Heisman Winner
Fernando Mendoza
QB | RS Junior | University of Indiana
Quarterback Fernando Mendoza from the University of Indiana was announced as the 91st winner of the Heisman Memorial Trophy during ABC’s 2025 Heisman Trophy Ceremony Presented by Nissan on Saturday (Dec. 13).
Mendoza received 2,362 points, including 643 first-place votes, well ahead of the rest of the field in a convincing win. A redshirt junior, Mendoza is Indiana’s first Heisman winner. The Hoosiers’ previous highest finisher was 1989 runner-up Anthony Thompson.
Mendoza finished first in all six Heisman regions, the first to do so since Caleb Williams in 2022. He received 84.66% of total possible points, which is the seventh highest in the history of the Heisman, surpassing Charlie Ward, who received 83.79% in 1993. Mendoza was named on 95.16% of all ballots, which is tied with Marcus Mariota in 2014 for the second highest in the history of the Heisman.
The 6-foot-5, 225-pounder from Miami, Fla., was the 2025 Big Ten Offensive Player and Quarterback of the Year and an All-Big Ten first-team quarterback who led Indiana to a 2025 Big Ten Championship victory over Ohio State and a No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff.
Mendoza, in his first year at Indiana after transferring from California, led the Hoosiers to a 13-0 record and the program’s first-ever No. 1 ranking. He completed 226-of-316 passes for 2,980 yards and a nation-leading 33 TD passes while rushing for 240 yards and another six scores.
He is second nationally in total touchdowns accounted for (39) and in quarterback rating (181.39) and is sixth in completion percentage (71.5). Mendoza’s 33 TD passes are a school season record as are his five games this season with four or more scoring passes.
He threw for a season-high 332 yards and four scores in a win over Michigan State. He completed better than 85% of his passes four times this year and threw at least one TD pass in each game outside of the season-opener.
Mendoza was named the AP Player of the Year earlier this week and also won the Maxwell, Walter Camp and Davey O’Brien Awards.
