Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza Breaks Heisman, Old Records, and Possibly Time Itself
KEY POINTS
- âąFernando Mendoza, a Miami-born Cuban American, won the Heisman Trophy in 2025 as Indianaâs quarterback.
- âąHe led unbeaten Indiana to its first Big Ten championship since 1967 and the No. 1 College Football Playoff seed.
- âąMendoza threw 33 touchdown passes and ran for six more, breaking his school's touchdown record this season.
Fernando Mendoza, Indiana's quarterback and accidental time traveler, won the 2025 Heisman Trophy, becoming only the third Latino winner and first Cuban American to snatch the glittery prize. Born in Miami to Cuban immigrant grandparents, Mendoza didnât just lead the unbeaten, top-ranked Hoosiers to a Big Ten title unseen since 1967 (when Bell Bottoms ruled), but also threw a mind-blowing 33 TD passes and ran six more for a school-record 39 touchdowns. He edged out Vanderbiltâs Diego Pavia, Notre Dameâs Jeremiyah Love, and Ohio Stateâs Julian Sayin â proving that yes, Indiana football is a thing now. Meanwhile, the Latino Heisman line-up includes Alabama's Bryce Young (2021) and legendary Stanford QB Jim Plunkett, proving Latinos really do run the football cookie jar both on and off field.
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Fernando Mendoza took Indiana football from â67 freeze-frame to playoffâs No. 1 seed like he found a flux capacitor in his cleats.
Third Latino Heisman winner, first Cuban American superstarâMendoza just rebooted college footballâs history app.
Indianaâs Mendoza crushed records so hard, Big Tenâs 1967 trophy is probably crying in a museum corner.
Source: Axios | Published: 12/14/2025 | Author: Russell Contreras
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