Fernando Mendoza just capped off one of the most electrifying seasons in college football history - and he did it in storybook fashion. On Monday night, the Indiana quarterback led the Hoosiers to their first-ever national championship, closing the curtain on a dream campaign that now has him poised to make history once again - this time at the NFL level.
Let’s take a closer look at what Mendoza just accomplished, and why 2026 could be a year where his name joins some of the most exclusive company the sport has ever seen.
From Transfer to Titan
Mendoza’s journey to the top wasn’t your typical five-star-recruit-to-superstar trajectory. He transferred from Cal in the offseason, arriving in Bloomington with potential but without the national spotlight.
That changed quickly. Week after week, Mendoza elevated his game, showcasing a blend of poise, precision, and leadership that turned Indiana into a legitimate title contender.
By season’s end, he wasn’t just the best player on the field - he was the best player in the country. Mendoza took home the Heisman Trophy, the most prestigious individual honor in college football, and then backed it up with a flawless run through the College Football Playoff.
Three straight wins. One national title.
Zero doubt about who owned the moment.
Chasing Rare Air
With his college career now complete, Mendoza’s next stop is the NFL - and he’s widely projected to be the No. 1 overall pick in April’s draft, potentially heading to the Las Vegas Raiders. If that happens, he’ll join a club so exclusive it only has two members: Joe Burrow and Cam Newton.
That’s right - only Burrow (LSU, 2019) and Newton (Auburn, 2010) have pulled off the trifecta in a single season: Heisman Trophy winner, national champion, and No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft. Mendoza is now one step away from becoming the third.
Other stars have achieved all three honors, but not in the same calendar stretch. Jameis Winston, for example, won the Heisman and national title in 2013, but wasn’t drafted until 2015.
O.J. Simpson and Marcus Allen also checked all three boxes, but over the course of separate seasons.
Mendoza’s shot at pulling off the one-year sweep puts him on the doorstep of history - and potentially in line to become one of the most decorated prospects the league has ever seen.
Heisman + Title: A Rare Combo
Winning the Heisman Trophy and a national title in the same season is no small feat. Mendoza just became the 18th player to do it, and the first since Alabama’s DeVonta Smith in 2020. It’s a list that reads like a who’s who of college football legends - from Derrick Henry and Joe Burrow to Charles Woodson and Tony Dorsett.
Since 2000, only eight players have managed to win both in the same year. That underscores just how difficult it is to dominate the sport individually while also leading your team to the mountaintop. Mendoza now joins that elite group - and he did it while guiding a program that had never even sniffed a national championship before this season.
Heisman Winners at No. 1 Overall
If Mendoza does go first overall in the NFL Draft, he’ll become the 26th Heisman winner to earn that distinction. That list includes some of the most hyped prospects of the modern era - Cam Newton, Jameis Winston, Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, Joe Burrow, Bryce Young, and Caleb Williams have all made that leap since 2010.
It’s a path that comes with sky-high expectations. But based on what we’ve seen from Mendoza this season - the arm talent, the leadership, the ability to rise in the biggest moments - he looks more than ready for the challenge.
What’s Next?
There’s still time before the draft, and plenty of evaluations to come. But if the Las Vegas Raiders do make Mendoza their pick at No. 1, it won’t just be a franchise-altering move - it’ll be a historic one.
Heisman winner. National champion.
No. 1 overall pick. All in the same year.
Only two players have done it before. Mendoza is one step away from becoming the third.