Indiana loses more than one Mendoza for the 2026 season after its historic national title win. While Fernando Mendoza is likely to leave for the NFL, Alberto has reportedly accepted a transfer to Georgia Tech in the ACC. Despite moving on from the program, the younger Mendoza still has his elder brother’s full support. 

Indiana’s Heisman-winning QB, Fernando Mendoza, on his Instagram story, shared his brother’s transfer news and wrote, “Best QB I know ♥️,” tagging his brother.

Alberto served as Fernando’s backup this past season and completed 18 of 24 passes for 286 yards, with five touchdowns and just one interception. He was also a dual-threat QB, using his feet to rush for 190 yards for a touchdown on 13 attempts, with a 99.8 quarterback rating this fall. He is one of the most extremely accurate QBs in the FBS, especially with throws behind the line of scrimmage and within the nine-yard range, completing 7-8 passes and two touchdowns from the depth of the field.

He was widely expected to be the successor of his older brother next fall with the Hoosiers; however, he left Cignetti’s Hoosiers for the Yellow Jackets with three years of eligibility. While the exact reason for his departure is unknown, it could be linked to Curt Cignetti’s move for TCU transfer Josh Hoover, who’s expected to lead the offense next season. 

Hoover was the most sought-after QB in the portal. He set a school record with 3,949 passing yards as a sophomore and 3,472 yards and 29 touchdowns this past season as a junior. 

Losing Alberto Mendoza could be a tough blow for Cignetti, who arrived in Bloomington as a three-star recruit in 2024 and helped land a commitment from the Heisman-winning Fernando Mendoza, who led Indiana to win its first national championship. Now, both will leave the program for next fall, as Fernando, with 3,535 passing yards and 41 touchdowns in his lone season with the Hoosiers, is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. 

Alberto Mendoza’s QB1 status at Georgia Tech

Georgia Tech is coming off a 9-4 season, with a loss in the Pop-Tarts Bowl, finishing the season with a frustrating three straight losses. The Yellow Jackets headed into this off-season looking for a starting quarterback, as Haynes King exhausted his eligibility. 

They wanted a QB who could replace King as a dual-threat QB. King started 36 games and accounted for 10,181 total yards and 91 touchdowns over his three seasons in Atlanta. He was also a first-team All-ACC performer. Georgia Tech couldn’t land a quarterback when the portal window officially closed on January 16. 

However, they were still in the market for the CFP finalists. The NCAA extended the portal deadline for Indiana and Miami till January 24, helping the Yellow Jackets land Alberto from the portal just moments after his entry. Mendoza will now compete with redshirt sophomore Graham Knowles, redshirt freshman Grady Adamson, and incoming freshman Cole Bergeron this offseason.