Indiana University Athletics
Mendoza Big Apple Bound for Heisman Trophy Ceremony
12/8/2025 6:58:00 PM | Football
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – After leading Indiana football to its first Big Ten Championship Game victory in program history and the first outright Big Ten title since 1945, redshirt-junior quarterback Fernando Mendoza was named a finalist for the 91st edition of the Heisman Trophy by the Heisman Trophy Trust on Monday (Dec. 8) night.
Mendoza is the second-ever Heisman Trophy finalist from Indiana, joining Anthony Thompson, who was the runner up in 1989. Other top-10 finishers in the Heisman Trophy voting include Bill Hillenbrand (1942), Vaughn Dunbar (1991), Antwaan Randle El (2001), Tevin Coleman (2014) and Kurtis Rourke (2024).
The award will be announced on ABC at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, Dec. 13 from Jazz at Lincoln Center's Appel Room in New York City and will be hosted by Chris Fowler. The four finalists are Mendoza, Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin.
Mendoza currently leads the nation in passing touchdowns (33) and is the Power 4 leader in touchdowns responsible for (39). He is the third Big Ten quarterback since 2000 with three-straight games of at least four passing touchdowns and zero interceptions - C.J. Stroud (Ohio State; 2021) and Kyle Orton (Purdue; 2004, four straight). The Miami, Florida, native is the only FBS quarterback since at least 1996 with multiple games of at least 90 percent completion and four touchdown passes versus Power 4 opponents.
In 2025, Mendoza is the lone FBS quarterback with five games of 4-plus touchdown passes and zero interceptions and entered Championship Week as the FBS leader in percentage of passes that result in a touchdown at 10.9%, over one point higher than the next closest passer (Julian Sayin, Ohio State; 9.2%).
He has thrown a touchdown pass in 12-straight games entering the College Football Playoff and has five games with both a passing and rushing touchdown in 2025. He has thrown 33 touchdowns to just six interceptions, is tied for No. 2 on the team with six rushing touchdowns and has 240 yards rushing on the season.
The Hoosiers earned the No. 1 spot in the College Football Playoff and will play the winner of Alabama/Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl Game on Jan. 1, 2026. The game from Rose Bowl Stadium will kick at 4 p.m. ET
Mendoza is the second-ever Heisman Trophy finalist from Indiana, joining Anthony Thompson, who was the runner up in 1989. Other top-10 finishers in the Heisman Trophy voting include Bill Hillenbrand (1942), Vaughn Dunbar (1991), Antwaan Randle El (2001), Tevin Coleman (2014) and Kurtis Rourke (2024).
The award will be announced on ABC at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, Dec. 13 from Jazz at Lincoln Center's Appel Room in New York City and will be hosted by Chris Fowler. The four finalists are Mendoza, Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin.
Mendoza currently leads the nation in passing touchdowns (33) and is the Power 4 leader in touchdowns responsible for (39). He is the third Big Ten quarterback since 2000 with three-straight games of at least four passing touchdowns and zero interceptions - C.J. Stroud (Ohio State; 2021) and Kyle Orton (Purdue; 2004, four straight). The Miami, Florida, native is the only FBS quarterback since at least 1996 with multiple games of at least 90 percent completion and four touchdown passes versus Power 4 opponents.
In 2025, Mendoza is the lone FBS quarterback with five games of 4-plus touchdown passes and zero interceptions and entered Championship Week as the FBS leader in percentage of passes that result in a touchdown at 10.9%, over one point higher than the next closest passer (Julian Sayin, Ohio State; 9.2%).
He has thrown a touchdown pass in 12-straight games entering the College Football Playoff and has five games with both a passing and rushing touchdown in 2025. He has thrown 33 touchdowns to just six interceptions, is tied for No. 2 on the team with six rushing touchdowns and has 240 yards rushing on the season.
The Hoosiers earned the No. 1 spot in the College Football Playoff and will play the winner of Alabama/Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl Game on Jan. 1, 2026. The game from Rose Bowl Stadium will kick at 4 p.m. ET
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