He was a two-star high school recruit who attracted little attention before receiving the opportunity to play in California. After three years with the Golden Bears, including a redshirt year, he transferred to Indiana. On Thursday, the No. 1 Hoosiers will take the field in the Rose Bowl, where they will face traditional college football power Alabama in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.
The pressure is familiar to Mendoza. He faced challenges throughout his career – from proving himself as an overlooked high school athlete to earning his starting role at Cal.
Whenever Mendoza faces an obstacle, he considers how to help those around him shine.
(Todd Van Emst/Associated Press)
“I know I have a responsibility to my coaches, my teammates and the entire team to stay mentally sharp and not let outside influences, pressure and noise affect my game,” Mendoza said. “I think one thing is just maintaining the process of how I got here, how the whole team got here, which is just maintaining the process that I’ve put in place for every single game.”
The Hoosiers finished the season undefeated. They will be playing for their first Rose Bowl victory in 57 years and it will be the second consecutive year that Indiana will reach the College Football Playoff.
“His leadership has stepped up in those key moments and I think that’s what makes him a special player – because when the stakes are the greatest, he steps up and carries the team,” Indiana linebacker Isaiah Jones said. “He’s a guy that people want to run after and make plays for.”
Mendoza became the third player of Latino heritage to win the Heisman Trophy. His grandparents on both sides of the family were born in Cuba and during his acceptance speech, he made sure to thank them in Spanish.
In the NFL, Latino players have become a growing demographic. From 2021–25, representation increased from 12 to 47 players who identify as Latino, with 32 on the 53-man roster at the start of the season. Mendoza isn’t in the league, but his elevated presence in the college football world comes with the added pressure of representing a culture and proving that Latinos can succeed in football.
“To be able to play in this atmosphere at the Rose Bowl, it’s a special moment for me, for my family, and I would say being able to play in front of a Hispanic and Latino crowd, that’s what I do,” Mendoza said. “I want to inspire young Latino kids and I always want to represent my culture at the highest level.”
On Thursday, Mendoza will take the field for the first time as a Heisman winner, adding another layer of intensity to his game. The award winner is expected to receive numerous national media interviews and Mendoza was recently a prominent voice during a “60 Minutes” segment about Indiana.
“What you see on camera is what you see,” Jones said. “Whether it’s in the locker room or out to eat with some of my teammates, he’s one of the more genuine guys on the team.”
Indiana coach Curt Cignetti hopes the expectations that come with the Heisman Trophy won’t change his quarterback’s style.
“Now it’s really important that he develops a sharp edge in his preparation and doesn’t play like, ‘Oh, I’m the Heisman Trophy winner and I have to do this or do that,’ because we’ve all been following the game long enough to know that we’ve seen some of those performances,’ he said.
Cignetti understands the problems facing Mendoza’s opponent. The Alabama defense works to unbalance the quarterback. The Tide has great players who play hard and fast. To win, Mendoza and his teammates will have to play the same way they have all season.
“At the end of the day, it’s all about execution, the left tackle doing his job, the running backs, the receivers, and Fernando being on point,” Cignetti said.
Mendoza said he’s ready for the challenge. When he takes his first snap in Pasadena, he won’t be thinking about individual stats or awards, he’ll be thinking about a national championship.
“Now we have to achieve the ultimate team award,” he said.
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