Mendoza, who also earned First-Team All-American honours and is a prime favourite to win the Heisman Trophy on December 13th, led Indiana to their first undefeated (13-0) season in program history after they took down the No.1-ranked Ohio State in the Big Ten Conference Championship.
Indiana's QB won the Maxwell Award over Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, who won the program's first-ever Doak Walker Award, and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin, who is also up for the Heisman Trophy.
The Junior finished the 2025 season with 2,980 passing yards and career-best 33 passing touchdowns and 71.5% completion percentage. Mendoza also put up a career-high 340 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns, finishing the year with a total of 3,320 yards and 39 touchdowns with just six interceptions.
Indiana's QB spent the first two years of his collegiate career with California, where he put up over 3,000 passing yards in 2024 with just 16 passing touchdowns (18 total) and six interceptions.
Now, he'll be awaiting two important things - the Heisman Trophy winner announcement and who his Indiana Hoosiers will be facing in the College Football Playoffs between (#9) Alabama and (#8) Oklahoma.
Mendoza has yet to declare for the 2026 NFL Draft, but is being considered as the No. 1 overall pick in the draft should he decide to enter.