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Before becoming a Heisman Trophy winner, College Football Playoff national champion and the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Fernando Mendoza was a freshman starting quarterback for the California Golden Bears in the 2023 Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl.
His presence and performance in Shreveport has landed Mendoza at No. 9 on the Independence Bowl’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team selected by a local media panel. The team is part of the commemoration of the bowl’s 50th anniversary, culminating with this year’s edition on Dec. 22.
After redshirting the 2022 season at Cal, Mendoza led the Golden Bears offense in his eighth career start in the 2023 Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl. Against No. 23 on the All-Time Team, Jacob Rodriguez, and a stout Texas Tech defense, Mendoza completed 66.7 percent of his passes for 261 yards and one touchdown, but he struggled with turnovers, throwing three interceptions and losing one fumble.
Mendoza won the starting quarterback job at Cal in 2024, building on the 2023 season and Independence Bowl appearance. He threw for 3,004 yards, 16 touchdowns and just six interceptions that season in 11 games. He was named ACC quarterback of the week twice that season.
After a successful redshirt sophomore season, Mendoza became one of the top quarterbacks in the transfer portal and transferred to Indiana, where his 2025 season became the stuff of legends. Mendoza led the Hoosiers to their best season in program history, a 16-0 record and first-ever national championship, winning a litany of awards along the way.
Mendoza completed 72 percent of his passes for 3,535 yards, an NCAA-high 41 touchdown passes, just six interceptions and an NCAA-high 182.9 quarterback rating. He also added 276 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns. Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy as the most outstanding player in college football, becoming the first Independence Bowl player to win the Heisman.
Other awards and honors included the Walter Camp Award, Maxwell Award, AP College Football Player of the Year, Davey O’Brien Award, Manning Award, Big Ten Male Athlete of the Year, and Best Male College Athlete at the ESPY Awards. He was also a consensus All-American and won Offensive MVP of the CFP national championship game.
In the 2026 NFL Draft, the Las Vegas Raiders chose him with the first overall pick. He was the third Independence Bowl player ever selected with the No. 1 overall pick, following Virginia Tech defensive tackle Bruce Smith and Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning.
The next player on the Independence Bowl’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, No. 8, will be released on Monday, October 19. Players will be unveiled individually every week, with No. 1 being announced on Monday, December 7.
The first 41 players on the Independence Bowl’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, as previously announced (Name, position, school, year played in I-Bowl):
No. 10 – Takeo Spikes (LB, Auburn, 1996); No. 11 – Brett Favre (QB, Southern Miss, 1988); No. 12 – Roy Williams (S, Oklahoma, 1999); No. 13 – Josh Heupel (QB, Oklahoma, 1999); No. 14 – Art Monk (WR, Syracuse, 1979); No. 15 – Von Miller (OLB, Texas A&M, 2009); No. 16 — Wesley Walls (DE/TE, Ole Miss, 1986); No. 17 – Joe Morris (RB, Syracuse, 1979); No. 18 – Ray Childress (DT, Texas A&M, 1981); No. 19 – Sidney Rice (WR, South Carolina, 2005);
No. 20 – Brad Smith (QB, Missouri, 2003 and 2005); No. 21 – Derrick Mason (WR, Michigan State, 1995); No. 22 – Garrison Hearst (RB, Georgia, 1991); No. 23 – Jacob Rodriguez (LB, Texas Tech, 2023); No. 24 – Tim Krumrie (NG, Wisconsin, 1982); No. 25 – Muhsin Muhammad (WR, Michigan State, 1995); No. 26 – Ja’Mar Toombs (RB, Texas A&M, 2000); No. 27 – Otis Wilson (LB, Louisville, 1977); No. 28 – A.J. Green (WR, Georgia, 2009); No. 29 – Rocky Calmus (LB – Oklahoma, 1999); No. 30 – Flozell Adams (OT – Michigan State, 1995);
No. 31 – Willie Blade (DT, Mississippi State, 2000); No. 32 – Scott Thomas (S, Air Force, 1983 & 1984); No. 33 – Chad Hennings (DT, Air Force, 1984); No. 34 — Dameyune Craig (QB, Auburn, 1996); No. 35 – Geno Atkins (DT, Georgia, 2009); No. 36 – Rondell Mealey (RB, LSU, 1997); No. 37 – Rolando McClain (LB, Alabama, 2007); No. 38 – Weldon Brown (CB, Louisiana Tech, 2008); No. 39 – Andre Smith (OT, Alabama, 2006 & 2007; No. 40 – Tiki Barber (RB, Virginia, 1994);
No. 41 – Puka Nacua (WR, BYU, 2021); No. 42 – Gary Kubiak (QB; Texas A&M, 1981); No. 43 — Seneca Wallace (QB, Iowa State, 2001); No. 44 – Todd McClure (C, LSU, 1995 & 1997); No. 45 – Gary Anderson (K, Syracuse, 1979); No. 46 – Booger McFarland (LB, LSU, 1995 & 1997); No. 47 – Tremaine Edmunds (LB – Virginia Tech, 2015); No. 48 – Bill Musgrave (QB – Oregon, 1989); No. 49 – Larry Anderson (DB – Louisiana Tech, 1977); No. 50 – Lorenza Baker (LB – Louisiana Tech, 1990).