Fernando Mendoza

Last updated

Fernando Mendoza
No. 15 – Indiana Hoosiers
Position Quarterback
Class
Redshirt Redshirt.svg
Redshirt
Junior
Personal information
Born (2003-10-01) October 1, 2003 (age 22)
Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Height6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
High school Christopher Columbus (Miami, Florida)
College
Awards and highlights
Stats at ESPN

Fernando Mendoza V [1] (born October 1, 2003) is an American college football quarterback for the Indiana Hoosiers. He previously played for the California Golden Bears. Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy as a member of the Hoosiers in 2025, becoming the first winner in program history.

Contents

Early life

Mendoza was born October 1, 2003, in Boston, Massachusetts, and was raised in Miami, Florida. [2] [3]

Mendoza attended Christopher Columbus High School in Miami. As a quarterback on the football team, Mendoza completed 133 of his 203 pass attempts for 1,396 yards and 16 touchdowns with four interceptions, while also adding 137 yards and a touchdown on the ground. [4] He originally committed to play college football at Yale University before deciding to flip to the University of California, Berkeley. [5] He graduated with a bachelor's degree in business administration from Berkeley's Haas School of Business in 2025. [6]

College career

California

Mendoza redshirted during the 2022 season. [7] He earned his first career start in week six of the 2023 season against Oregon State. [8] Mendoza completed 21 of 32 pass attempts for 207 yards and two touchdowns with an interception in a loss to the Beavers. [9] The following week, he went 10 of 17 passing for 149 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in a loss to Utah. [10] Mendoza was named the team's starting quarterback heading forward. [11] [12] In eight starts as a redshirt freshman, he completed 63 percent of his passes for 1,708 yards and 14 touchdowns, leading the Golden Bears to a 6-7 record and an Independence Bowl appearance. [13]

Entering the 2024 season, Mendoza won the starting quarterback job for Cal, beating graduate transfer Chandler Rogers. [14] In week two against Auburn, Mendoza completed 25 of 36 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Bears to an upset win over the Tigers. [15] Mendoza was named ACC quarterback of the week in back-to-back games against Oregon State and Wake Forest, setting career highs in passing yards and completions. His 56 passing attempts against Wake Forest were the most by a Cal quarterback since 2016. On December 11, 2024, Mendoza announced he would be entering the NCAA transfer portal. [16]

Indiana

On December 23, 2024, Mendoza announced his decision to transfer to play for the Indiana Hoosiers. [17] In the 2025 season opener against the Old Dominion Monarchs, Mendoza completed 18 of 31 passes for 193 yards and scored a touchdown on a five-yard rush as Indiana won 27–14. [18] He completed 18 of 25 passes for 245 yards and four touchdowns against the Kennesaw State Owls, leading the Hoosiers to a 56–9 win. [19] Against the Indiana State Sycamores, Mendoza completed 19 of 20 passes for 270 yards five touchdowns and rushing for an additional touchdown in a 73–0 win; he did not return to the game after halftime. [20] He threw for a career-high five passing touchdowns against the No. 9 Illinois Fighting Illini on 21 of 23 passing with 267 yards. [21] In a 20–15 win against the Iowa Hawkeyes, Mendoza completed 13 of 23 passes for 233 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. [22] He completed 20 of 31 passes for 215 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in a 30–20 upset win on the road against the No. 3 Oregon Ducks. [23] Mendoza threw for a season-high 332 yards on 24 of 28 passing while defeating the Michigan State Spartans 38–13. [24] He led the Hoosiers to a 56–6 win against the UCLA Bruins, completing 15 of 22 passes for 168 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception, adding a rushing touchdown; he left the game in the third quarter. [25] Mendoza completed 14 of 21 passes for 201 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, with one rushing touchdown, as the Hoosiers defeated the Maryland Terrapins, 55–10. [26] In a 27–24 road win against the Penn State Nittany Lions, Mendoza completed 19 of 30 passes for 218 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, adding a rushing touchdown; the passing touchdown, to receiver Omar Cooper Jr., came in the final moments of the game to take the lead and was widely described as a "Heisman moment". [27] [28] Against the Wisconsin Badgers, he threw his 30th touchdown pass of the season, eclipsing the Indiana single-season program record set by Kurtis Rourke the previous season; Mendoza finished the game 22 of 24 passing for 299 yards and four touchdowns in a 31–7 win. [29] In the final game of the regular season, the Old Oaken Bucket rivalry game against the Purdue Boilermakers, Mendoza completed 8 of 15 passes for 177 yards and two touchdowns, with one rushing touchdown, before leaving the game in the third quarter; Indiana won 56–3 to seal the program's first perfect regular season in the coldest game ever played at Ross-Ade Stadium. [30] In the 2025 Big Ten Championship Game against the No. 1 Ohio State Buckeyes, he threw for 222 yards and a touchdown, leading Indiana to a 13–10 victory and their first Big Ten title since 1967. [31] He was named the game's MVP for his performance. [32]

For the 2025 season, Mendoza was named the AP College Football Player of the Year, [33] the winner of the Chicago Tribune Silver Football, [34] and the Walter Camp Player of the Year. [35] He was also the winner of both the Maxwell Award and the Davey O’Brien Award. He was also named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, Big Ten Quarterback of the Year, and first-team All-Big Ten. [36] He was announced to be one of the four Heisman Trophy finalists, along with Julian Sayin, Diego Pavia, and Jeremiyah Love. [37] He won the Heisman Trophy in 2025. [38]

Statistics

SeasonTeamGames Passing Rushing
GPGSRecordCmpAttPctYdsY/ATDIntRtgAttYdsAvgTD
2022 California Redshirt Redshirt.svg
2023 California 983−515324363.01,7087.01410132.848921.92
2024 California 11116−526538668.73,0047.8164144.6871051.23
2025 Indiana 131313−022631671.52,9809.4336181.4692403.56
Career 333222–1064494568.17,6928.16322153.92044372.110

Personal life

Mendoza has a younger brother, Alberto, who serves as backup quarterback behind him for Indiana. [39] [40] He is outspoken about his Catholic faith, and incorporates daily Mass in his game day routine, as well as coordinating team Bible studies during his time at Indiana, crediting them for building camaraderie among him and his teammates.

Mendoza is a fan of Tom Brady, calling him his "football idol". [41] Mendoza is of Cuban descent, with all four of his grandparents being born and raised in Cuba. His grandparents moved from Cuba to Miami in 1959 following the events of the Cuban Revolution. [42] Mendoza cites his Cuban heritage as a major factor for his and his brother's passion as football players, saying in a 2025 interview with Indiana University Bloomington news website Peegs.com "Alberto and I play football not for ourselves, not for fulfillment and satisfaction of ourselves—we have a lot of whys why we do it for. One of the whys is our mom. Another why is our entire family. Our entire family comes from a Cuban background. All of our grandparents were born and raised in Cuba, and that's something we always take deeply to heart.” [43] [44]

References

  1. ↑ Villa, Walter (October 26, 2021). "Miami Columbus' Cuban-American quarterback finds a role model in Texas A&M star". Miami Herald . Retrieved November 9, 2024.
  2. ↑ Osterman, Zach (December 11, 2025). "Sharing rooms, social media and touchdowns, IU's Mendoza brothers bond runs deep". The Indianapolis Star. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
  3. ↑ Mendoza, Elsa (December 11, 2025). "Dear Fernando". The Players' Tribune. Retrieved December 12, 2025.
  4. ↑ "Fernando Mendoza Football Stats". MaxPreps.com. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  5. ↑ Farudo, Jeff (February 2, 2022). "Cal Football: Quarterback Fernando Mendoza Makes it Official, Signs With Bears". California Golden Bears on SI. SI.com. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Fernando Mendoza - Football". Indiana University Athletics. Retrieved December 7, 2025.
  7. ↑ Moriarty, Morgan (December 14, 2025). "Fernando Mendoza college timeline: How Indiana QB went from 2-star recruit to Heisman winner". Sporting News. Retrieved December 15, 2025.
  8. ↑ Faraudo, Jeff (October 8, 2023). "Quarterback Fernando Mendoza Provides Hope in Cal's 52-40 Loss to OSU". California Golden Bears on SI. SI.com. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  9. ↑ Kroner, Steve (October 8, 2023). "Cal crushed 52-40 by No. 15 Oregon State but finds QB Fernando Mendoza". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  10. ↑ Kroner, Steve (October 27, 2023). "Can Cal's Fernando Mendoza keep pace with No. 24 USC's Caleb Williams?". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  11. ↑ Kroner, Steve (October 8, 2023). "Cal coach commits to start Fernando Mendoza at QB vs. Utah". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  12. ↑ Curtis, Jake (October 25, 2023). "Fernando Mendoza Says He's a Better QB Than He Was 3 Weeks ago". California Golden Bears on SI. SI.com. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Fernando Mendoza - Football". California Golden Bears Athletics. Retrieved October 18, 2024.
  14. ↑ Rittenberg, Adam (August 31, 2024). "Source: Cal to start QB Mendoza vs. UC Davis". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 18, 2024.
  15. ↑ "California 21-20 Auburn (Sep 7, 2024) Final Score". ESPN. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  16. ↑ Olson, Max (December 11, 2024). "QB Mendoza entering portal after strong Cal year". ESPN . Retrieved December 11, 2024.
  17. ↑ Olson, Max (December 24, 2024). "Sources: Cal transfer QB Mendoza picks Indiana". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 15, 2025.
  18. ↑ "QB Fernando Mendoza Leads Indiana Over Old Dominion In Season Opener". Fox Sports . August 30, 2025. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
  19. ↑ Ambrogi, Mark (September 6, 2025). "Mendoza's 4 TD passes power No. 23 Indiana to a 56-9 rout of Kennesaw State". WTHR . Retrieved December 30, 2025.
  20. ↑ "Indiana Drops 73 Points In Blowout Win Against Indiana State". Fox Sports . September 12, 2025. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
  21. ↑ Marot, Michael (September 21, 2025). "No. 19 Indiana takes control quickly and overwhelms No. 9 Illinois in 63-10 victory". AP News. Retrieved December 15, 2025.
  22. ↑ Alfano, Jon (September 27, 2025). "Iowa Falls to Indiana in Heartbreaking Fashion". Iowa Hawkeyes on SI. Sports Illustrated . Retrieved December 30, 2025.
  23. ↑ Kasabian, Paul (October 11, 2025). "Fernando Mendoza, IU Eyed for CFP Bracket Bid After Upset of Dante Moore, No. 3 Oregon". Bleacher Report . Retrieved December 30, 2025.
  24. ↑ Wilson, Phillip B. (October 18, 2025). "Mendoza throws four TD passes and No. 3 Indiana overwhelms Michigan State 38-13". AP News. Retrieved December 15, 2025.
  25. ↑ Frank, Evan; Sims, Chris; Osterman, Zach; Ferguson, Aaron (October 25, 2025). "Indiana football vs UCLA final score, recap: Defense disrupts Nico Iamaleava's offense". The Indianapolis Star . Retrieved December 30, 2025.
  26. ↑ Flick, Daniel (November 1, 2025). "Indiana Football Dominates Maryland 55-10, Moves to 9-0 For Second Straight Year". Indiana Hoosiers on SI. Sports Illustrated . Retrieved December 30, 2025.
  27. ↑ Forde, Pat (November 8, 2025). "Fernando Mendoza Delivers a Heisman Moment in Indiana's Miracle Drive to Stun Penn State". Sports Illustrated . Retrieved December 30, 2025.
  28. ↑ Bahns, Carter (November 8, 2025). "Fernando Mendoza delivers Heisman moment as heroic, game-winning drive vs. Penn State cements favorite status". CBS Sports . Retrieved December 30, 2025.
  29. ↑ Frank, Evan; Sims, Chris; Osterman, Zach; Ferguson, Aaron (November 15, 2025). "Indiana football vs Wisconsin recap: Fernando Mendoza sets IU's single-season touchdown passing record". The Indianapolis Star . Retrieved December 30, 2025.
  30. ↑ "No. 2 Indiana moves to 12-0, earns Big Ten title game spot with 56-3 win at Purdue". ESPN . November 29, 2025. Retrieved December 30, 2025.
  31. ↑ Rittenberg, Adam (December 7, 2025). "Hoosiers bask in Big Ten title, CFP's No. 1 seed". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 15, 2025.
  32. ↑ Crawford, Eric (December 11, 2025). "CRAWFORD | Sleepless in Bloomington: Fernando Mendoza's Heisman moment is here". WDRB. Retrieved December 14, 2025.
  33. ↑ Olson, Eric (December 11, 2025). "Fernando Mendoza is AP player of the year after leading Indiana to 13-0 record and top seed in CFP" . Retrieved December 11, 2025.
  34. ↑ Kane, Colleen (December 9, 2025). "QB Fernando Mendoza is the 2025 Chicago Tribune Silver Football winner — Indiana's 1st winner in 24 years". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved December 11, 2025.
  35. ↑ Madera, Mike (December 10, 2025). "Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza Selected 2025 Walter Camp Player of the Year, presented by Crabtree Lexus of New Haven" . Retrieved December 11, 2025.
  36. ↑ Flick, Daniel (December 4, 2025). "Fernando Mendoza Wins Big Ten Player of Year, Snaps Indiana Football's 24-Year Drought". Indiana Hoosiers on SI. Sports Illustrated . Retrieved December 11, 2025.
  37. ↑ Backus, Will (December 10, 2025). "Heisman Trophy finalists 2025: Fernando Mendoza, Diego Pavia, Jeremiyah Love, Julian Sayin headed to New York". CBS Sports . Retrieved December 11, 2025.
  38. ↑ Auerbach, Nicole (December 14, 2025). "Fernando Mendoza secures Heisman Trophy, the first in Indiana's history". NBC Sports. Retrieved December 14, 2025.
  39. ↑ Niziolek, Michael (September 6, 2025). "Indiana quarterbacks, brothers become first duo in 10 years to accomplish college football feat". The Indianapolis Star . Retrieved September 29, 2025.
  40. ↑ Halm, Alexandra (September 26, 2025). "Brothers in Arms: IU's Mendoza Duo". WFIU . Retrieved September 29, 2025.
  41. ↑ Glenesk, Matthew; Osterman, Zach (November 17, 2025). "Indiana football QB Fernando Mendoza talks Heisman Trophy, Curt Cignetti". USA TODAY. Retrieved December 15, 2025.
  42. ↑ "Family is the Game Plan – Today's Machining World". todaysmachiningworld.com. Retrieved December 14, 2025.
  43. ↑ Kelly, Jared (November 19, 2025). "Fernando Mendoza Q&A: Heisman race, playing for Curt Cignetti, development at Indiana, NFL aspirations". 247Sports. Retrieved December 15, 2025.
  44. ↑ Forde, Pat (November 21, 2025). "Fernando Mendoza Wasn't Supposed to Take Indiana Football This Far". SI. Retrieved December 15, 2025.
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