Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza has been named a Heisman Trophy finalist, as announced Monday on ESPN. The Hoosier signal-caller is joined by Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin, Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love and Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia.
No. 1 Indiana enters the College Football Playoff at 13-0 after defeating then-No.1 Ohio State, 13-10, to claim its first outright Big Ten title since 1945. Mendoza has completed 71.5% of his passing attempts for 2,980 yards, 33 touchdowns and six interceptions while adding six rushing touchdowns. His 39 total touchdowns leads the FBS and is an Indiana program record.
“The throws that he makes, they wow you every time,” linebacker Aiden Fisher said of Mendoza on Monday. “Winning football games has to matter. There’s one undefeated team left. That should be America’s Heisman.”
In the Big Ten Championship, Mendoza was 15-for-23 through the air, throwing for 222 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Indiana took its 13-10 lead for good on Mendoza’s 17-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Elijah Sarratt. On 3rd and 6 with less than three minutes left in the fourth quarter, Mendoza completed a 33-yard pass to wide receiver Charlie Becker to help the Hoosiers salt the game away.
Mendoza is Indiana’s second-ever Heisman finalist, joining running back Anthony Thompson, who finished second to Houston quarterback Andre Ware in 1989. Other top-10 finishers in the Heisman race include quarterback Kurtis Rourke (2024), running back Tevin Coleman (2014), quarterback Antwaan Randle El (2001), running back Vaughn Dunbar (1991) and halfback Bill Hillenbrand (1942).
