Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza orchestrated a game-winning drive in the 27-24 win against PSU with a 7-yard strike to WR Omar Cooper Jr. “This is by far the best moment of my career,” stated Mendoza after the win. Now, his Heisman moment not only gave IU their perfect 10-0 season but also enhanced the Cal transfer’s chance to win this prestigious trophy. Still, when ON3 ranked him in their Week 12 Heisman poll, fans weren’t ready to buy it. Is his rank the reason or his stats?

Just a few weeks ago, Mendoza was tied with Alabama’s Ty Simpson in the Heisman odds. But after his Heisman heroics against PSU, Mendoza now ranks No. 1 in On3’s Week 12 Heisman poll. With +175 odds, he is one of the favorites to win the Heisman, according to BetMGM rankings. If Mendoza lifts the Heisman Trophy, it will be historic for the Hoosiers. Yes, he’d become the first player from IU to claim the award. Although in 1989, RB Anthony Thompson came very close, he finished second in the voting.

But ON3’s ranking made Mendoza a No. 1 enemy to CFB fans. And there’s enough reason for it, as per fans. On On3’s poll, OSU’s Julian Sayin ranks third, while Simpson ranks second despite having more passing yards and fewer interceptions compared to Mendoza. Although the IU QB is currently tied with Sayin in Heisman odds on BetMGM, Sayin entered the weekend as the favorite and did nothing to lose the top spot in the Buckeyes’ win over Purdue.

Still, Mendoza has racked up 2,342 yards and 26 TDs so far this season, and these TDs now seem the cause of his rise. However, his most efficient game in terms of statistically dominated performance was against Indiana State. He completed 19 of 20 to set a single-game completion percentage record of .950. To cap it off, he made six total TDs in that game, including five TD passes, all of which came in the first half.

While his performance was commanding, placing him first is debatable, especially with other QBs posting better marks in certain areas. However, as ON3 put it, “Do you agree?” fans didn’t waste time weighing in. One fan wrote, sparking a heated debate over the Heisman race, “Why the hell is Mendoza #1??????” 

That’s just the beginning, as more comments started rolling in after that against the IU QB.

Fernando Mendoza faces a wild heat

While all the hype about Mendoza’s Heisman moment against PSU is going on, a fan sees it from a different perspective. “FERNANDO NEEDED A LAST MIN DRIVE TO BEAT A TEAM WITHOUT A HC OR QB. What are we even doing here?” Yes, in the game against PSU, he orchestrated an 80-yard, game-winning drive in the final 2 minutes, finishing with a go-ahead TD pass with just 36 seconds left. This last-minute stunning play may fit well for IU, but it didn’t fit well for the one who ranks No. 1 in the ON3 week 12 Heisman poll, as per fans.

Still, the debate became heated when the comparison came into play. One fan broke down the numbers between Sayin and Mendoza: “Julian Sayin has more passing yards, 1 less INT, and only 2 less TDs with OSU having played 1 less game. IU throws 50% of the time while OSU throws 52% so pretty close there. Sayin: 91.1 QBR, Mendoza: 88.1 QBR. Julian Sayin has played 154 less snaps than Mendoza in 2025.”

But it wasn’t just Sayin, another fan made the comparison bold with Simpson, simply writing, “Ty Simpson > Mendoza.” While Mendoza has the most TDs this season compared to Sayin and Simpson — maybe that’s why he got the top position in the Heisman poll — Simpson has just one interception this season, while Mendoza has four.

Finally, one fan brought up a comparison with Diego Pavia, pointing out that Pavia has more rushing yards than the IU QB. “ Pavia: 613 Rushing Yards 7 Rushing TDS, Mendoza: 240 Rushing Yards 5 Rushing TDS what are we doing here???” wrote that fan. Now, while the season hasn’t just finished yet, changes can be expected after Week 12. We’ll see who takes the award on December 13 in New York after this heated battle.