$2.6 Million Qb Named No. 1 Quarterback In College Football

The shape is group for nan 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship. No. 1 Indiana (15-0, 9-0) will look No. 10 Miami (13-2, 6-2) successful Hard Rock Stadium successful Miami, Florida, connected Monday (7:30 p.m. EST, ESPN).

Indiana's occurrence successful a short play of clip has go 1 of nan astir intriguing storylines crossed assemblage football. The programme had ne'er seen a 10-win play until Curt Cignetti arrived successful 2024, and it is connected nan cusp of its first-ever nationalist championship.

Another accomplishment nan Hoosiers had not seen until this play was a Heisman Trophy winner, thing that changed pinch nan presence of Fernando Mendoza.

The 6-foot-5, 225-pounder began his assemblage shot profession astatine California nether Justin Wilcox successful 2022. He did not spot immoderate crippled action that season, utilizing his redshirt successful his first twelvemonth pinch nan Golden Bears.

California featured Mendoza successful 9 of its 13 games successful 2023, starting him successful each of its past eight. He tallied 1,708 walk yards, 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions to spell pinch 86 yards and 2 much touchdowns connected nan ground. He was named All-Pac-12 Offensive Freshman of nan Year honorable mention by Pac-12 coaches.

Mendoza played successful 11 games for nan Golden Bears successful 2024. He passed for 3,004 yards, 16 touchdowns and six interceptions while rushing for 105 yards and 2 touchdowns. Mendoza entered nan transportation portal anterior to California's travel to nan LA Bowl.

Indiana landed Mendoza retired of nan portal successful nan 2025 offseason. So far, he has accumulated 3,349 passing yards, 41 touchdown passes and six interceptions to spell pinch 284 unreserved yards and six touchdowns.

His accolades see nan Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, Davey O'Brien Award, AP College Football Player of nan Year, Big Ten Most Valuable Player, and All-Big Ten First Team.

The ESPN unit compiled its 2025 assemblage shot All-America squad connected Thursday. Mendoza was listed arsenic nan backmost for ESPN's All-America First Team.

"Fernando Mendoza turned successful a play for nan ages aft arriving successful Bloomington from Cal successful nan offseason, winning nan Heisman Trophy and helping Indiana en way to nan nationalist championship," wrote Kyle Bonagura. "Mendoza has thrown for 3,349 yards pinch 41 touchdowns and six interceptions -- numbers that could person been much eye-popping had nan Hoosiers needed to propulsion nan shot more."

In summation to nan assemblage shot world, Mendoza is highly regarded by NFL teams arsenic a apical backmost imaginable successful nan upcoming draft. Virtually each mock draught has Mendoza projected to nan Las Vegas Raiders arsenic nan No. 1 wide prime successful 2026.