NEWYou can now listen to PK Press Club articles!
Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza has entered the fray as one of the best players in the country this season as the Big Ten school is poised to finish the regular season undefeated.
The Cal transfer, who is in his first season at Indiana, has 2,641 passing yards and is tied for the national lead with 30 touchdown passes. He is among the favorites to win the Heisman Trophy this year with the best odds entering the final regular season game against Purdue, according to FOX Sports.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PK Press Club
Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) runs with the ball during the fourth quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium on November 8, 2025. (Matthew O’Haren/Imagn Images)
Trent Green, himself an Indiana alum, noticed Mendoza’s abilities and was beating the drum for the young quarterback’s Heisman Trophy candidacy.
“Mendoza definitely deserves the Heisman support. I’m going to start him now. I think there’s a long list of people who started him before me, but what he’s been able to do, what Curt Cignetti has been able to do since he became head coach. I thought last year was just a phenomenal season for them to make it to the College Football Playoff to play Notre Dame,” Green told PK Press Club Digital in a recent interview.
Green pointed to close games in which Indiana was able to pull out fourth-quarter victories. Late interceptions nearly crushed the Hoosiers, but Mendoza was able to lead his team to victory.
In one of those games, he found wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. for a go-ahead touchdown. Cooper hit an incredible kick to complete the inbounds catch.
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza leaves the field after an NCAA college football game against Wisconsin, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, in Bloomington, Indiana. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
2025 HEISMAN TROPHY ODDS: FERNANDO MENDOZA REMAINS FAVORITE; LOVE MAKES YOU JUMP
“Mendoza, you’re just talking about his character. I didn’t know much about him when he came from Cal. There’s a reason guys follow him and he’s a leader and the guys in the locker room love him – his mental toughness,” Green said. “There’s a lot of talk about his intelligence and his progressions and he gets them in the right play and he uses his feet at the right time and he’s able to make all the throws, but you think about the three tough road games they had — they were at Iowa, at Oregon and at Penn State — all of those games, they were close games.
“He threw an interception early in the fourth quarter in all three of those games, but he was able to clear that in his mind, come out, lead them on game-winning drives and throw a touchdown in the fourth quarter to win all of those road games. So that just shows you the mental toughness that goes along with all the talent that he has.”
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza throws before an NCAA college football game against Wisconsin Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, in Bloomington, Indiana. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE PK Press Club APP
He accumulated 5,136 passing yards and 31 touchdown passes over those four seasons.
