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Four Best Plays by Fernando Mendoza During Heisman Trophy Campaign

Blake Silverman

Fernando Mendoza is the 2025 Heisman Trophy Winner
Fernando Mendoza is the 2025 Heisman Trophy Winner / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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Fernando Mendoza is the first Heisman Trophy winner in Indiana history. The redshirt junior quarterback led the nation in passing touchdowns with 33, guiding the Hoosiers to the program’s first ever 13-0 finish and a Big Ten title.

His Heisman moment came in the Big Ten championship game during a massive win over No. 1 Ohio State in a contest where offense was difficult to come by. Despite the strong defensive showings, Mendoza found a way to win and shined individually in the process, leaving a tremendous final impression on Heisman voters.

Although an opportunity presented itself in the Big Ten championship game to make a decisive Heisman statement against the top-ranked Buckeyes and fellow Heisman finalist QB Julian Sayin, Mendoza’s case started all the way back in August at the beginning of the season. Indiana cruised through its schedule, despite a few scares along the way, to finish perfect and earn the top seed in the College Football Playoff. In the process, Mendoza made plenty of dazzling plays that built his case for college football’s top honor.

Here are four of his best plays throughout his Heisman season:

4. Perfect red zone throw for touchdown against Illinois

The September contest against Illinois won’t be remembered as the biggest game on Indiana’s schedule—even though the Fighting Illini were ranked No. 9 at the time—but this throw from Mendoza was one to remember. He dropped a perfect ball over several defenders, putting it in a spot where only his receiver could make the grab. The game was still close at that point, too, as Indiana’s offense exploded the rest of the day for a dominant 63-10 win over the Illini to mark the Hoosiers’ first big victory of the season. Mendoza led the nation in touchdown passes and this was one of his best.

3. 50-yard pass to Charlie Becker vs. Ohio State that led to Indiana touchdown

Indiana didn’t score a touchdown in the first half against Ohio State in Indianapolis. At the start of the third quarter, the Hoosiers faced a third-and-2 where Mendoza let it rip and threw an absolute dart down the field to wide receiver Charlie Becker for 51 yards. The play shifted momentum and set up Indiana for its only touchdown of the game, which Mendoza threw to Elijah Sarratt four plays later.

2. Game-winning touchdown to Omar Cooper Jr. against Penn State

An incredible throw by Mendoza and an even better catch by Cooper capped a game-winning drive for Indiana to survive a true scare on the road against stumbling Penn State. Cooper’s improbable catch came on a third-down play as Mendoza let the ball fly just as he was about to get sacked. The moment kept the Hoosiers’ perfect season alive in incredible fashion against a Nittany Lions group that was on a five-game losing streak and doing anything they could to find a win after parting with coach James Franklin.

Mendoza and the Hoosiers are inevitable, though.

1. Clutch throw against Ohio State to help Indiana seal Big Ten championship

In a low-scoring game, Mendoza still found a way to get his Heisman moment. On a third-and-6 play with under three minutes left in the Big Ten championship game against Ohio State, Mendoza made an unbelievable throw down the field to Becker. The play went for 33 yards and all but sealed the win for Indiana, giving the program its first 13-0 season and clinching the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff.

How’s that for a final impression left on Heisman voters?

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Blake Silverman
BLAKE SILVERMAN

Blake Silverman is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Before joining SI in November 2024, he covered the WNBA, NBA, G League and college basketball for numerous sites, including Winsidr, SB Nation's Detroit Bad Boys and A10Talk. He graduated from Michigan State University before receiving a master's in sports journalism from St. Bonaventure University. Outside of work, he's probably binging the latest Netflix documentary, at a yoga studio or enjoying everything Detroit sports. A lifelong Michigander, he lives in suburban Detroit with his wife, young son and their personal petting zoo of two cats and a dog.

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