Heisman Finalist Fernando Mendoza Draws Indiana Teammates to NYC in Show of Brotherhood and Belief
NEW YORK - Fernando Mendoza might be the one in the spotlight at the Heisman Trophy ceremony, but if you ask his Indiana teammates, this weekend is about something bigger than just one name on a ballot. It’s about brotherhood, belief, and a program that’s riding high thanks in no small part to the quarterback who’s helped lead them to a Big Ten title and a No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff.
Mendoza is in New York as one of the finalists for college football’s most prestigious individual honor. And while the ceremony itself is reserved for select invitees, a group of Indiana players made sure they were close by - paying their own way to the city just to be near their quarterback on one of the biggest nights of his life.
The crew includes Pat Coogan, Carter Smith, Riley Nowakowski, Aiden Fisher, Charlie Becker, Isaiah Jones, and James Bomba. They won’t be inside the official venue, but they’ve got a table booked at a steakhouse nearby, where they’ll watch the ceremony unfold together, ready to erupt if Mendoza’s name is called.
“I think we are so proud of Fernando,” said Nowakowski. “Obviously, he does so much on the field, but off the field too, he's such a great guy, such a great teammate and such a great friend.
Seeing all the work he's put in throughout this year to come to fruition - it's so awesome. A guy like him deserves it all.”
This isn’t just a ceremonial trip for the Hoosiers. On Saturday morning, the group joined Mendoza at the adidas flagship store in Manhattan for a charity event benefiting families impacted by multiple sclerosis - a cause that hits close to home for Mendoza, whose mother, Elsa, battles the disease. The quarterback has been vocal about his mission to raise funds and awareness for the MS Society, and his teammates showed up in full support.
“He's everything the Heisman is about,” said Coogan. “He encapsulates what the trophy means and stands for - and the history behind it.”
It was Coogan who first floated the idea of the trip. At the time, some of the guys thought he was joking - just another dinner-table dream.
But a couple days later, they were booking flights and making hotel plans. By Wednesday night, Mendoza knew they were coming.
"It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, right?” Coogan said.
“Especially for us - me, Riley, and Bomba - for a lot of us, it's our last year of college football. It's a special opportunity, and obviously we have a special teammate on our hands to give us a reason to spend the day in New York and support him and represent Indiana on such a high stage."
That’s the kind of loyalty Mendoza inspires. And in true Mendoza fashion, he’s still trying to share the credit - still deflecting praise, still pointing back to the team.
But his teammates aren’t letting him off the hook that easily. If his name is called Saturday night, they hope he’ll finally take a moment to soak it all in - not just as their quarterback, but as the face of a season that’s made history in Bloomington.
“We wouldn't be here without you,” Nowakowski said with a grin. “You are our golden goat.”
Whether or not Mendoza walks away with the trophy, he’s already won something just as rare: the unwavering respect and admiration of his teammates - and a moment that no one in this Indiana locker room will forget.