Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza finally opened up about why he passed on Georgia and several other blue-blood programs in the transfer portal. Now leading the Heisman race and carrying Indiana’s #HeisMendoza campaign, he told Pat McAfee what really swung his decision.

“Yeah, I would say you hit the nail right on the head.” Fernando Mendoza said on the November 17 episode of The Pat McAfee Show, as he joined the live show through a video call. “Indiana and Coach Cignitti really sold me on becoming the best Fernando Mendoza possible. And also, I have my little brother here, Alberto Mendoza. I was able to get the good, the bad, and the ugly of the situation.”

Cignetti’s message stood out from every other pitch he heard. “With the way I saw Alberto develop, and Coach Cignitti really selling me on, ‘Hey, I don’t know exactly, I don’t have a crystal ball. I don’t know what’s going to happen with this season, but I promise you, if you come to my school instead of the other schools, you’re going to be the best Fernando Mendoza quarterback that you can become.’” Mendoza had no second thoughts, and the only thing he said was, “Let’s go. I’m ready to be a Hoosier.”

The path to that moment wasn’t nearly as smooth as where he stands now. Coming out of the Class of 2022, he was a two-star prospect, ranked 140th nationally at his position, and overlooked by every Power 4 team except one. Now, the same QB sits near the top of the 2025 Heisman board at +225, trailing only one other player.

Mendoza’s transfer portal entry last December came after a 3,004-yard season at California, and almost immediately, the phones lit up. Programs that barely noticed him as a high-school recruit, including Georgia and hometown Miami, were suddenly asking for another shot. Georgia, in particular, appeared well-positioned, coming off two titles in three seasons and sitting at No. 2 in the CFP rankings. But Cignetti’s approach cut through all of it.

And as his season takes off, the attention keeps climbing. NFL teams have already begun calling, hoping to position themselves early for what comes next.

Fernando Mendoza leads the Heisman race

Fernando Mendoza is at the top of the game throughout the season. His 299-yard, 3 TD on Saturday against Wisconsin not only edged Indiana closer to the B1G championship game, but also pushed Mendoza as the new favorite to win the Heisman Trophy for the first time this season.

In fact, he leads the race strongly, being the first contender with a minus next to his odds, after twelve weeks, with -115 odds. Although it does not make him a unanimous Heisman winner, the odds certainly position him as the frontrunner. He is ahead of Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed, and Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia in the Heisman race.

Mendoza currently leads the Power Four in total touchdowns (35), totalling 2641 yards and leading the team from the front, through game-winning drives against Iowa, Oregon, and Penn State. He has a 73% pass completion rate and has a QBR of 184.83, ranking 4th. Inside reports suggest that NFL scouts are considering him among the best quarterback prospects in the forthcoming 2026 NFL Draft. As we are in the final two weeks of the regular season, only the campaigns and vote conversions could decide the Heisman winner.