Fernando Mendoza’s Heisman win creates history for Indiana as he becomes the first Hoosier to lift the trophy. But it created a dent in Diego Pavia’s chances. Following that, the Vanderbilt quarterback’s public actions pointed to Indiana as he showed his frustration. But Mendoza didn’t let it slide easily, as he answered with subtle poise and confidence.

“We know how to handle ourselves in class. You never get obliterated,” Indiana’s quarterback Fernando Mendoza said. “We always have a good time, and we control ourselves, and we don’t need all that extracurricular stuff. If you get what I’m alluding to, have a ton of fun. We all just have a lot of fun with each other.”

This came in right after Diego Pavia’s blunt post-Heisman celebration, taking direct digs at Indiana. Notably, Pavia finished second as one of the talented dual-threat quarterbacks, but he couldn’t hold back his emotions after the snub.

Following the ceremony, videos surfaced of him partying while holding an NSFW sign that reads “F— Indiana,” turning towards the camera, and raising his middle finger. That footage quickly spread outrage online, calling him out for his uncalled-for behavior.

But Fernando Mendoza didn’t let the Heisman celebration get into his head. Even his teammates chose a simple way of celebration. The moment Mendoza entered the Heisman press conference, all of them started cheering for him. His teammates surrounded him, showing a powerful sense of unity, and turned the room into a spontaneous team celebration.

Even though they didn’t do anything extravagant, their chants of “That was all you” filled the entire room, showing their love and happiness for Mendoza.

That’s precisely what Mendoza is trying to stress: even without any “extracurricular” stuff, their celebration captured how deeply his success resonates inside Indiana’s locker room.

Now, Pavia finished with 1,435 points, and Mendoza ended up winning with 2,362 points, and the gap in their votes reflects Indiana’s success. Mendoza led the team to a perfect 13-0 season, culminating in a remarkable win against the No. 1 team, Ohio State, and securing the Big Ten title.

They got the No. 1 seed in the playoffs while sweeping all six voting regions. He received major honors, including the Maxwell, Walter Camp, and Davey O’Brien Awards.

Even his on-field success backs up the moment. Mendoza ended the season completing 71.5 percent of his passes for 2,980 yards with an NCAA-leading 33 touchdowns and just six interceptions.

Meanwhile, Pavia led Vanderbilt to their first-ever 10-2 season, winning honors like the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and the John Mackey Award. Here are some of his ridiculous stats:

• Passing Efficiency: Top 10 nationally (4th with 171.5 rating)
• Yards Per Attempt: Top 10 nationally (3rd with 9.39)
• Passing Touchdowns: Top 10 nationally (27 TDs)
• Completion Percentage: Top 10 nationally (71.2%)
• Total Offense: 2nd nationally (334.8 yds/game)

But team success also matters for the win, and Vandy missed the playoffs, losing against Alabama and Texas.

This isn’t the first time Pavia took a dig at someone after the Heisman snub.

Diego Pavia apologizes for his rude behaviour

The Heisman ceremony turned memorable for Fernando Mendoza, but it left a lasting mark on Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia. As he couldn’t hold back his frustration over the snub, he took to Instagram to show his anger. “F-ALL THE VOTERS, BUT FAMILY FOR LIFE,” he said. The caption was with his fellow offensive linemen at the ceremony in New York.

The moment he made this comment, fans started bashing him for not showing sportsmanship and disrespecting the honor, too. After that, he went to X to apologize for his unapologetic behavior.

“Being a part of the Heisman ceremony last night as a finalist was such an honor,” Pavia said. “As a competitor, just like in everything I do, I wanted to win. To be so close to my dream and come up short was painful. I didn’t handle those emotions well at all and did not represent myself the way I wanted to.

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I have much love and respect for the Heisman voters and the selection process, and I apologize for being disrespectful. It was a mistake, and I am sorry.”

Finishing the season on a remarkable note gave Pavia hope. He threw for 3,192 yards with 27 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also rushed for 826 yards and added nine scores on the ground, helping Vanderbilt go 10-2 this season.

On top of it, this might be Pavia’s last and only shot with the Heisman, as he might turn pro next season with eligibility exhausted, which makes the reaction even more intense.

Now, with the Heisman Trophy under his belt, let’s wait and see if Fernando Mendoza can take his team to the playoff finals or not.