Fernando Mendoza
Updated: 1/7/2026, 2:00:21 PM Wikipedia source
Fernando Mendoza V (born October 1, 2003) is an American college football quarterback for the Indiana Hoosiers. He previously played for the California Golden Bears. Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy as a member of the Hoosiers in 2025, becoming the first winner in program history.
Infobox
Position
Quarterback
Class
Redshirt Junior
Born
(2003-10-01) October 1, 2003 (age 22)Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Height
6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Weight
225 lb (102 kg)
High school
Christopher Columbus (Miami, Florida)
College
California (2022–2024) Indiana (2025–present)
Passing attempts
907
Passing completions
621
Completion percentage
68.5%
TD–INT
60–21
Passing yards
7,353
Passer efficiency
153.8
Rushing yards
413
Rushing touchdowns
10
Tables
· College career › Statistics
GP
GP
Season
GP
Team
GS
Games
Record
Games
Cmp
Games
Att
Passing
Pct
Passing
Yds
Passing
Y/A
Passing
TD
Passing
Int
Passing
Rtg
Passing
Att
Passing
Yds
Rushing
Avg
Rushing
TD
2022
2022
Season
2022
Team
California
Games
Redshirt
2023
2023
Season
2023
Team
California
Games
9
Games
8
Games
3−5
Passing
153
Passing
243
Passing
63.0
Passing
1,708
Passing
7.0
Passing
14
Passing
10
Passing
132.8
Rushing
48
Rushing
92
Rushing
1.9
Rushing
2
2024
2024
Season
2024
Team
California
Games
11
Games
11
Games
6−5
Passing
265
Passing
386
Passing
68.7
Passing
3,004
Passing
7.8
Passing
16
Passing
4
Passing
144.6
Rushing
87
Rushing
105
Rushing
1.2
Rushing
3
2025
2025
Season
2025
Team
Indiana
Games
14
Games
14
Games
14-0
Passing
240
Passing
332
Passing
72.3
Passing
3,172
Passing
9.6
Passing
36
Passing
6
Passing
184.7
Rushing
77
Rushing
260
Rushing
3.3
Rushing
6
Career
Career
Season
Career
Team
34
Games
33
Games
23–10
Games
658
Passing
961
Passing
68.5
Passing
7,884
Passing
8.2
Passing
66
Passing
22
Passing
155.5
Passing
212
Rushing
457
Rushing
2.1
Rushing
11
| Season | Team | Games | Passing | Rushing | ||||||||||||
| GP | GS | Record | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | Int | Rtg | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | ||
| 2022 | California | Redshirt | ||||||||||||||
| 2023 | California | 9 | 8 | 3−5 | 153 | 243 | 63.0 | 1,708 | 7.0 | 14 | 10 | 132.8 | 48 | 92 | 1.9 | 2 |
| 2024 | California | 11 | 11 | 6−5 | 265 | 386 | 68.7 | 3,004 | 7.8 | 16 | 4 | 144.6 | 87 | 105 | 1.2 | 3 |
| 2025 | Indiana | 14 | 14 | 14-0 | 240 | 332 | 72.3 | 3,172 | 9.6 | 36 | 6 | 184.7 | 77 | 260 | 3.3 | 6 |
| Career | 34 | 33 | 23–10 | 658 | 961 | 68.5 | 7,884 | 8.2 | 66 | 22 | 155.5 | 212 | 457 | 2.1 | 11 | |
References
- Miami Heraldhttps://www.miamiherald.com/sports/high-school/article255298136.html
- The Indianapolis Starhttps://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2025/12/11/mendoza-brothers-fernando-alberto-indiana-football-quarterbacks-heisman-trophy-social-media-stats/87704562007/
- The Players' Tribunehttps://www.theplayerstribune.com/fernando-mendoza-elsa-mom-ncaa-football-indiana-hoosiers
- MaxPreps.comhttps://www.maxpreps.com/fl/miami/columbus-explorers/athletes/fernando-mendoza/football/stats/?careerid=0rderpotnl7aa
- California Golden Bears on SIhttps://www.si.com/college/cal/news/cal-gets-qb-commitment
- Indiana University Athleticshttps://iuhoosiers.com/sports/football/roster/fernando-mendoza/20171
- Sporting Newshttps://www.sportingnews.com/us/ncaa-football/news/fernando-mendoza-college-timeline-indiana/23241ff1248d1f9d8f35adef
- California Golden Bears on SIhttps://www.si.com/college/cal/news/fernando-mendoza-debut
- San Francisco Chroniclehttps://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/college/article/cal-crushed-52-40-no-15-oregon-state-finds-qb-18402571.php
- San Francisco Chroniclehttps://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/college/article/cal-s-fernando-mendoza-keep-pace-no-24-usc-s-18443553.php
- San Francisco Chroniclehttps://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/college/article/cal-coach-commits-start-redshirt-freshman-qb-18413900.php
- California Golden Bears on SIhttps://www.si.com/college/cal/news/fernando-mendoza-says-he-has-improved
- California Golden Bears Athleticshttps://calbears.com/sports/football/roster/fernando-mendoza/24277
- ESPN.comhttps://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/41069743/source-cal-start-qb-fernando-mendoza-vs-uc-davis
- ESPNhttps://www.espn.com/college-football/game/_/gameId/401628337/california-auburn
- ESPNhttps://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/42912085/cal-qb-fernando-mendoza-entering-transfer-portal
- ESPN.comhttps://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/43141524/sources-cal-transfer-qb-fernando-mendoza-commits-indiana
- Fox Sportshttps://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/indiana-beats-old-dominion-in-season-opener
- WTHRhttps://www.wthr.com/article/sports/ncaa/ncaaf/no-23-indiana-hoosiers-defeat-kennesaw-state-owls-56-9-ncaaf-big-ten-college-football/531-fda63c13-2766-4a83-9bb5-bee123362fc6
- Fox Sportshttps://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/mendoza-cooper-lead-no-22-indiana-to-730-victory-over-overmatched-indiana-state
- AP Newshttps://apnews.com/article/illini-hoosisers-football-score-798e2c75bb48d4631451be57317c1b5b
- Iowa Hawkeyes on SIhttps://www.si.com/college/iowa/football/iowa-hawkeyes-fall-indiana-heartbreaking-fashion
- Bleacher Reporthttps://bleacherreport.com/articles/25259505-fernando-mendoza-iu-eyed-cfp-bracket-bid-after-upset-dante-moore-no-3-oregon
- AP Newshttps://apnews.com/article/michigan-state-indiana-score-f3ad7591012eef2c78d083269827fd90
- The Indianapolis Starhttps://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2025/10/25/indiana-ucla-live-updates-score-college-football-where-watch-tv-how-stream-radio-highlights-stats/86822324007/
- Indiana Hoosiers on SIhttps://www.si.com/college/indiana/football/indiana-football-dominates-maryland-undefeated-cignetti-mendoza-hoosiers-terrapins
- Sports Illustratedhttps://www.si.com/college-football/fernando-mendoza-delivers-heisman-moment-indiana-comeback-penn-state
- CBS Sportshttps://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/fernando-mendoza-indiana-heisman-trophy-odds-favorite-penn-state-game-winning-drive/
- The Indianapolis Starhttps://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2025/11/15/indiana-football-wisconsin-live-updates-score-how-watch-start-time-tv-where-stream-highlights-stats/87255383007/
- ESPNhttps://www.espn.com/college-football/recap?gameId=401752924
- ESPN.comhttps://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/47230584/indiana-takes-ohio-state-1st-big-ten-title-1967
- WDRBhttps://www.wdrb.com/sports/crawford-sleepless-in-bloomington-fernando-mendoza-s-heisman-moment-is-here/article_7d6e265a-74c0-4001-b1ca-ffe3afc7f5bc.html
- ESPNhttps://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/47476286/indiana-strolls-cfp-semifinals-cruises-alabama
- USA Todayhttps://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2026/01/01/indana-alabama-rose-bowl-score-cfp-fernando-mendoza/87986063007/
- "Fernando Mendoza is AP player of the year after leading Indiana to 13-0 record and top seed in CFP"https://apnews.com/article/ap-player-of-year-c74829567a6d158eb90a821e512ad281
- Chicago Tribunehttps://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/09/silver-football-fernando-mendoza-indiana/
- "Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza Selected 2025 Walter Camp Player of the Year, presented by Crabtree Lexus of New Haven"https://waltercamp.org/indiana-quarterback-fernando-mendoza-selected-2025-walter-camp-player-of-the-year-presented-by-crabtree-lexus-of-new-haven/
- Indiana Hoosiers on SIhttps://www.si.com/college/indiana/football/fernando-mendoza-wins-big-ten-player-year-indiana-football-drought
- CBS Sportshttps://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/heisman-trophy-finalists-2025-fernando-mendoza-diego-pavia-jeremiyah-love-julian-sayin-headed-to-new-york/
- "Fernando Mendoza secures Heisman Trophy, the first in Indiana's history"https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/fernando-mendoza-secures-heisman-trophy-the-first-in-indiana-s-history/ar-AA1SiHh8
- The Indianapolis Starhttps://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2025/09/06/mendoza-brothers-iu-quarterbacks-throw-touchdown-same-college-football-game-fernando-alberto/86023491007/
- WFIUhttps://www.ipm.org/2025-09-26/brothers-in-arms-ius-mendoza-duo
- National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS)https://events.nationalmssociety.org/participants/616293
- The Indianapolis Starhttps://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2026/01/01/fernando-mendoza-mom-elsa-mendoza-multiple-sclerosis-inspiration-letter-son-alberto-heisman/87975199007/
- USA TODAYhttps://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2025/11/17/indiana-football-fernando-mendoza-pat-mcafee-interview-tom-brady-bible-study-curt-cignetti-heisman/87323874007/
- todaysmachiningworld.comhttps://todaysmachiningworld.com/family-is-the-game-plan/#:~:text=The%20Mendoza%20story%20is%20one,Many%20died%20trying.
- 247Sportshttps://247sports.com/college/indiana/longformarticle/fernando-mendoza-qa-heisman-race-playing-for-curt-cignetti-development-at-indiana-nfl-aspirations-262398805/#2751414
- SIhttps://www.si.com/college-football/fernando-mendoza-indiana-hoosiers-football-heisman-underdog