Indiana’s historic season has already rewritten the program’s record books. But as the Hoosiers prepare for the biggest game of the year, one quiet subplot is beginning to matter just as much as the headlines. Because while Fernando Mendoza stands on the brink of the NFL, his brother is standing right behind him, thinking about what comes next for Indiana football.

That reality surfaced during Rose Bowl week, when Indiana backup quarterback Alberto Mendoza reflected on how far the brothers have come and where their shared journey might be headed. “I would never have believed it,” Alberto Mendoza said during CFP media availability. “Just being here now is truly mind-blowing. Neither one of us could’ve dreamed or reached for this goal.”

Fernando Mendoza’s path to becoming Indiana’s first Heisman Trophy winner was anything but conventional. Lightly recruited out of Miami, he initially committed to Yale before flipping to Cal, far removed from the national spotlight that usually follows elite quarterback prospects.

Indiana offered something different. And in 2025, Mendoza delivered one of the most improbable seasons college football has seen.

The Hoosiers went 12–0 in the regular season, captured the Big Ten title, and earned the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff powered by Mendoza’s accuracy, poise, and week-to-week consistency. His Heisman win cemented the turnaround and placed Indiana firmly on the national map.

But inside the program, Fernando was never alone.

Alberto Mendoza’s quiet role behind the scenes

Alberto Mendoza arrived at Indiana a year earlier, redshirting as a freshman while learning the offense and adjusting to the Big Ten. By the time Fernando joined him, Alberto already understood the system, the tempo, and the expectations.

That dynamic mattered.

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While Fernando handled the pressure of leading an undefeated team, Alberto became his constant sounding board, another quarterback in the room who understood both the playbook and the stakes. “Every workout we did together, every throwing session, pushing each other and competing, that’s what brought us here,” Alberto said. “We’ve done every step together.”

Their bond isn’t new. Both brothers starred at Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, where Alberto earned two-time Class 4 Metro Florida Player of the Year honors and became a finalist for Florida Mr. Football. Fernando, meanwhile, developed into a steady field general who would eventually outperform his recruiting profile.

Indiana simply became the next chapter. That shared journey crystallized early in the season against Kennesaw State.

Fernando threw four touchdown passes. Alberto, getting his opportunity late, threw the first collegiate touchdown pass of his career. It marked the first time in a decade that brothers threw touchdown passes for the same FBS team in the same game.

The cameras caught Fernando on the sideline, celebrating Alberto’s score with visible emotion. It wasn’t about the scoreboard. It was about years of work finally converging in one moment. For Alberto, it was proof that he belongs. For Fernando, it was validation that the path they chose together was worth it.

Now, the program stands at another crossroads. Fernando Mendoza is widely viewed as a premier 2026 NFL Draft prospect, with early analyst evaluations placing him among the top quarterbacks in the class. His departure would leave Indiana searching for its next leader after the most successful season in school history.

That’s where Alberto’s reflections take on added weight. He’s no longer just the Heisman winner’s brother. He’s a quarterback with system familiarity, Big Ten experience, and a full offseason ahead, positioned to compete for a larger role as Indiana plans for life after Fernando.

The future isn’t promised. But it’s suddenly relevant. And as Indiana prepares to face Alabama in the Rose Bowl, Alberto Mendoza’s words feel less like nostalgia and more like a quiet signal of what could come next.

For the Hoosiers, the present is historic. For the Mendoza brothers, the story may not be finished yet.