Indiana Hoosier junior signal-caller Fernando Mendoza has been named to the 2025 Hispanic College Football Player of the Year Award Watch List, the Hispanic Football Hall of Fame announced last week.
This award, presented by the Hispanic Football Hall of Fame, is presented to the most outstanding college football player of Hispanic ancestry.
The inaugural College Football Watch List recognizes 15 standout Hispanic athletes who are making a significant impact during the 2025 season. Each player has earned a starting role and demonstrated excellence on and off the field.
Indiana’s QB Fernando Mendoza has had 16 Passing TDs and been averaging 242 Passing YDS per game this season 👏
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) October 8, 2025
No surprise he is already on the Hispanic Football Hall of Fame Player of the Year Watchlist 🇨🇺 pic.twitter.com/5AFMae7iI7
In an interview earlier this year with NBC Sports’ Nicole Auerbach, Mendoza spoke on how important his Cuban roots are.
“It’s a huge point of pride,” Mendoza said.
Mendoza grew up in Miami, Florida, with two brothers, one of whom is fellow Indiana quarterback Alberto Mendoza.
"“My grandfather and Alberto and I, and we went back, we saw some cousins who had ended up staying in Cuba, and just saw the community as a whole, and it was a very transformative experience,” Mendoza said. “It was very transformative and it really showed my brother and I how grateful we are for the opportunity that our grandparents took.""
The Hispanic Football Hall of Fame, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was founded in 2025 to celebrate and honor the achievements of Hispanic players, coaches and contributors in the sport of football. Its mission is to preserve history, showcase excellence and inspire future generations by highlighting the cultural and athletic contributions of Hispanics to the game at all levels.
HFHOF Founding Board Member, Ron Rivera spoke about the importance of introducing this award and highlighting the efforts of Hispanic athletes. “Shining a light on Hispanic athletes who are already proving themselves on some of the biggest stages in college football is exactly why we created this Watch List. Their stories bring great pride to our community,” said Rivera.
The watch list will be updated regularly, as more players will get the opportunity to be recognized for their contributions made to their teams and the Hispanic community. The eventual winner will be announced at the season’s end, with Mendoza looking to bring the award back to Bloomington and his native hometown of Miami.
Here is the full 2025 Watch List Below:
Joey Aguilar QB Tennessee
Micah Bañuelos OL USC
Fernando Carmona OL Arkansas
KC Concepcion WR Texas A&M
Josh Cuevas TE Alabama
Jesus Gomez PK Arizona State
Tyler Martinez LB New Mexico State
Fernando Mendoza QB Indiana
Parker Navarro QB Ohio
Diego Pavia QB Vanderbilt
Trebor Peña WR Penn State
Gabriel Plascencia PK San Diego State
Jacob Rodriguez LB Texas Tech
Tony Rojas LB Penn State
Gabriel Rubio DL Notre Dame