New York, N.Y. — Quarterback Fernando Mendoza of the University of Indiana has earned the prestigious Heisman Memorial Trophy, marking a historic moment for the university as its first recipient of the award. The announcement was made during the annual Heisman Trophy Ceremony on Saturday, December 13, at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Mendoza triumphed with a total of 2,362 points, including 643 first-place votes. In a competitive season, Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia secured second place with 1,435 points and 189 first-place votes. Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love finished third with 719 points, while Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin rounded out the top four with 432 points.

Standing at 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighing 225 pounds, Mendoza is a redshirt junior from Miami, Florida. He distinguished himself as the 2025 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year and the conference’s Quarterback of the Year. Under his leadership, the Hoosiers achieved an unprecedented 13-0 record and claimed the Big Ten Championship against Ohio State, earning the top seed in the College Football Playoff.

This season, Mendoza, who transferred from California, showcased impressive statistics: he completed 226 of 316 passes for 2,980 yards, leading the nation with 33 touchdown passes. He also contributed significantly on the ground, rushing for 240 yards and six touchdowns. His total of 39 touchdowns accounted for places him second nationally, while his quarterback rating of 181.39 ranks him among the best in the game’s history.

Mendoza’s remarkable performance included a standout game against Michigan State, where he threw for 332 yards and four touchdowns. He consistently demonstrated his accuracy, completing better than 85% of his passes in four different games and scoring a touchdown in all but one contest this season.

This week, Mendoza was also recognized as the AP Player of the Year and received several prestigious accolades, including the Maxwell, Walter Camp, and Davey O’Brien Awards. He becomes the seventh player in the last nine years to claim the Heisman after transferring schools and is the second consecutive winner from Florida.

Pursuing his master’s degree at Indiana after earning an undergraduate degree in business from Berkeley, Mendoza is now among a select group of quarterbacks who have received the Heisman, making him the 39th overall and just the second to wear the number 15 jersey, following Tim Tebow’s win in 2007.

Vanderbilt’s Pavia noted his own school’s milestone, finishing as the highest-ranked Commodore ever in Heisman voting, while Love and Sayin represented their schools’ best finishes in recent years.

The 2025 Heisman Trophy ballots went out to 930 electors, comprised of media members, former Heisman winners, and fan votes. Deloitte managed the electronic submission of all ballots.

Completing the top ten this year were Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith, Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton, Mississippi quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, and Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King.