The No. 2-ranked Indiana Hoosiers are steamrolling everybody, and their quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, is an integral reason for that sweeping success.
Mendoza is having a spectacular debut season in Bloomington. Through Indiana’s first seven games, the redshirt junior has totaled 1,755 passing yards, 21 passing touchdowns, two interceptions and a 191.0 passer rating (first in the nation among qualified passers), while completing 73.5% of his passes (third in the nation). His touchdown total and passer rating are first in the Big Ten. Mendoza has also rushed for 151 yards and two touchdowns.
On Week 9’s edition of “Big Noon Kickoff,” Mendoza told Tom Rinaldi why he transferred to Indiana.
“My main goal was to become the best Fernando Mendoza quarterback that I could become, and seeing [my brother] Alberto [Mendoza] progress so much in one year, I was like, ‘this guy made a jump in one year that it took me maybe two or even three years to make,'” Mendoza said. “I want to see what’s a part of the Indiana program, so when I came here I was able to talk to Coach Cignetti and I saw the way that they handled the offense, the system and just their track record of developing quarterbacks.”
Fernando Mendoza spent the first two seasons of his collegiate career with the California Golden Bears, with whom he threw for 3,004 yards and 16 touchdowns and completed 68.7% of his passes in 2024.
Mendoza’s commitment to Indiana this offseason was largely viewed as one of the top transfer additions in the sport, but his play has been even better than expected.
Among Indiana’s biggest wins this season are a 30-20 victory over now-No. 6 Oregon in Eugene, and a 63-10 rout of now-No. 23 Illinois in Bloomington. The Hoosiers sit at 7–0 heading into a Big Ten showdown with UCLA on Saturday.
A big reason for Indiana’s rise has been the leadership of Cignetti, whose impact has quickly reshaped the program’s culture and confidence.
“[People] see the quotes about Coach Cig when he says, “Google me’ or any of the other quotes that end up going viral on the internet. However, I think he’s very, very calculated and process-driven in how he handles his players,” Mendoza said about Cignetti. “In the Oregon game, after I threw a pick-six, he said ‘are you having fun?’ And I think that’s a really great way to keep your quarterback in the present moment and grounded because he knows I need my quarterback to be calm and composed so we can be able to win this game.”
Against the backdrop of Mendoza’s success has been his mother’s battle with multiple sclerosis.
“She battles it every single day, and she is my light and inspiration because no matter what, no matter how hard it gets, she always maintains this unwavering positivity and influence in our lives,” Mendoza said of his mother. “She’s my example of always having that positivity and always having the optimistic approach. If I have a bad game or a bad practice, I’m not going to go out there and pout because I see how hard she’s fighting and how hard she always maintains the optimistic approach.”
When Mendoza arrived in Bloomington, he made a vow to do something good for the community and for his mom’s cause. Fernando and Alberto partnered with a local Bloomington restaurant, BuffaLouie’s at The Gables, and made a burger on the menu to help raise awareness for multiple sclerosis.
“It gives awareness, and we’re really proud of it,” Fernando Mendoza said. “She’s invested so much time and love into us, and it’s only right that I’m able to give back to her and my family one day.”
Indiana hosts the UCLA Bruins in Week 9 (noon ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app).
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