Fernando Mendoza bulldozed his way into the end zone and Indiana bullied its way into the history books Monday night, toppling Miami 27-21 to complete an unforgettable story. Indiana finished 16-0 — matching a perfect-season win total last compiled by Yale in 1894 — and claimed its first ever football title in its debut appearance.
Quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy winner playing for a title in his hometown, ran his first draw play of the game, gained the first down and then strained into the end zone. Mendoza's 12-yard touchdown didn't seal the win, but it gave Indiana enough breathing room to ultimately prevail 27-21. The play came on fourth-and-4 after Coach Curt Cignetti called his second timeout and told his team, 'Get off the field! We're going for it!'
Mendoza was a two-star recruit coming out of high school who was declined a walk-on at Miami, where he dreamed of playing in the worst way. The Heisman Trophy winner went to Christopher Columbus High School in Miami and grew up less than a mile from the university. Playing in his hometown made Monday's victory even more meaningful — a full-circle moment for the quarterback who wasn't wanted by the program just down the road.
With this championship, Mendoza became only the second player since 2020 to win the Heisman Trophy and national championship in the same season. He's now the heavy favorite to be the No. 1 pick by the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2026 NFL Draft. For now, though, Indiana's improbable rise from college football basement to champion belongs to the entire team — and the remarkable transfer QB who led them there.