FERNANDO MENDOZA NAMED INAUGURAL 2025 HISPANIC FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME COLLEGE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

Click here for a special video message from Fernando Mendoza

Las Vegas, Nevada – December 18, 2025 – Indiana University quarterback Fernando Mendoza, of Cuban heritage, has been selected as the Inaugural 2025 Hispanic Football Hall of Fame College Player of the Year. The award is presented to the most outstanding Hispanic college football player who epitomizes great ability and integrity.

During the 2025 season, Mendoza delivered a masterful performance, completing 226 of 316 passes for 2,980 yards and a nation-leading 33 touchdown passes, while adding 240 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground. The 6-foot-5, 225-pound quarterback from Miami, Fla., was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, Big Ten Quarterback of the Year, and earned First-Team All-Big Ten honors after leading Indiana to a Big Ten Championship victory over Ohio State and a No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff. Mendoza capped his historic season by becoming the first Indiana player to win the Heisman Trophy, while also earning AP Player of the Year, the Chicago Tribune Silver Football as the Big Ten’s top player, Walter Camp Player of the Year, the Maxwell Award as the nation’s most outstanding player, and the Davey O’Brien Award as the nation’s top quarterback.

Mendoza was selected from a list of six ALL-AMERICAS honorees by the Hispanic Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee, comprised of Sandy Nunez (Chairperson, Founding Board Member & Award-winning Executive Producer), Judy Battista (NFL Senior National Columnist), Rolando Cantu (NFL Analyst, TNF En Español), Paul Gutierrez (Columnist for Raiders.com), Brandon Huffman (National Recruiting Editor, 247Sports), Moises Linares (Emmy Award-winning Bilingual Sports Journalist), Alex Marvez (Sirius XM NFL Radio Host), Armando Salguero (OutKick Senior NFL Writer), and John Sutcliffe (ESPN Deportes Reporter).

“Fernando Mendoza’s historic season represents a defining moment for our community,” said Ron Rivera, HFHOF Founding Board Member. “He performed at the highest level of college football with composure, leadership, and exceptional achievement, qualities that fill the Hispanic community with tremendous pride.”

“As the first-ever recipient of the Hispanic Football Hall of Fame College Player of the Year Award, Fernando has set a remarkable standard for excellence and cultural pride,” said Anthony Muñoz, HFHOF Founding Board Member. “His historic 2025 season on college football’s biggest stage has made a lasting impact and inspired pride across our entire community.”

The recipient, along with the HFHOF College Football ALL-AMERICAS, will be honored at the Hispanic Football Hall of Fame Celebración de Fútbol, scheduled for May 5, 2026 (Cinco de Mayo).

Other finalists include OL FERNANDO CARMONA (University of Arkansas), WR KC CONCEPCION (Texas A&M University), QB DIEGO PAVIA (Vanderbilt University), PK GABRIEL PLASCENCIA (San Diego State University), and LB JACOB RODRIGUEZ (Texas Tech University).

About the Hispanic Football Hall of Fame

The Hispanic Football Hall of Fame, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was founded in 2025 to celebrate and honor the achievements of Hispanic players, coaches, and contributors in the sport of football. Its mission is to preserve history, showcase excellence, and inspire future generations by highlighting the cultural and athletic contributions of Hispanics to the game.

For more information, please visit www.HispanicFootball.org. Follow us on Instagram (@HispanicFBHOF), X (@HispanicFB), and Facebook.