Fernando Mendoza has won the first-ever Heisman Trophy in Indiana football history.
The redshirt junior was named the winner Saturday evening in New York, taking home the 91st Heisman Trophy. IU’s quarterback beat out fellow finalists Diego Pavia (Vanderbilt quarterback), Jeremiyah Love (Notre Dame running back), and Julian Sayin (Ohio State quarterback).
Mendoza — 6-foot-5, 225 pounds — has led the way for Indiana’s historic 13-0 season, earning the No. 1 overall seed in the College Football Playoff and a berth in the Rose Bowl. The 22-year-old has come through for the Hoosiers in several clutch moments this year. His game-winning drive at Penn State particularly stood out, along with a winning drive at Iowa and some massive throws to seal the Big Ten Championship Game against Ohio State.
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza delivered in the clutch yet again against Penn State
The Miami native enters the CFP with strong numbers. Mendoza set an IU single-season record with 33 touchdown passes, also the most in the country. He paired that with only six interceptions, along with six rushing touchdowns. He’s tied for second in the nation at 9.4 yards per pass attempt, with 2,980 total passing yards.
Mendoza turned that into a historic Heisman Trophy, adding to an already large pile of postseason awards. He took home the Maxwell Award and the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award on Friday, he earned AP Player of the Year honors on Thursday, and he was named Walter Camp Player of the Year on Wednesday. Mendoza was also named MVP of the Big Ten Championship Game, going along with Big Ten MVP, Offensive Player of the Year, Quarterback of the Year, and All-Big Ten first team status.
This Heisman win is significant for the entire Big Ten. Mendoza became the first Big Ten player to win the Heisman since 2006, when Ohio State quarterback Troy Smith won the award. Current conference members Oregon and USC have won Heismans since then, but those came while the schools were in the Pac-12.
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