Fernando Mendoza: Big Ten Athlete of the Year

Former Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza was named the 2025-2026 Big Ten Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year on Wednesday. Mendoza won the CFP national championship with Indiana, claimed the Heisman Trophy, and became only the fourth player in the common draft era to achieve the trifecta of winning the Heisman, national championship, and going No. 1 overall in the same season. newsbetting.cv

Mendoza, who was drafted by the Las Vegas Raiders, is the sixth Indiana student-athlete to receive the conference's highest honor, joining a list that includes track and field's Derek Drouin in 2013. His next challenge will be competing for the Raiders' starting quarterback job when rookies report to training camp on July 23.