Fernando Mendoza has Heisman moment, resume to win
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Carlos Leon-Trejo, Contributor
- November 11, 2025
Fernando Mendoza TD pass will be remembered for years
Like past Heisman Trophy winners, Fernando Mendoza has a portfolio full of major highlights this season.
Ricky Williams had the record-breaking run against Texas A&M. Charles Woodson had a 78-yard punt return touchdown. Johnny Manziel had the Houdini-like touchdown pass in which he almost fumbled the ball under tremendous pressure before throwing a touchdown in the upset win over Alabama. Desmond Howard had the epic Heisman pose after his 93-yard punt return for a touchdown against rival Ohio State.
Years from now, generations of Hoosiers fans will remember how Mendoza connected with wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. in the back of the end zone to remain undefeated.
Mendoza didn’t strike the Heisman pose last Saturday, but he had his “Heis-Mendoza” moment. The play happened with 40 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter while trailing by four points, Mendoza led a drive that began with a sack and was capped by a winning touchdown.
Comeback magic
Mendoza has created three winning drives in the fourth quarter on the road this season. The first was against Iowa at raucous Kinnick Stadium.
The second was at Oregon for what is still the Hoosiers’ highest ranked victory. Then he ruined former No. 1 Penn State’s hopes of an upset last Saturday.
With each drive under immense pressure, Mendoza delivered when it mattered most. In front of a raucous Penn State crowd, the redshirt junior led the No. 2 Hoosiers to a thrilling 27–24 comeback-from-behind victory on Saturday.
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Fernando Mendoza’s “Heis-Mendoza” moment happened with less than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter while trailing by four points, Mendoza led a drive that began with a sack and was capped by a winning touchdown.
Despite being under constant pressure and sacked three times by Penn State’s defense, Mendoza displayed the leadership and resilience that has defined his first year at Indiana since transferring from Cal.
Mendoza to Cooper
The Cuban American from Miami rallied his team for an 80-yard drive, and he connected with wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. in the back of the end zone with less than 40 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter while being pressured by safety King Mack and cornerback Zion Tracy. Mendoza rallied his team back to a victory and prevented the Hoosiers’ first loss of the season.
“I’m going to be one hundred percent honest with you, he’s a Miami native,” said Penn State’s safety King Mack of Mendoza. “I know we beat him up, it’s a dog mentality in Miami, being from Miami.
“I knew he was going to come ready to fight. He came up to me after the game and told me I had a hell of a game. He told me, ‘you’re a hell of a player, keep going.’He’s got my respect. He’s a dog, he’s a fighter. I like to see that.”
Penn State’s interim head coach Terry Smith also praised the 6-foot-5, 225-pounder’s ability to lead the Hoosiers to a fourth quarter comeback win and response with precision while Mendoza was under pressure.
“When you get in games like this, you have to have players that make plays to win games, and he won the game for them,”. Smith said of Mendoza.
“He was amazing. He’s tough. We hit him relentlessly the entire game. He kept getting up. He delivered throws. You could say they were lucky, but he kept doing it time after time.”
31 touchdowns
Mendoza’s mobility makes him a dual-threat quarterback. His 18-yard rushing touchdown against Penn State marked his third consecutive game with a rushing touchdown.
Through 10 games, Mendoza has completed 181 of 254 passes for 2,342 yards with 26 touchdown passes and five rushing touchdowns. He’s rushed for 240 yards this season.
The Heisman Trophy is awarded to the most outstanding player in college football. He has produced elite numbers. He has the Hoosiers 10-0 after defeating Penn State for the first time at Happy Valley.
His leadership is a major reason Indiana’s ranked No. 2 in the country. Fernando Mendoza also showed his toughness while overcoming Penn State’s hits.
“I can’t stay on the ground,” said Mendoza. “No matter how hard the hit is …I know that I’m going to put my life on the line for that team, and I’m going to die on that field. I will never sub myself out in that instance, and I would die on that field for my brothers.”
Carlos Leon-Trejo
Contributor
Carlos Leon-Trejo is a co-host on the Bring on the Blitz! podcast on the Our Esquina network. A graduate of the Texas A&M-Victoria, his reporting credits include major stages such as the CONCACAF Gold Cup and the Big 12 Championship.
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