Fernando Mendoza
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Born October 1st, 2003, Fernando Mendoza V is a name already making waves in college football. This American quarterback is currently leading the Indiana Hoosiers, but his journey began with the California Golden Bears.
Hailing from Miami, Florida, and with roots tracing back to Cuban immigrants, Fernando's talent was evident early on. At Christopher Columbus High School, he showcased his dual-threat ability, racking up impressive passing and rushing stats. His initial commitment was to Yale, but the allure of California, Berkeley, proved too strong, and he flipped to the Golden Bears.
After redshirting in 2022, Mendoza burst onto the scene in 2023. He earned his first start against Oregon State, and though it was a loss, his performance – 207 yards and two touchdowns – hinted at what was to come. The following week against Utah, he delivered another strong outing, securing his spot as the team's starting quarterback. In eight starts as a redshirt freshman, Mendoza led the Golden Bears to a 6-7 record and an Independence Bowl appearance, completing 63 percent of his passes for over 1,700 yards and 14 touchdowns.
The 2024 season saw Mendoza solidify his starting role at Cal, even beating out a graduate transfer. He led the Bears to a significant upset win over Auburn with 233 yards and two touchdowns. His stellar play earned him back-to-back ACC Quarterback of the Week honors, setting new career highs in passing yards and completions, and his 56 attempts against Wake Forest marked a significant milestone for a Cal quarterback. However, in December 2024, Mendoza announced his decision to enter the transfer portal.
Just days later, on December 23rd, 2024, Fernando Mendoza V found his new home with the Indiana Hoosiers.
Off the field, Fernando has a younger brother, Alberto, who is now his backup quarterback at Indiana, adding an interesting family dynamic to his collegiate career.
Fernando Mendoza V (born October 1, 2003) is an American college football quarterback for the Indiana Hoosiers. He previously played for the California Golden Bears.
== Early life ==
Mendoza was born in Miami, Florida, and is the grandson of Cuban immigrants. He attended Christopher Columbus High School in Miami. As a quarterback on the football team, Mendoza completed 133 of his 203 pass attempts for 1,396 yards and 16 touchdowns with four interceptions, while also adding 137 yards and a touchdown on the ground. He originally committed to play college football at Yale University before deciding to flip to the University of California, Berkeley.
== College career ==
=== California (2022–2024) ===
==== 2022 season ====
Mendoza redshirted during the 2022 season.
==== 2023 season ====
Mendoza earned his first career start in week 6 of the 2023 season against Oregon State. He completed 21 of 32 pass attempts for 207 yards and two touchdowns with an interception in a loss to the Beavers. The following week, Mendoza went 10 of 17 passing for 149 yards, two touchdowns and an interception in a loss to Utah. Mendoza was named the team's starting quarterback heading forward. In eight starts as a redshirt freshman, Mendoza completed 63 percent of his passes for 1,708 yards and 14 touchdowns, leading the Golden Bears to a 6-7 record and an Independence Bowl appearance.
==== 2024 season ====
Entering the 2024 season, Mendoza won the starting quarterback job for Cal, beating graduate transfer Chandler Rogers. In Week 2 against Auburn, Mendoza completed 25 of 36 passes for 233 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Bears to an upset win over the Tigers. Mendoza was named ACC quarterback of the week in back-to-back games against Oregon State and Wake Forest, setting career highs in passing yards and completions. His 56 passing attempts against Wake Forest were the most by a Cal quarterback since 2016. On December 11, 2024, Mendoza announced he would be entering the transfer portal.
=== Indiana (2025–present) ===
==== 2025 season ====
On December 23, 2024, Mendoza announced he would transfer to Indiana.
=== Statistics ===
== Personal life ==
Mendoza has a younger brother, Alberto, who serves as backup quarterback behind him for Indiana.
== References ==
== External links ==
Indiana Hoosiers profile
California Golden Bears profile
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