Indiana football redshirt junior quarterback Fernando Mendoza was named the college football Associated Press Player of the Year on Thursday. The recognition comes after Mendoza earned Walter Camp National Player of the Year honors on Wednesday.
The signal caller has led the Hoosiers to a 13-0 overall record and the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff. The Miami native has thrown for 2,980 yards and leads the nation with 33 passing touchdowns. Mendoza received 32 out of 51 first-place votes to win the AP Player of the Year award –– becoming the first Hoosier to secure the honor.
The last nine AP Player of the Year award winners have taken home the Heisman Trophy in the same year. Mendoza is currently the odds-on favorite to win the Heisman In New York City, where the winner will be revealed at 7 p.m. Saturday. The ceremony will be televised on ABC.
After securing a first round bye in its second consecutive CFP appearance, Indiana will take on the winner of the matchup between the University of Oklahoma and the University of Alabama in the Rose Bowl at 4 p.m. EST Jan. 1 in Pasadena, California.
Follow reporters Conor Banks (@Conorbanks06 and conbanks@iu.edu) and Dalton James (@DaltonMJames and jamesdm@iu.edu) and columnist Quinn Richards (@Quinn_richa and qmrichar@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana football season.
