Fernando Mendoza Eyes Heisman Moment in Big Ten Title Clash with Ohio State
There’s no bigger stage for a quarterback than a conference championship game with a College Football Playoff bid hanging in the balance. For Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza, Saturday’s Big Ten Championship against Ohio State isn’t just a shot at a title - it’s a defining moment in his Heisman Trophy campaign.
The Hoosiers come into the matchup undefeated, a perfect 12-0, and Mendoza has been at the heart of it all. The California-Berkeley transfer has brought poise, precision, and leadership to an Indiana program that’s never quite been able to get over the hump against the Buckeyes.
But this year feels different. The stakes are higher, the quarterback play is elite on both sides, and Mendoza is embracing the challenge head-on.
“I really respect Julian,” Mendoza said this week, speaking about Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, his counterpart and fellow Heisman contender. “He is so effective, and he fits that offense perfectly. Every quarterback prides himself on completion percentage, and his completion percentage is out of this world.”
That’s not just praise - it’s fact. Sayin has been surgical all season long, throwing for over 3,000 yards with 30 touchdowns and just five interceptions. His 91.4 QBR leads the country, and he’s done it while leading a Buckeyes squad that, like Indiana, hasn’t lost a game all year.
This isn’t just a battle of unbeaten teams. It’s a quarterback showdown between two of the best in the nation, with the Heisman and the No. 1 seed in the CFP likely on the line. It’s the kind of game that can swing legacies.
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day knows how rare it is to have this much talent on one field - and he’s not shy about acknowledging it. “I’d vote for ‘em both, so don’t get me in trouble,” Day said when asked about Mendoza and Sayin.
“I’d put Carnell [Tate] right there, too. And Caleb Downs would be right in there.
These guys are really good football players - Arvell Reese? I could go on and on.”
But Day isn’t just soaking in the star power - he’s locked in on what’s ahead. “It’s on to Indiana,” he said.
“This is gonna be an electric atmosphere. It’s a great opponent.
This is a very important game for us. We got to go play our best.
That game is behind us.”
The Buckeyes are coming off an emotional win over Michigan, finally punching their ticket back to Indianapolis after a few years of falling short. For Day and his team, the message is clear: the job’s not finished.
“There’s no question it’s been too long since we’ve been to Indy,” Day said. “We want to win this thing.”
For Indiana, this is uncharted territory. For Mendoza, it’s the chance to go from standout quarterback to program legend. A win over Ohio State - and outdueling Julian Sayin in the process - could be the moment that puts him squarely at the front of the Heisman race.
Four days from now, Lucas Oil Stadium will host a heavyweight fight between two unbeaten teams, two elite quarterbacks, and two programs with everything to play for. The winner likely walks away with a Big Ten title, a top seed in the playoff, and a quarterback with one hand on the most prestigious trophy in college football.
All that’s left is to play the game.