The front-runner for the Heisman throughout the last month-plus of the regular season, Fernando Mendoza has a compelling résumé.
First, he’s a quarterback. Voters traditionally favor QBs—seven of the last 10 winners played the position, 15 of the last 20, and so on. You might not love the lean toward QBs, but a trend is a trend.
Second, he’s the QB of the nation’s only 13-0 team and a Big Ten champion. Team success has always been a notable part of voting results.
Third, he finished with 2,960 passing yards at 9.4 per attempt (second in the FBS) with 33 touchdowns (first) to only six interceptions. He also chipped in 240 yards and six scores on the ground.
Blend all that together, and Mendoza has a clear Heisman-worthy case.
