Fernando Mendoza is making Indiana coach Curt Cignetti look like a genius, again.
Mendoza was Cignetti’s hand-picked replacement for Kurtis Rourke after the latter led the Hoosiers to a College Football Playoff berth last season. Mendoza has led Indiana to a 4-0 start, highlighted by a dominant 63-10 win over an Illinois team that entered the game ranked No. 8 in the country.
Mendoza completed 21 of 23 passes for 267 yards and five touchdowns in the win over the Fighting Illini, helping him to a nation-leading 14 passing touchdowns through four games. His 975 passing yards are good to rank him 30th nationally.
The first-year Hoosier transfer, who played his first two seasons at California in 2023-24, has thrown five touchdown passes in back-to-back games — and no fewer than four touchdown passes in three consecutive games. That follows a debut in which he threw no touchdowns or interceptions in a 27-14 win vs. Old Dominion in Week 1.
Now, he’s right in the Heisman Trophy race, which — if he won it — would make him the first Hoosier to win the award. Here’s a look at the latest odds following Week 4 of the college football season:
Fernando Mendoza Heisman odds
Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Monday, Sept. 22.
Heisman Trophy odds: +900
Following his five-touchdown performance against Illinois, Mendoza has the second-best odds (+900) to take home the Heisman Trophy, behind only Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer.
Mateer, himself a quarterback transfer from Washington State, has +700 odds to hoist the Heisman Trophy in New York. Mendoza jumped to No. 2 from outside of the top eight last week.
Has an Indiana player even won the Heisman Trophy?
No, an Indiana player has never won the Heisman Trophy.
The closest was running back Anthony Thompson, who finished as the runner-up in 1989. Houston quarterback Andre Ware edged out Thompson by 70 votes (1,073-1,003) for the Heisman Trophy that year after he finished with 4,699 passing yards and 46 touchdown passes to 19 interceptions.
Thompson had 358 carries for 1,793 yards and 24 touchdowns.
Fernando Mendoza stats
Here’s a look at Mendoza’s stats in his three collegiate seasons with Cal and Indiana:
2023 (Cal): 153-of-243 passing (63%) for 1,078 yards, 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions; 49 rushes for 86 yards and two touchdowns
2024 (Cal): 265-of-386 passing (68.7%) for 3,004 yards, 16 touchdowns and six interceptions; 87 rushes for 105 yards and two touchdowns
2025 (Indiana): 76-of-99 passing (76.8%) for 975 yards, 14 touchdowns; 22 rushes for 76 yards and two touchdowns
Heisman Trophy odds
Here are the full Heisman Trophy odds from BetMGM, as of Monday, Sept. 22:
1. John Mateer, QB, Oklahoma: +700
2. Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana: +900
T-3. Dante Moore, QB, Oregon: +1200
T-3. Carson Beck, QB, Miami: +1200
5. Gunner Stockton, QB, Georgia: +1400