While the Hoosiers won their first college football national championship, their roster will look much different without Fernando Mendoza.
Mendoza, who won the Heisman Trophy and led the team to a College Football Playoff title during an undefeated season, is expected to hear his name called as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. His backup, his brother Alberto Mendoza, is not expected to return to Indiana next season either.
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Shortly after celebrating the title, On3’s Pete Knuckles reported that Alberto Mendoza plans to enter the transfer portal for next season.
Sophomore Alberto has caught 24 passes for the Indians this season, backing up his older brother. Five touchdowns. He also added 190 yards rushing.
He was a three-star recruit out of high school who drew interest from Georgia Tech early, according to CBS Sports.
His older brother, Fernando, transferred to Indiana from UC Berkeley and then enjoyed his most notable college success.
This article was originally published in To win: Fernando Mendoza’s brother to hit transfer portal hours after winning title
