On Saturday night, Fernando Mendoza made history - not just for himself, but for the Indiana Hoosiers. The quarterback from Miami’s Christopher Columbus High School became the first player in Indiana football history to win the Heisman Trophy, capping off a perfect 13-0 season and a Big Ten title for the nation’s No. 1 team.
It’s a moment that’s resonating far beyond Bloomington. Back in South Florida, where Mendoza grew up and played his high school ball, there’s a natural question floating around: How did a Miami kid - a Columbus High product, no less - end up winning college football’s most prestigious individual award somewhere else? And why wasn’t he doing it in orange and green?
A South Florida Start
Mendoza’s roots are firmly planted in Miami. Born in Boston but raised in the 305, he grew up a Hurricanes fan and starred at Columbus High - the same school that produced current Miami head coach Mario Cristobal.
At Columbus, Mendoza put together a solid high school career, completing 224 of 332 passes for 2,222 yards and 29 touchdowns. He earned first-team All-Dade honors and stood 6-foot-5, 225 pounds - the kind of frame that usually turns heads at the Power Five level.
But recruiting is rarely a straight line, and Mendoza’s journey was anything but conventional. Despite his size and pedigree, he was considered a low three-star or even two-star recruit by most services in the 2022 class.
The big programs didn’t bite. Initially, Mendoza committed to Yale - yes, the Ivy League - before Cal swooped in late with an FBS offer after missing out on another quarterback target.
That would be his only FBS offer.
As for Miami? The Hurricanes, under then-head coach Manny Diaz, never offered.
There were conversations about a possible walk-on opportunity, but nothing concrete. So Mendoza took the long road - first to Berkeley, and eventually, to college football’s biggest stage.
Building at Cal
Mendoza redshirted his first year at Cal in 2022, then took over as the starter in 2023. As a redshirt freshman, he showed flashes of what was to come - completing 63% of his passes for 1,708 yards and 14 touchdowns. Cal finished 6-7 and earned a trip to the Independence Bowl.
In 2024, Mendoza took another step forward. He threw for 3,004 yards, 16 touchdowns, and just six interceptions, completing nearly 69% of his passes.
He led Cal to an upset over Auburn and earned back-to-back ACC Quarterback of the Week honors. Miami fans may remember a late-night showdown in Berkeley that fall, when Mendoza threw for 285 yards and two touchdowns in a near-upset of the Hurricanes.
It was a performance that turned heads - even if it didn’t change any minds back home.
After the season, Mendoza entered the transfer portal.
Choosing Indiana Over the Familiar
Once in the portal, Mendoza had options - and plenty of them. Programs with bigger brands and deeper pockets came calling.
But for Mendoza, the decision wasn’t about flash. It was about fit.
He chose Indiana, where newly hired head coach Curt Cignetti offered a pro-style system tailored to his strengths and a clear path to development. It didn’t hurt that his younger brother, Alberto, had signed with the Hoosiers in the 2024 class. That family connection helped tip the scales.
Miami, once again, came up in the conversation. With Cristobal at the helm and deep ties to Columbus High, Mendoza seemed like a natural fit.
But the Hurricanes had already made their move, landing former Georgia quarterback Carson Beck - the top player in the transfer portal at the time. With Beck in the fold, Miami didn’t pursue Mendoza seriously.
A Heisman Season in Bloomington
The rest, as they say, is history.
In his first year at Indiana, Mendoza didn’t just adapt - he thrived. He completed 226 of 316 passes for 2,980 yards, 33 touchdowns, and only six interceptions.
He added 240 yards and six more scores on the ground. More importantly, he led Indiana to a 13-0 record, a Big Ten championship, and the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff.
On Saturday, he was rewarded with the Heisman Trophy, receiving 643 first-place votes and 2,362 total points to edge out Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia, Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love, and Ohio State’s Julian Sayin.
It was a crowning moment for a player who bet on himself - not once, but twice - and found the perfect environment to unlock his full potential.
The One That Got Away
This isn’t a story about a hometown kid turning his back on the U. It’s about a program that never fully bought in, and a quarterback who kept believing in himself even when the offers didn’t come.
Mendoza didn’t chase the biggest name or the highest bidder. He chased the right fit - and found it in Bloomington.
Now, he’s a Heisman winner. And for Miami, he’ll be remembered as the one who got away.
The Hurricanes may have landed their guy in Beck, but Mendoza’s rise is a reminder of how unpredictable quarterback development can be - and how sometimes, the biggest stars take the longest road to shine.