Mendoza Makes History: Indiana Quarterback Claims Heisman Trophy
Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza has etched his name into college football lore, securing the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night. Mendoza’s victory marks a historic first for the program, becoming the first Hoosier to win the prestigious award since its inception in 1935.
Mendoza’s dominant performance throughout the season culminated in 2,362 points, including a commanding 643 first-place votes. He surpassed Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (1,435 points),Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (719 points),adn Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin (432 points) to claim college football’s highest individual honor.
The Hoosiers’ signal-caller enjoyed an emphatic win, finishing first in all six Heisman regions – a feat last accomplished by Caleb Williams in 2022.Mendoza appeared on 95.16% of all ballots,tying him with Marcus Mariota in 2014 for the second-highest percentage in Heisman history. He also secured 84.6% of total possible points, ranking seventh all-time.
“I haven’t seen the numbers yet,” Mendoza saeid, “but it’s such an honor to be mentioned with these guys (Pavia, Love and Sayin). It’s really a credit to our team. It’s a team award.”
“We were joking with our teammates) said we might make it to New York (for the award ceremony),” Mendoza recalled. “It was lighthearted at the time, but that’s when it started.”
Quarterbacks have dominated the Heisman landscape in recent years,winning the award in four of the last five seasons,with Colorado’s Travis Hunter breaking the streak as a two-way player last year. Mendoza is the 43rd quarterback to be awarded the Heisman, and the second of Latin American descent, following Stanford’s Jim Plunkett in 1970.
“Even though I grew up in America, my four grandparents are all from Cuba,” Mendoza shared. “I had the prospect to go there and that was significant to me. I credit the love to my grandparents and the hispanic community.”
The Heisman Trophy presentation followed a week of accolades for Mendoza, who was previously named The Associated Press player of the year and received the Maxwell and Davey O’Brien awards. Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love was honored with the Doak Walker Award.
Mendoza and Pavia’s success stories underscore the growing impact of the transfer portal in college football. Mendoza is the seventh transfer player to win the Heisman in the last nine years, while Vanderbilt represents Pavia’s third collegiate stop.
vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia finished as the Heisman runner-up with 189 first-place votes, after throwing for a school-record 3,192 yards and 27 touchdowns. He is the first Heisman finalist in Vanderbilt history, leading the Commodores to their first 10-win season and a no. 9 ranking in the AP Top 25 as 1937. Pavia’s journey from being unrecruited out of high school to starring for Vanderbilt exemplifies the opportunities the transfer portal can provide. Vandy will face Iowa in the ReliaQuest Bowl on December 31.
Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love put himself in contention with a stellar season, finishing fourth in the Bowl Subdivision with 1,372 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns. He became the first player in Notre Dame history to record multiple rushing touchdowns of 90 or more yards. However, the Fighting Irish opted not to participate in a bowl game after missing out on a CFP bid.
Ohio State’s Julian Sayin led the Buckeyes to a No. 1 ranking for much of the season, throwing for 3,329 yards and 31 touchdowns. Despite a recent loss, Ohio State remains a CFP contender and will face a quarterfinal matchup at the Cotton Bowl on December 31. Sayin continues a strong tradition of Ohio State quarterbacks under coach Ryan Day,following in the footsteps of Dwayne Haskins,Justin Fields,C.J. Stroud, and Kyle McCord, who have consistently produced impressive passing numbers.
