Heis-Mendoza: Columbus Quarterback Wins Heisman
- Alejandro Menendez
- 7 days ago
- 4 min read
by Ale Menendez
On Dec. 13, 2025, Columbus Class of 2022 alum Fernando Mendoza walked on stage to receive the Heisman Trophy in New York City after a historic season as Indiana’s quarterback, leading the Hoosiers to an undefeated regular season, a Big Ten title and the top seed in the College Football Playoff.
On top of that, he became the first Columbus alumnus to win the Heisman Trophy, with watch parties from the Columbus community around the country.
Early Career
Growing up, Mendoza was not the kind of kid you would expect to be hoisting the Heisman Trophy above his head and leading an undefeated, No. 1-ranked college football team.
“If you told me as a kid growing up in Miami that I’d be here onstage holding this prestigious trophy, I probably would have laughed, cried like I’m doing now, or both," Mendoza said at the beginning of his Heisman acceptance speech.
Now, it’s obvious that Mendoza, like many of the greatest athletes, was often overlooked in his early years, such as Michael Jordan missing the cut for his high school varsity basketball team. But from the outside looking in at Mendoza’s stats and placement in high school, no one could have seen this coming.
A No. 140-ranked quarterback and the No. 2,149 overall player, Mendoza was not on anyone’s bingo card for winning the Heisman or even necessarily playing FBS Division I football.
Initially committing to Yale (Division I but not FBS), Fernando almost missed out on even playing at the highest college level. However, after receiving a last-minute call and making a spontaneous visit to UC Berkeley, Fernando committed and was able to at least give himself a shot at competing with the best.
UC Berkeley
With this opportunity in hand, Mendoza was not able to display the full product of his game as soon as he set foot in California. Instead, most of his work was done behind closed doors as he redshirted his freshman year, only to win the starting job in his second year, when he threw for 1,708 yards, 14 TDs and led the team to an Independence Bowl appearance.
But the product of all Mendoza’s hard work was truly put on national display in his junior year. Much to the dismay of many University of Miami fans, Mendoza showed no mercy in his matchup with the Hurricanes, throwing for 285 yards and two touchdowns in a grueling 39-38 loss.
Despite losses such as this, Mendoza never put his head down as a member of the Golden Bears and continued to push them to a 6-6 record with another bowl game appearance.
Through ups and downs, Mendoza refused to quit during his time on the West Coast. And though in retrospect this time of his career could be overlooked in favor of his success at Indiana, one cannot discount its significance in shaping him as a team player and leader.
Traversing wins and losses and working in the shadows, Fernando was finally able to garner some success. But after his third season, he decided to follow his brother Alberto, a 2024 Columbus graduate and Indiana backup quarterback, across the country to Indiana University for the 2025 season.
Indiana
There’s not much to say about Mendoza’s 2025 season at Indiana besides the fact that it was almost flawless. Boasting a 13-0 record and three Top 25 wins against No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Oregon, Mendoza transformed a program previously renowned solely for basketball into the most feared team entering the College Football Playoff.
“We were never supposed to be in this position, but by the glory of God, the great coaches, the great teammates, everyone we have around us, we were able to pull this off. Now the Hoosiers are flippin’ champs!” Mendoza said after winning the Big Ten championship.
And it’s this enthusiasm and charisma as a leader that has not only garnered him national attention but has also allowed him to be such an effective leader for the Hoosiers.
“If there were 25 hours in a day, he’d spend all 25 preparing to be great,” Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti said.
And with this mindset, Mendoza has achieved success and looks ahead to the most important part of the season yet.
Columbus Influence
Shouting out Columbus in his post-Heisman interview, Mendoza spoke of the honor not just to put Columbus but the entire city of Miami on the map for football with his Heisman victory.
“The reason I’m at this stage is because of Miami,” Mendoza said in his speech.
Playing against players like Ruben Bain and D’Angelo Ponds in a fast-paced Miami game proved essential for Mendoza’s ability to adapt so well to the college game.
In terms of what his coaches have to say about him, it’s easy to see why he’s so successful.
“He’s just the nicest kid off the field,” and “the type of young man you want to marry your daughter,” but “on the field, he’s a stone-cold killer,” Columbus football coach Coach Dunn said.
More Than Football
“Mommy, this is your trophy as much as it is mine. You’ve always been my biggest fan. You’re my light. You’re my why. You’re my biggest supporter,” an emotional Mendoza said during his Heisman speech.
And though it’s easy to get caught up in his talent on the field, Mendoza’s character remains the most important part of who he is and the reason for his success.
Just take his Heisman speech, for example, where he focused not on himself but rather on those who supported him and the communities that believed in him. In a moment meant to be about him, he turned the spotlight onto others.
It’s this selflessness and character, both on and off the field, that led Mendoza to the Heisman — and the same character he will bring with him as the Hoosiers look toward the College Football Playoff in hopes of winning their first national championship.
Take a look at our profile on Fernando Mendoza from a few years ago HERE.
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