Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza etched his name into college football history on Saturday, becoming the first player in program history to win the Heisman Trophy.

Mendoza claimed the sport’s most prestigious individual honor over Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin, and Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia.

The junior capped off an extraordinary week by also earning First-Team All-American honors, the 2025 Davey O’Brien Award as the nation’s top quarterback, and the 2025 Maxwell Award for most outstanding player. Those accolades were announced Friday, setting the stage for his historic Heisman victory.

Mendoza led Indiana to its first undefeated season in program history, guiding the Hoosiers to a perfect 13–0 record after a statement win over No. 1 Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game. Indiana now sits atop the national rankings as the No. 1 team in the country.

He won the Maxwell Award over Love—who captured Notre Dame’s first-ever Doak Walker Award—and Sayin, further solidifying Mendoza’s dominance during the 2025 campaign.

On the field, Mendoza delivered the best season of his career. He threw for 2,980 yards with 33 passing touchdowns and posted a remarkable 71.5% completion rate. He also emerged as a dynamic threat on the ground, rushing for a career-high 340 yards and six touchdowns. In total, Mendoza accounted for 3,320 yards and 39 touchdowns while throwing just six interceptions.

Before transferring to Indiana, Mendoza spent the first two years of his collegiate career at California. In 2024, he threw for more than 3,000 yards, tallying 16 passing touchdowns (18 total) and six interceptions. His move to Bloomington proved transformative—for both player and program.

Now, after collecting three of college football’s top individual awards, Mendoza and the top-ranked Hoosiers await their College Football Playoff matchup. Indiana will face the winner of the first-round game between No. 9 Alabama and No. 8 Oklahoma.

Mendoza has not yet declared for the 2026 NFL Draft, but league scouts already view him as a potential No. 1 overall pick should he choose to enter.

Other Heisman Finalists

Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
Love was honored as the nation’s best running back, winning the Doak Walker Award after a sensational season for the Fighting Irish. He scored at least one touchdown in every game, finishing with 1,652 total yards and 21 touchdowns, including 18 on the ground—the most in a single season in Notre Dame history.

His 1,372 rushing yards rank fourth all-time for a single season at Notre Dame, trailing only Vagas Ferguson (1979), Josh Adams (2017), and Allen Pickett.

Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt
Pavia delivered one of the most productive seasons in college football, finishing with 4,018 total yards, including 3,192 passing yards. He accounted for 36 total touchdowns, threw eight interceptions, and completed 71.2% of his passes.

He was the only player in the nation to eclipse 4,000 total yards this season and led Vanderbilt to its first-ever 10-win season and first top-10 ranking in program history. The Commodores finished the year ranked 14th and will face Iowa in the ReliaQuest Bowl.

Julian Sayin, Ohio State
In his first season as a collegiate starter, Sayin guided Ohio State to a No. 2 national ranking. He threw for 3,323 yards, 31 touchdowns, and just six interceptions while setting a college football record with a 78.4% completion percentage.

Though considered a long shot for the Heisman, Sayin embraced the moment.

“Me and my brother being quarterbacks—that was definitely a dream of ours growing up,” Sayin said. “I always told people, ‘One day I’m going to be in New York for the Heisman ceremony.’ So it’s pretty surreal to be here.”