Fernando 'Heis-Mendoza' justifies national recognition in rout over Michigan State

In the closing minutes of Indiana’s win over Michigan State, the crowd inside Memorial Stadium was noticeably smaller than the 52,000-plus that filled the stands at kickoff. A downpour of rain, coupled with the 38-13 score, drove most Indiana fans to their vehicles to head home.

But for those who stayed, their message was clear.

Chants of “Heis-Mendoza…Heis-Mendoza…Heis-Mendoza” poured out from the student section, in similar fashion to the rain that was falling at the end of the fourth quarter.

These chants weren’t just justified — they were inevitable. With the way Fernando Mendoza played, you had to know they were coming, as the Indiana quarterback put on a show in his team’s seventh victory in as many games.

“I want to give a shoutout to (the student section) because that was fantastic to see,” Mendoza told reporters following the victory. “All the players on this sideline were hyped about it. It got me juiced, got the offense juiced, got the team juiced.”

Mendoza went 24-for-28 passing for 332 yards and four touchdowns to complete his box score, but more importantly, he was clinical in leading the Indiana offense. Each of the Hoosiers’ first five drives ended with an IU touchdown, allowing for Indiana to pull away despite some early struggles on the defensive side of the ball.

This kind of performance warranted a response from the crowd, and the fans delivered with their advocacy of his Heisman campaign.

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These chants may have been a small part of an otherwise explosive game, but they symbolized just how impressive Mendoza was against the Spartans. He played like a Heisman Trophy winner throughout the matchup, and as a result, he might be the frontrunner to take home the hardware when it’s given out in December.

Mendoza isn’t concerned about individual awards, though, as he mentioned postgame that he doesn’t use social media during the season. He’s not paying attention to the Heisman chatter and is completely focused on whoever is next on the Hoosiers’ schedule.

While Mendoza doesn’t like talking about himself, his teammates certainly didn’t shy away from praising their quarterback. Similar to the fans in the stands, the Hoosiers gave Mendoza his flowers.

“I feel like we got the best quarterback in college football,” wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. said postgame.

Cooper Jr. was Mendoza’s most frequent target on the day, hauling in eight catches for a team-high 115 yards. Elijah Sarratt bested him in touchdowns, though, and he too didn’t hesitate to talk about his quarterback.

“He’s pretty dang good,” Sarratt said.

“He lives in this facility, for real. Like, anytime I’m in here, he’s in here. He’s in here more than me, staying after hours watching film. After practice, he goes and has a practice script, going over plays out there. So, he puts his time in for sure.”

Sarratt hasn’t been the only one to take notice of Mendoza’s work ethic. While it’s obvious with his performance on the field, Curt Cignetti was quick to mention just how impressive Mendoza is with his preparation.

“He continues to prepare like nobody I’ve ever been around, and he’s getting better and better,” Cignetti said.

Players Q&A: Indiana players react to Indiana’s home win over Michigan State

And with Mendoza getting better week after week, the results have followed. His 322 yards against the Spartans were the most of his Indiana career, while his 24 completions were also a season high. Mendoza’s four passing touchdowns were narrowly beaten out by his five scores in both the Indiana State and Illinois games, but all things considered, it’s hard to argue against Saturday being Mendoza’s best game as a Hoosier.

Cignetti certainly thought so, which is high praise for someone who is never quick to make proclamations like that immediately following a game.

“I would say this is the sharpest we’ve seen him up to this point in a game,” he told reporters.

And the fans agreed with their head coach. With chants growing louder as the clock neared zero, you could say this has been the apex of Mendoza’s career as a Hoosier — but he’s always wanting more.

7-0 isn’t enough for the Indiana quarterback. He has his sights set on the bigger picture, and for Indiana, that means the Big Ten Championship and College Football Playoff.

“There’s still a lot of season left. So my preparation, if anything, needs to amp up, as I’ve already gotten a good system and a good process in order to help get my guys the ball and help this offense be successful,” he said.

For as great as he was against Michigan State, and for as great as he’s been all season long, Mendoza knows he can achieve something greater with the team around him. Indiana has an opportunity to do something special this season, and with a quarterback like Mendoza, the sky’s the limit.

He’s up to 21 passing touchdowns on the season, tied for most in the country, while his 191.0 rating is most of any quarterback with at least 30 passing attempts on the season. It wasn’t just his impressive performance, Mendoza is putting together a stellar season that deserves the national recognition he’s gotten.

Mendoza would never give himself the credit, though. He’ll always look to compliment his coaches and teammates, but that’s where the fans came in during the closing moments of Indiana’s win against the Spartans.

“Heis-Mendoza” might just be a tacky play on words, but it’s also a representation of how Mendoza performed in Indiana’s 38-13 victory.

The Heisman Trophy Trust says its award “epitomizes great ability combined with diligence, perseverance and hard work,” and with the way Mendoza played against Michigan State on a stormy afternoon in Bloomington, he may fit that description to a tee.

If you asked the Indiana quarterback, he’d disagree, but Mendoza is Indiana’s Heisman — and he might win the award itself during the Hoosiers’ quest for a national title.

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