"Mendoza claimed 2,362 first-place votes. He beat Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (1,435 votes), Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (719 votes) and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin (432 votes). Mendoza previously played for U.C. Berkeley's California Golden Bears from 2022 to 2024, before transferring to Indiana University Bloomington in 2025. Mendoza guided the Hoosiers to their first No. 1 ranking and the top seed in the 12-team College Football bracket, throwing for 2,980 yards and a national-best 33 touchdown passes while also running for six scores. Indiana, the last unbeaten team in major college football, will play a College Football Playoff quarterfinal game in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1."
"Mendoza, the Hoosiers' first-year starter after transferring from California, is the triggerman for 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. Mendoza is the seventh Indiana player to earn a top-10 finish in Heisman balloting and it marks another first in program history - having back-to-back players in the top 10. Hoosiers quarterback Kurtis Rourke was ninth last year. Quarterbacks have won the Heisman four of the last five years, with two-way player Travis Hunter of Colorado ending the run last season."
Fernando Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy with 2,362 first-place votes, finishing ahead of Diego Pavia, Jeremiyah Love and Julian Sayin. Mendoza transferred from U.C. Berkeley after playing for the California Golden Bears from 2022–2024 and became Indiana's first-year starter in 2025. He threw for 2,980 yards, led the nation with 33 touchdown passes, and ran for six scores while guiding Indiana to a No. 1 ranking and the top seed in the 12-team College Football bracket. Indiana remains the last unbeaten team and will play a CFP quarterfinal in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1. Mendoza also received AP Player of the Year, Maxwell and Davey O'Brien honors.
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