Heisman Winners Fernando Mendoza And Archie Griffin Talk Indiana-Ohio State Rematch

Indiana's Fernando Mendoza met two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin, who hopes his Buckeyes get another shot at Indiana in the national championship.

Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza poses with the Heisman trophy at the New York Marriott Marquis. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Part of what makes the Heisman Trophy ceremony great is seeing all of the past winners on stage, supporting the next member of their exclusive club.

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza became the latest player to join that group, winning 2025 Heisman Trophy on Saturday over finalists in Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin.

Mendoza enjoyed the opportunity to meet previous Heisman Trophy winners such as Tim Brown, Doug Flutie, Tim Tebow, Eric Crouch, Ty Detmer, Eddie George, Gino Torretta Danny Wuerfful and Steve Spurrier, just to name a few.

He also had a notable conversation with Archie Griffin, the Ohio State running back who's the only player to win the Heisman Trophy twice, doing so in 1974 and 1975. Mendoza is coming off a Big Ten Championship win over Griffin's Buckeyes, though the Ohio State legend doesn't think the season series is over just yet.

Former Ohio State running back Archie Griffin stands with his two Heisman Trophies inside the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Archie, met his wife, met his kids, met his grandkids, and they were phenomenal," Mendoza said Monday. "He was actually one of the Heisman winners I spent the most time with and talked the most with, and it was great seeing his old highlights up on the screen, talking to him about Ohio State, Indiana."

"He was giving me a little bit of a –– he was messing with me a little bit, saying they're going to get us back in the National Championship," Mendoza said. "But Archie Griffin, he's a class act guy. It was great being with him this weekend. I got his contact info, so looking forward to keeping in touch with him."

Mendoza has bragging rights for now, but there's a chance he'll face the Buckeyes again. Following its loss to Indiana, Ohio State dropped just one spot and received the No. 2 seed and a bye in the College Football Playoff. That sets up a quarterfinal matchup against the winner of No. 7 Texas A&M versus No. 10 Miami. And with a win, the Buckeyes could face No. 3 Georgia, No. 6 Ole Miss or No. 11 Tulane.

On the other side of the bracket, No. 1 Indiana awaits the winner of No. 8 Oklahoma versus No. 9 Alabama. A win would send the Hoosiers to the semifinals, where they'd face No. 4 Texas Tech, No. 5 Oregon or No. 12 James Madison, coach Curt Cignetti's and many of the Hoosiers' former school.

A lot can happen between now and then, but the DraftKings Sportsbook sees a likely national championship matchup between the Hoosiers and Buckeyes. Ohio State has the best odds to reach the title game (-105) and the best odds to win the national title (+215), with Indiana ranked second in both categories at +110 and +280, respectively.

The Hoosiers and Buckeyes have held the top two spots in the national rankings since Oct. 19. They also have the country's top two scoring defenses and each sent their quarterback to the Heisman Trophy ceremony. The first matchup produced a thrilling Big Ten title game, and the next one could come with even greater stakes.

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