Fernando Mendoza played for the California Golden Bears before transferring to Indiana.

Quick Scoop: Mendoza Before Indiana

  • Fernando Mendoza spent three seasons at Cal (University of California, Berkeley) earlier in his college career.
  • He became the starting quarterback there, logging multiple seasons and starting his rise as a notable Power Five QB before entering the transfer portal.
  • After his stint at Cal, he transferred to the Indiana Hoosiers in time for the 2025 season, where he then broke out nationally and went on to win the Heisman Trophy.

In short, if you’re wondering where did Mendoza play before Indiana , the answer is: at Cal, with the California Golden Bears.

TL;DR: Mendoza’s path was Cal ➜ transfer portal ➜ Indiana, where he turned into a Heisman-winning star.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.