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Indiana University quarterback Fernando Mendoza became the first Hoosier to win the Heisman Trophy, college football’s most prestigious award.
Mendoza received 2,392 first-place votes, beating out Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (1,435 votes), Notre Dame’s Jeremiah Love (719 votes) and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sain (432 votes).
Mendoza led the Hoosiers to a No. 1 ranking and No. 1 seed in the 12-team College Football Playoff bracket, throwing for 2,980 yards and a nation-best 33 touchdown passes while also running for six scores.
Indiana, the last undefeated team in major college football, will play a College Football Playoff quarterfinal game in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.
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Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza walks off the field after a game against Wisconsin on November 15, 2025, in Bloomington, Ind. (AP Photo/Daron Cummings)
Mendoza, the Hoosiers’ first-year starter after transferring from California, is in charge of an offense that surpassed program records for touchdowns and points set during last season’s surprise run to the CFP.
A redshirt junior, the lightly recruited Miami native is the second Heisman finalist in school history, joining 1989 runner-up Anthony Thompson. The cup was founded in 1935.
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Mendoza is the seventh Indiana State player to finish in the top 10 in Heisman balloting, marking another first in program history. It now has players in the top 10 in Heisman voting in consecutive years. Hoosiers quarterback Curtis Rourke was ranked ninth last year.
Quarterbacks have won the Heisman four of the past five years. Colorado’s Travis Hunter, who played wide receiver and cornerback, won last season.
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Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza throws before a game against Wisconsin on November 15, 2025, in Bloomington, Indiana. (AP Photo/Daron Cummings)
Mendoza was named the Associated Press Player of the Year earlier this week and took home the Maxwell and Davey O’Brien Awards on Friday night while Love won the Doak Walker Award.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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