In three CFP games, Mendoza completed 75 percent of his passes, averaged 185 yards per game, and threw eight touchdowns without a single interception, guiding Indiana against the nation’s top defenses on the way to the title.
His college résumé is extraordinary: 2025 All-American, Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, Heisman Trophy winner, and CFP Offensive MVP. Mendoza led the FBS with 41 passing touchdowns and posted 48 total TDs (passing and rushing) with only six interceptions, including six games with four TDs and no picks.
Archie Manning, Mendoza’s Hall of Fame grandfather, publicly said there was no close race, calling Mendoza’s season “one of the greatest seasons any collegiate quarterback has ever had” during a videoconference with Mendoza and his family.
The Manning Award itself reinforces a standard set by the Manning family—Archie, Peyton, and Eli—against which Mendoza’s achievements are measured. He fits that lineage after a historic, undefeated campaign and a postseason run that cemented his place in the award’s history.
Looking ahead, Mendoza is widely viewed as the likely No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, with the Las Vegas Raiders considered the favorite landing spot following a 3-14 season. Former Pro Bowl QB Robert Griffin III praised Mendoza as an “anti-chaos quarterback” and a potential franchise fixer, as Mendoza prepares for the NFL Scouting Combine and Indiana’s Pro Day.
