Indiana appears to check off another win from its 2025 laundry list against the UCLA Bruins. The Hoosiers have already scored eight touchdowns so far, with 11 minutes left on the clock against UCLA. At the crux of the Indiana story, it’s not just Fernando Mendoza but another Mendoza who is writing Hoosiers’ eighth win this season.

Are Alberto Mendoza and Fernando Mendoza brothers?

Yes, Fernando and Alberto Mendoza are brothers playing quarterback for the Indiana Hoosiers. Born to Elsa and Fernando Mendoza Jr., the boys grew up watching Tom Brady, as their love for football turned into a career choice.

During week 9 against UCLA, after chipping in seven touchdowns, the Bruins were limited to just six points. The QB1 paved the way for his younger sibling to enter the field by the end of the third quarter. Alberto stepped up as the leader of the offense and made some noise as soon as he snapped the ball. At 11:11 in the fourth quarter, he scored his first touchdown as he rushed for four yards into the end zone.

“Fernando Mendoza’s younger brother, freshman Alberto Mendoza, has taken over under center as Indiana leads UCLA 49-3 at the end of the third quarter,” The Athletic’s Ira Gorawara shared on X. After Fernando, Alberto is listed behind him on the depth chart.

Although last year, as a red-shirt freshman, Alberto didn’t see much action on the field, his sophomore season appears productive. Unlike the typical story of a younger brother following the path of an elder sibling, here the case is different.

How did Fernando and Alberto Mendoza end up in Indiana?

The Mendoza brothers graduated from Christopher Columbus High School in Miami. Fernando began his collegiate football career when he joined the California Golden Bears in 2022. Meanwhile, Alberto graduated from high school and flipped his commitment from JMU to Indiana following Curt Cignetti’s move. Then, the younger Mendoza pushed for the Hoosiers to land the Cal transfer even though he knew it would push him down the depth chart.

They were teammates in HS and even today. For Fernando, his ultimate goal was to become the ‘best Fernando Mendoza quarterback.’ Although he held the starting gig at Cal, Alberto’s impressive progress at Indiana made him ponder his future possibilities. “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 in an interview with Fox’s Tom Rinaldi.

He continued. “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.” Even the Hoosiers were keen to bring in Fernando, whose 30 touchdowns in 4,712 yards over his last 19 games had made an impression on the coaching roster.

And Fernando hasn’t disappointed. Through the 2025 season, he has recorded 21 touchdowns for 1,755 yards, racking up a QB rating of 87.6, the fifth in the country.

Alberto Mendoza and Fernando Mendoza Ethnicity

Both brothers share a Cuban heritage. In an interview, NBC Sports’ Nicole Auerbach and Fernando talked about his heritage and what it means for him and his family. “All my grandparents were born and raised in Cuba, three in Havana, one in Santiago.” With their parents being immigrants, they held their culture close to their hearts.

“It’s a huge point of pride,” as Fernando put it. Growing up in Miami, which holds a lot of the Cuban population, the Mendoza brothers remained close to their tradition. Even their high school, Christopher Columbus HS, contained a large Hispanic population, and Cubans were one of the largest groups. Fernando continued. “And so I’m extremely grateful for all the hardship that they’ve been through coming over and the whole part of being an immigrant, starting from the ground up and really laying a foundation,” Fernando Mendoza said.

What is the family background of Fernando & Alberto Mendoza?

Fernando and Alberto’s parents are from Cuba and share a close-knit abode. Their mother, Elsa, recalls that whenever Fernando sets his mind to something, there’s no going back. “When he set his mind to something, he went all in.” To visit and experience the family’s culture, the brothers visited Cuba during a trip with their grandfather, enriching and immersing themselves in their roots and traditions.

“My grandfather and Alberto and I, and we went back, we saw some cousins who had ended up staying in Cuba, and just saw the community as a whole, and it was a very transformative experience,” Mendoza said. He continued. “It was very transformative, and it really showed my brother and me how grateful we are for the opportunity that our grandparents took.”

What historic feat did the Mendoza brothers achieve together?

Over the 2025 season, being behind in the pecking order, Alberto has registered 139 yards, three touchdowns in 4 games. But his first collegiate touchdown has an epic story stitched to it. It was during the 56-9 win over Kennesaw State when he recorded his first TD. The younger brother connected with wide receiver Charlie Becker for a six-yard touchdown. Fernando Mendoza, who ran along the sidelines towards Alberto and greeted him with a chest bump, was overjoyed at his brother’s accomplishment.

That day, the Fernando brothers became the first set of siblings to throw down a TD pass in the same game for the same program since 2015. Post-game, Fernando had said, “It was fantastic. I want to give all the glory to God on that. That was amazing to be here with him and have that partnership that we’re working together, trying to push each other to get better and get the Hoosiers as many wins as possible.”

The Mendoza brothers’ story becomes another wholesome story. The brothers have already lodged one record. Cheers to many more in the future.