Overview
- Mendoza was named the Associated Press College Football Player of the Year on Thursday, days after winning the Walter Camp Player of the Year award.
- He is the heavy betting favorite for Saturday’s Heisman Trophy ceremony in New York, with odds around -1000 at major sportsbooks.
- The Indiana quarterback delivered 2,980 passing yards with an FBS‑leading 33 touchdown passes and 39 total touchdowns, highlighted by clutch drives against Penn State, Oregon and Ohio State.
- Indiana finished 13-0 with its first Big Ten championship since 1967 and secured the No. 1 College Football Playoff seed, with a Rose Bowl semifinal on Jan. 1 against the Alabama–Oklahoma winner.
- Fellow finalists are Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia, Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love and Ohio State QB Julian Sayin, as analysts note Mendoza’s season could bolster his 2026 NFL Draft standing.