wrinkles on both sides of the ball before diving into the Playoffs.
That’s what Mendoza has ahead of him, but for now he awaits his flowers for putting together a magnificent season. It appears to be history in the making up to this point, and Mendoza bringing home the Heisman will be epic for the Hoosiers. Indiana has never had a Heisman Trophy winner, but came close when running back Anthony Thompson was runner-up to Houston quarterback Andre Ware in 1989.
Regardless, Mendoza knows when he’s looking dapper in the Big Apple Saturday night, he’s representing for himself, his family, coaches, and teammates. The 2025 Indiana squad will go down as one of the best Big Ten teams ever, and in Mendoza’s eyes, winning the hardware is a team accomplishment.
“I think it just speaks a testament to how much that this team has had that never-ending process of learning and getting better, and that has culminated at this point.”
