Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza won the most recent Heisman Trophy, becoming the first player from Indiana University ever to receive the award.

Quick answer

  • The latest Heisman Trophy winner is Fernando Mendoza, quarterback for Indiana.
  • He was announced as the 2025 Heisman winner on December 13 in New York City.
  • Mendoza led Indiana to a Big Ten title and a No. 1 College Football Playoff seed, which helped secure his Heisman campaign.

Why he won

  • Mendoza put up one of the top quarterback seasons in the country and was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year.
  • He received over 2,300 points in the Heisman voting, including more than 600 first-place votes, finishing well ahead of the other finalists.

Who he beat out

  • Finalists included Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia, Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love, and Ohio State QB Julian Sayin.
  • Pavia finished second in the voting, with Love third and Sayin fourth, all significantly behind Mendoza’s total.

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