How Indiana Almost Lost Fernando Mendoza To Georgia

Fernando Mendoza became an Indiana legend as he guided the Hoosiers to their first national championship and won the Heisman Trophy along the way.

But what if he never transferred to Indiana in the first place?

That's more realistic than it may seem.

Fernando Mendoza nearly committed to Georgia

Kirby Smart Georgia Football — Georgia head coach Kirby Smart during the Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, La., on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. | Ayrton Breckenridge/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In a recent interview on The Ticket Top 10 radio show, Mendoza explained how he felt it was time to move on after his third year at the University of California, which made changes to its offensive coaching staff following the 2024 season. While in the transfer portal, his decision came down to Indiana or Georgia.

And if it weren't for a missed call by Georgia coach Kirby Smart, Mendoza could very well have ended up with the Bulldogs.

"I had to trust my gut, trust God, and it was a tough situation. I was really, really going in between the two, and honestly, I was confused," Mendoza said on The Ticket Top 10 radio show. "I was lost in the sauce because they were just both great situation, and I was like, 'Oh, this is a win-win.' And evidently, God helped me guide that path. It was a very tough decision. "

"I think there actually might have even been one time where I was gonna call –– like literally about to call Kirby to commit to Georgia, and the call didn't go through. And I was like, alright, let me sleep on it for a night. I really believe that God helped me with that, and I kind of went back to my morals and my values, where coach Cignetti told me, 'Hey, we don't know what success is gonna be' –– because all the other schools are selling me on the success of the school and how good the team was gonna be."

"[Cignetti] is like, 'You're gonna become the best quarterback you can become here. I know I can develop you. I develop quarterbacks. I'm not gonna give you a crystal ball and say we're gonna win the national championship, but I know you're going to be a hell of a quarterback and the best quarterback in the Big Ten.' And I'm like, 'Alright, sounds good.'"

Curt Cignetti Indiana Football — Indiana coach Curt Cignetti smiles after winning the National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It's wild to think how much one phone call could have changed the course of the college football season, if Mendoza was actually going to commit to Georgia in that moment. Indiana would have had to pivot to a different, and perhaps it'd be the Bulldogs hoisting the national championship trophy instead.

At the same time, Cignetti has such a strong track record with quarterbacks, and Indiana was one of the nation's best defensive teams, so perhaps the Hoosiers could have made a run with their backup plan at quarterback.

Georgia still ended up having a good season, as they won the SEC with quarterback Gunner Stockton. But Smart must wonder if Mendoza could have taken the Bulldogs to another level, if he had just answered his phone.

Now, following one season under Cignetti, Mendoza is the favorite to become the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. So if one thing's for certain, he made the right decision transferring to Indiana.