Indiana College quarterback Fernando Mendoza is the heavy favourite to earn the 2025 Heisman Trophy after a profitable faculty soccer season.
In his first 12 months with the group, the redshirt junior led the Hoosiers to an unblemished 13-0 report and, with a 13-10 win over No. 2 Ohio State on December 6, its first Huge Ten Championship since 1967.
He completed the common season with 2,980 passing yards, 33 touchdowns and simply six interceptions.
With the Hoosiers at the moment sitting because the nation’s No. 1 group, Mendoza will proceed to steer Indiana by the Faculty Soccer Playoff, taking part in the winner of the No. 8 Oklahoma vs. No. 9 Alabama matchup within the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2026.
The Heisman Trophy ceremony takes place on December 13, 2025.
Preserve scrolling to learn extra in regards to the quarterback who continues to make headlines:
Mendoza began his faculty soccer profession at College of California, Berkeley
Fernando Mendoza #15 of the Indiana Hoosiers Getty Photographs
Earlier than Mendoza was taking the nation by storm at Indiana, the redshirt junior quarterback spent two seasons with the California Golden Bears. He earned some taking part in time his freshman season and took over the outright beginning position his sophomore 12 months.
He made his first profession begin in week 6 of the 2023 season – his redshirt freshman 12 months – towards Oregon State and instantly made his presence felt.
He began the remainder of that season for the Golden Bears, ending with 1,708 passing yards and 14 touchdowns in simply eight begins.
By the subsequent season, Mendoza was the full-time starter at Cal. Through the 2024 season, he earned ACC quarterback of the week twice. His first full season as a starter noticed him throw for 3,004 yards and 16 touchdowns, with arguably his largest recreation of the 12 months coming in an upset win over Auburn College in week 2.
After his spectacular run at Cal, Mendoza transferred to Indiana College in 2025.
Named 2025 AP Faculty Soccer Participant of the 12 months after main Indiana to Huge Ten Championship
Thanks partially to the long-awaited convention championship, Mendoza earned the title of AP Faculty Soccer Participant of the 12 months, introduced on December 11.
Mendoza earned 32 of the 51 first-place votes, making him the overwhelming alternative for the award. The honour is voted on by media members throughout the nation.
It absolutely helped that Mendoza led the Hoosiers to a 13-0 season, together with wins over No. 5 Oregon and No. 2 Ohio State, and a No. 1 rating within the nationwide polls.
Mendoza’s youthful brother serves as his backup quarterback at Indiana
Fernando Mendoza Getty Photographs
It’s a household enterprise at Indiana.
When Mendoza transferred to play for the Hoosiers for this season, he joined his youthful brother, Alberto, on the roster.
Mendoza beforehand mentioned having Alberto at Indiana was a key consider his determination to switch to the Hoosiers.
“I feel having my little brother there, who’s my greatest pal and the one who pushes me the toughest, it was nice to have that,” Mendoza informed IndyStar in January.
Alberto noticed some motion this season, and threw his first profession landing move in Indiana’s recreation towards Kennesaw State on September 6. That recreation was historic for not solely the Mendoza household, but additionally faculty soccer as a complete, as Alberto’s landing move – together with Fernando’s landing move earlier within the recreation – made them the primary set of brothers to throw landing passes for a similar group in the identical FBS recreation since Brady and Austin Allen of Arkansas in 2015.
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His household is Cuban and he grew up in Miami
Household has at all times been a giant a part of Mendoza’s life. Each of his grandparents had been born and raised in Cuba earlier than shifting the household to Miami. Whereas Mendoza was born in Boston, he was raised in Miami as nicely.
Mendoza — talking to Indiana College information web site Peegs.com earlier this 12 months — talked in regards to the significance of household in his soccer profession.
“Alberto and I play soccer not for ourselves, not for success and satisfaction of ourselves — now we have plenty of whys why we do it for. One of many whys is our mother. One other why is our complete household. Our complete household comes from a Cuban background. All of our grandparents had been born and raised in Cuba, and that’s one thing we at all times take deeply to coronary heart.”
