Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza Earns AP Player of Year Honor for Outstanding Performance

Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza Named AP Player of Year

Indiana University quarterback Fernando Mendoza earned the Associated Press Player of the Year award on Thursday. He led the unbeaten Hoosiers to their first Big Ten championship since 1967 and secured the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff.

Mendoza won decisively over fellow Heisman finalists Diego Pavia of Vanderbilt, Jeremiyah Love of Notre Dame, and Julian Sayin of Ohio State. He garnered 32 of 51 first-place votes from a nationwide panel of college football media members. Pavia received nine first-place votes, leading other contenders including Jacob Rodriguez of Texas Tech.

The redshirt junior quarterback described his success as a collective effort. "I’m shining now but only because there are so many stars around me," Mendoza said, acknowledging teammates, coaches, family, and staff for their support.

Mendoza transferred from California before his breakout season at Indiana. As the Hoosiers’ first-year starter, he spearheaded an offense that broke school records for touchdowns and points. He accounted for a school-best 39 touchdowns—33 passing and six rushing.

He achieved the rare feat of three consecutive games with at least four touchdown passes and no interceptions, a first for a Big Ten quarterback since 2000. In the conference opener against Illinois, Mendoza completed 21 of 23 passes for 267 yards and five touchdowns in a 63-10 win.

Mendoza also ranks among the nation’s best passers in accuracy on both deep throws and under pressure. Pro Football Focus data highlights him completing 53.5% of attempts over 20 yards and 52.1% when pressured.

His journey began as a lightly recruited senior, ranked No. 72 quarterback prospect by ESPN. Mendoza initially committed to Yale but later signed with California, sitting out a redshirt season in 2022. After starting eight games for California in 2023 and ranking 10th nationally in passing the following season, Mendoza transferred to Indiana.

This season, his brother Alberto Mendoza serves as his top backup, adding a family element to Indiana’s record-setting campaign. Together, they have helped elevate the program to national prominence.