Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza responds to a viral postgame interview
Heisman Trophy Winner Fernando Mendoza looks back on going viral with an emotional postgame interview following his win in the Big 10 Championship game.
“It was just real, raw emotion,” Mendoza, 22, admitted People in an interview published on Friday, December 12. “Maybe it was a little too much.”
Following his Indiana Hoosiers’ victory over Ohio State in the Big 10 championship game on Dec. 6, Mendoza stole the hearts of the Internet when he was overcome with emotion on live TV.
When asked what the win felt like, the QB nearly broke down in tears as he said, “It sounds so beautiful! I want to give all the glory to God. We were never meant to be in this position, but through the great glory of God, the great coaches, the great teammates and everyone we have around us, we were able to make it happen!”
He then joked, “Who would have thought the Hoosiers would be here? But now the Hoosiers are flippin’ champs! Let’s go!”
Looking back on that triumphant moment, Mendoza shared People it was a completely sincere expression of his excitement.
“I was really happy for my team, and at the same time I didn’t want to say anything cliché, like ‘anything is possible’,” he explained. “So I just wanted to keep it contained and keep it authentic and just give the world my real self.”
Mendoza felt that his candor may have surprised viewers because it was “different from a lot of cookie-cutter interviews.”
“I think it caught people off guard, but you know what, I’m glad people are getting to know the real me,” he added.
Yet Mendoza likely only heard secondhand about the incredible response to his viral interview. The Hoosiers quarterback announced this The Herald Sun in October 2025 that he had deleted almost all social media apps from his phone.
Heisman Trophy candidates Jeremiyah Love, Fernando Mendoza, Diego Pavia and Julian Sayin.
Adam Hunger/Getty Images“I deleted all social media. The only social media on my phone right now is LinkedIn and YouTube, for watching videos,” he said.
Fernando confirmed that his younger brother Alberto – who also plays for the Hoosiers – and “some marking people” manage his Instagram.
“Other than that, I am not on any social media,” he repeated. “I want to keep everything in the building. … There’s a lot of things where I don’t want to go to the outside noise and think, ‘Oh, that’s so great,’ and forget about the things I need to build on. And vice versa. I just try to keep it in the building.”
He added: “We have such great coaches. I just try to keep my focus on listening to their advice and their feedback.”
The athlete spoke about his viral fame just hours before the biggest night of his football career yet. On Saturday, he won the Heisman Trophy about the Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah LoveVanderbilt quarterback Diego Paviaand the Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin. (Mendoza is the Hoosiers’ first-ever Heisman winner.)
If you’re a Vanderbilt football fan — or if you’ve seen one Vanderbilt football game this season — chances are you know quarterback Diego Pavia’s mother. Antoinette Padilla has been in the stands supporting her son all season, and the TV cameras have a funny way of finding her. Like the […]
It was a week to remember for Mendoza, as he was called Associated Press Player of the Year on Thursday, Dec. 11, for leading the Hoosiers to their first Big Ten championship since 1967.
“I’m beaming now, but only because there are so many stars around me,” he told the outlet. “There’s an analogy that the only reason we can see stars in the sky is because the light reflects off all different types of stars. I have so many stars around me – whether it’s my teammates, my coaches, my family, support staff – that I can now shine in this light, and I’m so happy that everyone gets to be a part of this.”
Meanwhile, the Hoosiers are looking ahead to the Rose Bowl on January 1, 2026, where they will face the winners of the Alabama-Oklahoma game, which takes place on December 19.
