In the biggest moment of his life as he became the first Indiana Hoosier to ever win the Heisman trophy, Fernando Mendoza only had one person on his mind to honor for the award: his mom.

Elsa Mendoza watched as her son was honored by being named the best college player of the 2025 season, after leading Indiana to the No. 1 ranking in the country following an upset of defending champion Ohio State in the Big 10 Championship Game.

Elsa, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, has been an inspiration for Fernando and his younger brother Alberto, who also plays quarterback for Indiana. Fernando, fighting back tears, wanted to give his mom the spotlight during his triumph.

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