Comparing Fernando Mendoza’s Heisman Trophy Win to Travis Hunter's

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza claimed the Heisman Trophy, but his win also reopened a familiar discussion in Boulder, remembering how Colorado Buffaloes stars Travis Hunter and Shedeur Sanders shaped the award’s recent narrative.

Dec 13, 2025; New York, NY, USA; Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza kisses the Heisman trophy during a press conference at the New York Marriott Marquis after winning the award. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza was crowned the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner after a breakout season that elevated both the Hoosiers program and his national profile. Yet for Colorado Buffaloes fans, the moment felt layered.

Dec 13, 2025; New York, NY, USA; Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza poses for photos with the Heisman trophy during a press conference at the New York Marriott Marquis after winning the award. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Mendoza’s victory arrived just one year after Travis Hunter became Colorado’s most recent Heisman Trophy winner. Mendoza was named on 95 percent of ballots while in 2024, Hunter was named on 93 percent of ballots.

It also reignited a conversation surrounding the Buffs' former passer, Shedeur Sanders, and how different paths can lead to vastly different outcomes. The Heisman may belong to Mendoza, but its story remains intertwined with Colorado football.

From Travis Hunter to Fernando Mendoza: The Heisman Standard

Dec 14, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter speaks to the press after winning the 2024 Heisman Trophy. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Boland-Imagn Images | Lucas Boland-Imagn Images

When Colorado's Travis Hunter won the Heisman Trophy last year, he redefined what dominance could look like in modern college football. A two-way star who excelled at a level never seen before, Hunter didn’t just check Heisman voters' boxes—he shattered positional expectations.

Mendoza’s Heisman followed a different blueprint, but the common thread was undeniable: both players became the undeniable engines of their teams.

Dec 28, 2024; San Antonio, TX, USA; Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) runs with the ball as Brigham Young Cougars cornerback Mory Bamba (4) attempts to make a tackle during the second quarter at Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

At Indiana, Mendoza delivered consistency, leadership, and production while guiding the Hoosiers into national relevance. His command of the offense, efficiency in big moments, and ability to elevate those around him mirrored what Colorado fans watched from Hunter a year earlier—an athlete so essential to his team’s success that separating player from program became impossible.

In that sense, Hunter, guided by Deion Sanders, helped set a new modern standard. And Mendoza followed that template, only through a more traditional quarterback lens.

The Shedeur Sanders Question That Never Fully Went Away

Colorado's Shedeur Sanders gestures after a touchdown against Texas Tech in a Big 12 football game Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, at Jones AT&T Stadium. | Stephen Garcia/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Mendoza’s victory also opened up a more complicated discussion—one that Colorado fans have been having on social media since the 2025 Heisman winner was named.

Why? Because just one season earlier, Shedeur Sanders delivered production that rivaled—and in several key areas exceeded—what ultimately earned Mendoza college football’s highest individual honor. Yet despite elite efficiency, late-game heroics, and carrying a Colorado roster under constant pressure, Sanders finished eighth in Heisman voting.

The contrast is hard to ignore when the numbers are presented side by side. During Mendoza’s Heisman-winning season at Indiana, he threw for 2,980 passing yards, earned a 71 percent completion rate, and had 33 touchdowns, with six interceptions.

Sanders, in 2024 at Colorado, threw for 4,134 yards, completed 74 percent of his passes, and accounted for 37 touchdowns against just 10 interceptions.

2025 Mendoza: 2,980 yards, 71%, 33 TD, 6 INT

2024 Shedeur: 4,134 yards, 74%, 37 TD, 10 INT

I guess it was a down year for the Heisman. pic.twitter.com/KuLJ5J1OTB

— Silver Buff (@silver_buff) December 14, 2025

Sanders showcased comparable efficiency and leadership while operating in arguably far more adverse conditions. Unlike Mendoza, whose system and protection stabilized as the season progressed, Sanders routinely worked behind breakdowns while shouldering one of the heaviest offensive burdens in the country.

So why the gap? Context matters. Team success matters, and timing matters.

And while Mendoza’s season aligned perfectly with Indiana’s rise, Sanders’ brilliance was often portrayed as a result of playing with Hunter. That framing doesn’t diminish Mendoza’s achievement, but it does illustrate how narrow the margins can be in Heisman voting.

A Trophy That Still Reflects Boulder

Dec 14, 2024; New York, NY, USA; A general view of the 2024 Heisman Trophy awarded to Colorado Buffaloes wide receiver/cornerback Travis Hunter during the 2024 Heisman Trophy Presentation. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Boland-Imagn Images | Lucas Boland-Imagn Images

Mendoza earned his place in college football history. It was a Heisman win that wasn’t just decisive—it was overwhelming. According to the final tabulation, Mendoza earned 643 first-place votes and 2,362 total points, finishing nearly 1,000 points clear of runner-up Diego Pavia of Vanderbilt.

From Travis Hunter redefining excellence to Shedeur Sanders challenging the dynamics of recognition, Colorado’s recent history continues to shape how greatness is evaluated in college football — even when the sport's most illustrious piece of hardware goes elsewhere.