Who is Fernando Mendoza? The Catholic, Hispanic-born QB who shined in the College Football Playoff

Fernando Gabriel Mendoza is a college football quarterback who plays for the Indiana Hoosiers and has established himself as one of the most prominent emerging talents in collegiate sports.

Born in Boston and raised in Miami in a Cuban-American family, Mendoza has become a household name after an extraordinary run that has transformed both the Indiana football program and the landscape of college sports in general.

Off the field, Mendoza is known for his discipline, strong family ties, his Catholic upbringing and his growing influence as a role model for Latino athletes in football.

The young athlete is celebrated as the first player of Cuban descent to win the Heisman Trophy, a milestone that has had a major impact on Miami's Cuban-American community.

Growing up in Miami allowed Mendoza to truly embrace her heritage through the customs and traditions of the Caribbean island.

"All my grandparents were born and raised in Cuba, three in Havana, one in Santiago, and so I am extremely grateful for all the hardship they've been through through coming here and the whole part of being an immigrant and starting from the ground up and really laying a foundation," Mendoza said last year in an interview with NBC Sports.

A devout Catholic

In his Heisman acceptance speech in december, Mendoza thanked God for giving him "the opportunity to chase a dream that once felt the world away."

During a press conference on Saturday, the young athlete stressed that his success was the fruit of a whole team effort, a team that includes the priests of his Catholic parish. "I'm Catholic," Mendoza told reporters. "And they've done so much to help me whether it's, you know, confession or just, you know, be able to talk or just mass every Sunday."

It's not the first time Mendoza has given credit to the men at St. Paul Catholic Center. On Christmas Eve, the young athlete brought them his Heisman Trophy. Recalling that moment, Mendoza said, "I think it was really important to take it over those guys, especially those guys who have been great religious mentors to myself."

"I really give a lot that I have accomplished this season in my life to the Lord and really give thanks to God," Mendoza told reporters before the 2026 National Championship played Monday against the University of Miami.

"The play of his life"

Fernando Mendoza and the Indiana Hoosiers defeated the Miami Hurricanes, 27-21, on Monday in the College Football Playoff Championship Game held at Hard Rock Stadium.

Mendoza, playing at home in Miami-Dade County, made a play in the fourth quarter worthy of his Heisman Trophy and impending selection as the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft.

Mendoza received the ball on fourth-and-5 and ran up the middle. He bounced off several Miami Hurricanes defenders, leaped from the two-yard line and stretched his hands to place the ball over the goal line while taking a hit as he fell into the end zone.

"I’ll die for my team. … they need me to take shots from the front, the back, whatever it is, I’m gonna die for my team," Mendoza told Holly Rowe of ESPN after the game. "We always going to put it all on the line. I want to give all the glory and thanks to God."

Now entering the home stretch of his college career, analysts consider him one of the most promising quarterbacks of his generation. Standing 6-foot-1 and weighing 225 pounds, Mendoza is considered by many to be a possible first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and is praised for his leadership, passing accuracy and ability to improve an offense.

Alberto Mendoza, his backup brother

Alberto Mendoza is Fernando Mendoza's younger brother. In fact, he came to Indiana before Fernando, signing with the Hoosiers in December 2023 and enrolling in the summer of 2024. Fernando spent the 2024 season with the Cal Bears.

Alberto Mendoza entered the NCAA transfer portal Tuesday, sources told ESPN. Mendoza, is leaving the College Football Playoff national champions with three years of eligibility remaining.

In 2024, Alberto was redshirted while sitting behind quarterbacks Kurtis Rourke, Tayven Jackson and Tyler Cherry. It's not quite clear yet what his potential is, as he has yet to be a full-time starter in college.

According to The Sporting News, over his two seasons, Alberto has played in eight games, completing 25 passes for 292 yards and 5 touchdowns. He appeared briefly in the Big Ten title game for one play after Fernando took a hard hit, but exited after just one play.

Fernando Mendoza has referred to Alberto as his "lifelong teammate" and described him as the one person he could rely on to "get through a tough day, tough play, tough game."

"I love you, bro. I love you and thank you for always giving it to me straight no matter the circumstance," he said recently.