Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza wins 2025 Heisman Trophy
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Indiana University quarterback Fernando Mendoza became the first Hoosier to win the coveted Heisman Trophy, college football’s most prestigious award.
Mendoza earned 2,392 first-place votes, edging out Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (1,435 votes), Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (719 votes) and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin (432 votes).
Mendoza led the Hoosiers to their first No. 1 ranking and first place in the 12-team College Football Playoff field, throwing for 2,980 yards and a nation-best 33 touchdown passes while also rushing for six scores.
Indiana, the last undefeated team in major college football, will play a College Football Playoff quarterfinal game at the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.
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Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza runs off the field after a game against Wisconsin on Nov. 15, 2025, in Bloomington, Indiana. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Mendoza, the Hoosiers’ first-year starter after transferring from California, is the spark behind an offense that surpassed program records for touchdowns and points set during last season’s surprise run to the CFP.
A redshirt junior, the once lightly recruited Miami native is the second Heisman finalist in school history, joining 1989 runner-up Anthony Thompson. The trophy was established in 1935.
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Mendoza is the seventh Indiana player to finish in the top 10 in Heisman voting, marking another first in program history. He has now had players in the top 10 of Heisman voting in consecutive years. Hoosiers quarterback Kurtis Rourke placed ninth last year.
Quarterbacks have won the Heisman four of the last 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 Nov. 15, 2025 in Bloomington, Indiana. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Mendoza was named News Player of the Year earlier this week and collected the Maxwell and Davey O’Brien awards on Friday night, while Love won the Doak Walker award.
The News contributed to this report.
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Jackson Thompson is a sports reporter for News Digital covering critical political and cultural issues in sports, with an investigative lens. Jackson’s reporting has been cited in federal government actions related to Title IX enforcement and in mainstream media outlets such as The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The News and ESPN.com.