Fernando Mendoza led the Indiana Hoosiers to an unlikely national championship in the previous college football season. In his lone season with the team, Indiana had a perfect 16-0 record, while the quarterback won the Heisman Trophy and became the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft. He just added another award to his cabinet.
Fernando Mendoza Delivers High-Class Answer After Winning ESPY Award
Mendoza played at California from 2022 to 2024, only switching universities in his final college season. The move proved to be perfect, as his double act with Curt Cignetti led the Hoosiers to their first national championship. The coach transformed the team from 3-9 to national champions in just two years.
It’s been six months since Mendoza became a national champion, and he’s now a quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders in the NFL. But the awards continue to come. On Wednesday, he won the award for Best Men’s College Athlete at the ESPYs, beating Cameron Boozer, Donavan Phillip, and Mitchell Mesenbrink for the award.
Speaking at the podium after receiving the award, Mendoza had a classy speech. He thanked the people around his success, including his coaches, his family, and his fans. But he made sure to give an extra shoutout to his former teammates.
BUILD YOUR OWN TOP 100: PFN’s FREE NFL Top 100 Builder
“Thank you, everybody, it’s such a blessing to be here,” Mendoza said. “Football is a team sport, and although this award has one name on it, it belongs to so many people.
“I wanna give a huge thanks to my family, my coaches, my beloved Hoosier nation, and most importantly, out of all of them, my beloved teammates. Love you guys, and appreciate all you guys [have] done for me.”
BE THE GM OF YOUR FAVORITE TEAM: PFN’s FREE NFL Mock Draft Simulator
He also took time to congratulate Boozer, Phillip, and Mesenbrink in their nominations, while also praising his new team:
“I also wanna give a big congratulations to all the other nominees, and all the amazing athletes being honored here tonight. God bless, go Raiders, thank you guys.”
“God Bless. Go Raiders.”
Fernando Mendoza accepts the ESPY for the Best College Athlete – Men’s Sports 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Kr6He5pVsd
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) July 16, 2026
The mission will be much more difficult in the NFL. The Raiders haven’t won a playoff game since the 2002 season. 2025 proved to be a disaster under Pete Carroll’s leadership, and the veteran coach was fired after just one year.
Apart from taking Mendoza with the first overall pick, the franchise also signed veteran passer Kirk Cousins to what is, effectively, a one-year deal worth $20 million. Cousins is expected to start the season as the starter quarterback, while Mendoza prepares for the long-term.
