The most significant moments in the collegiate career of Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza were decided by phone calls. While a phone call fostered his move to the California Golden Bears, his transfer to the Indiana Hoosiers was possible because a call was not picked up. Before his move to Bloomington, Mendoza was just a call away from having a different life at an SEC program from what he had as a national champion and Heisman Trophy winner.

“I was really between Indiana and Georgia. Two fantastic programs,” Mendoza said in an August 19 video of Bussin’ With The Boys. “But Georgia had Gunner Stockton, fantastic quarterback, great leader of men over there, and he’s just fantastic. And it was a late-night decision. And at that point, I was like, I’m going to do it, like, I’m going to go to Georgia. So, I gave the phone like three rings, and my mom was like looking at me, and I’m like, ‘Mom knows best. I’ll like flip it, you know, just hang up the phone.’ And I was like, you know, I’m going to So, it wasn’t him not picking up, and I was like, you know, flip it. Boom. And I took a sleep on it, and the next day, I don’t know, I guess prayed on it.”

Coming from high school, Mendoza was a two-star quarterback who had settled for Yale after being overlooked by Power Four programs during the recruitment window. However, former Golden Bears offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave hit him with a phone call after one of the team’s recruit quarterbacks decommitted. A few more phone calls, and Mendoza received a full Division I scholarship just when he thought he would be enrolled as a walk-on.

After three years with the Golden Bears, Mendoza was braced for a new challenge. He desired to join a program that would give him the finishing touches to make him “a pro-ready quarterback”. He was the No. 2 quarterback in the transfer class, but far from being the best in college football, and that was why he needed to leave.

Former Georgia quarterback Carson Beck joined the Miami Hurricanes after the 2024 season, leaving the team in need of a QB1 for 2025. Indiana’s QB Kurtis Rourke entered the NFL Draft, also leaving the program in search of a starting quarterback.

Mendoza was never in doubt about what Indiana offered, but Georgia was just too tempting at the time. “If I were to come to Indiana, that I would develop as a quarterback, I’d get great coaching, and I would be able to be the best Fernando Mendoza that I could be.”

He ultimately went with Indiana, while Georgia promoted Gunnar Stockton to QB1 in 2025, and there are no regrets regarding his decision today.

The story of Mendoza is one laced with countless “what ifs”. But there is clearly no college football championship greater than the national championship; no greater individual award than the Heisman Trophy; and no higher draft position than the No. 1 draft pick. Despite the many “what ifs” in this case, there is the assurance that it could not have been any better for him than it was at Indiana. It was either going to be that good or worse.