Mendoza Wins the Heisman Trophy

A Flurry of Firsts For Fernando

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner. After leading the Hoosiers to a Big Ten Championship and number one seed in the College Football Playoff, Mendoza is leaving New York with some individual hardware. The Miami, Florida native threw for a national best 33 touchdowns in 2025. He accounted for 2980 yards through the air, 71.5 completion percentage, and only six interceptions.

The road to success was not easy for Mendoza, as he, like many others, used the transfer portal to find his way to this point. After high school, he was a three-star prospect, ranked as the 134th quarterback in the nation. After committing to Yale, he flipped to Cal and began his college career in Berkley. Over 3000 yards passing as a sophomore for the Bears, coupled with his 6’5, 225-pound frame, caught the eye of Indiana’s coach, Curt Cignetti. The path is winding for Cignetti, as well, but his ability to find talent and win is proven. Inserting Mendoza into his offensive system was like adding gas to a flame. The rest is now Heisman history. 

Mendoza is the first player of Cuban descent, all four of his grandparents immigrated to the United States from Cuba, and only the third winner with a Hispanic or Latino heritage (Bryce Young in 2021 and Jim Plunkett in 1970). This is also the first time an Indiana player has taken home college football’s top individual honor. Now, the focus shifts back to the College Football Playoff as the Heisman winner seeks to take his team to the height of team success. 

Honoring the Finalists

The Heisman Trophy Presentation Ceremony is always a grand event. This year, four finalists were chosen to attend the ceremony in New York, and in addition to Mendoza, Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia, Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love, and Ohio State’s Julian Sayin made the trip. The four finalists all had outstanding seasons, respectively. Their statistical achievements have been well documented on Last Word’s weekly Heisman column. However, the presentation ceremony, live on ESPN, allows viewers to look beyond the field and see the man under the helmet. 

Readers and viewers must keep in mind that these young men are more than gladiators for our viewing pleasure. They are human beings, forged by years of experiences, love, and pain, that led them to play the game of football. They have all played it at a very high level in 2025 and deserve recognition. But as past winners line the stage during the Heisman ceremony, viewers are reminded that each of these young men will see their playing days end at some point. Some will go on to coach, teach, open a business, or join the media.

No matter what path they choose after football, this moment lives on. Their statistics, “Heisman moments,” and on-field victories are memories and accomplishments that vault them into opportunities for success in the future. That is why the game of football is so beautiful. So, hats off to Pavia, Love, and Sayin, as well. Congratulations on a remarkable year. 

How Did We Get Here

Much has been made in this weekly column of the prestige and high honor of the Heisman Trophy. Each year, the award seems to lose a bit of its national luster. Why is that? Who is to blame? How can it be remedied? These are the questions that echo in the minds of true college football fans nationwide. But a new breed of college football fan is rising up. The game is expanding, growing, and garnering a new following with each passing year. Gone are the traditions of old conference divisional foes, loyalty to a program, and, yes, the popularity and recognition of the Heisman Trophy. Here to stay are the NIL conversations, roster management against the backdrop of a promising yet ruthless transfer portal, and coaching change bombshells that shake the landscape of the ever-shifting College Football Playoff picture. 

Prioritizing the games on the field, analyzing matchups, breaking down highlights, and taking time to admire the Heisman Trophy candidates and their accomplishments are topics that often emerge in the group chats and podcast mics of college football purists. The game we love is not dead. It’s not gone. It is simply changing, like all other aspects of life. Does this mean reduced relevance or even extinction of longstanding institutions like the Heisman, bowl season, and conference championship games? Perhaps. But as views climb and interest grows, the game continues to flourish. For this year, Mendoza stands alone at the top of the mountain. For now, the Heisman name still strikes a pose and carries the weight of naming the most outstanding player in all of college football.