2025 has been unforgettable for Fernando Mendoza. After leading the Hoosiers to a perfect 13-0 Big Ten run and securing the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff, Mendoza capped off his historic year by winning the Heisman Trophy. While the race was competitive and featured some of the nation’s top talent, few have disputed the legitimacy of his win. However, there was one notable exception: ESPN commentator Skip Bayless.

Skip Bayless is never afraid of giving his unfiltered views. Whether it’s criticizing the Colts for naming 44-year-old quarterback Philip Rivers as a starter or warning the rest of the NBA about not making Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama angry, the $17 million commentator is always ready to strike nerves. However, he might have done too much this time when he disrespected Fernando Mendoza’s Heisman win, saying Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia should’ve been the winner.

That did not sit well with IU alum Mike Katic, who took it to X to reveal how he felt about Bayless’ opinion.

“Shut up bi— a– up shrimp,” Katic’s post read.

Mendoza competed against some of the nation’s elite talent for the Heisman Trophy. Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love, Ohio State’s Julian Sayin, and Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia all entered the race with strong cases. Skip Bayless argued that Pavia deserved the award because of his on-field performances, which is quite debatable.

Vanderbilt emerged as one of the season’s surprise contenders, finishing fifth in the SEC with a 10-2 record, largely because of Pavia’s play. He completed 71.2 percent of his passes for 3,192 yards and 27 touchdowns, numbers that underscored his impact. However, the Commodores narrowly missed the College Football Playoff and ended the season without a chance to compete for a national trophy.

On the other side, Fernando Mendoza has been on a winning run. The unbeaten run in one of the toughest conferences in the country cannot be overlooked. The Big Ten Championship and Mendoza’s 33 touchdowns (1st nationally) and 71.5% completion rate for 2,980 yards give him the edge over everyone. With playoffs still left, Mendoza has the opportunity to stack up his numbers even more.

The achievement carries historic weight, as Mendoza became the first Indiana player to win the Heisman Trophy. Mendoza earned 2,362 total points and 643 first-place votes to edge Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (1,435 points, 189 first-place votes), Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (719 points), and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin (432 points). Earlier this week, he was also named the Associated Press Player of the Year and received both the Maxwell Award as the nation’s most outstanding player and the Davey O’Brien Award as college football’s top quarterback.

What’s next for Indiana and Fernando Mendoza?

Realistically, Julian Sayin was the only quarterback who could challenge Mendoza based on overall achievements this season. That case weakened significantly when Mendoza led Indiana to a 13-10 victory over Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game. With the Heisman Trophy secured, Mendoza and the Hoosiers now have a single objective: winning the College Football Playoff National Championship.

Indiana stands on the brink of one of the most remarkable runs in college football history. A playoff title would cap an unbeaten season defined by consistency and dominance. With head coach Curt Cignetti likely to remain in place, the Hoosiers could be laying the foundation for a sustained powerhouse, a stunning shift for a program long known primarily for basketball.

The path, however, remains challenging. Indiana must first defeat the winner of Oklahoma vs. Alabama, then face either Oregon, James Madison, or Texas Tech in the semifinals before earning a shot at the national title.

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