Fernando Mendoza has flipped the fortunes of Indiana football.When they entered 2025, the Hoosiers were the losingest program in college football history.Mendoza led undefeated Indiana to Rose Bowl glory against AlabamaGettyBut 12 months on, they begin 2026 as the undefeated Big Ten champion, and are ranked No. 1 in the country for the first time.Quarterback Mendoza has already scooped the Heisman Trophy, is set to be the top pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, and has just delivered another school first: A win in the Rose Bowl.On Thursday afternoon in Pasadena, Indiana took down No. 9 Alabama 38-3 in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals, and handed the Crimson Tide their biggest-ever bowl loss.Mendoza went 14-16 for 192 yards and three touchdowns through the air, and the Hoosiers also out-rushed their blue blood opponents 215-23 on a dominant day.Their star quarterback let his history-making play do the talking on the field — but he was also loud in his postgame interview too.Fernando Mendoza’s wholesome interview goes viralMendoza is one of the most talked about names in college football this year, and would have been forgiven for leaning into all he has accomplished on a personal level after the Rose Bowl win.Instead, though, his humility shone through as he credited coach Curt Cignetti and his teammates for remaining locked in after a first-round bye in the CFP.“First of all, my team and I want to give all the glory to God,” Mendoza told ESPN.“What a historic venue the Rose Bowl is, one of the best in all of sports.“(This team) is just a great conglomerate of individuals coming together and forming complimentary football. Coach Cig has hit on us: No complacency.Mendoza is expected to be the No. 1 pick of the 2026 NFL DraftGettyMendoza’s postgame interview went viral, with many praising his humilityESPN“Especially when you have a bye, it’s tough to get in the rhythm of football. But when we got our feet on the ground, we knew that we were going to stick together and get this W.”Mendoza also took the time to praise Alabama’s ‘fantastic’ program, and said it was an ‘honor’ to be part of Indiana’s team this season.His wholesome postgame comments soon went viral on social media, and racked up more than two million views in just a few hours.The young quarterback generated plenty of buzz amongst NFL fans too, with plenty predicting he will turn around the worst franchise in the league.NFL world reacts to Fernando Mendoza’s Rose Bowl winWith a 2-14 record in 2025, the Las Vegas Raiders are on track for the No. 1 pick of the 2026 draft, and have been urged to bring the Heisman winner in.“I’ve seen enough: Fernando Mendoza to the Raiders,” one fan wrote on X.View Tweet: https://t.co/kErl21RDVaRaiders fans want to see Mendoza in Las Vegas next seasonGetty“After seeing Fernando Mendoza play, the Raiders have deactivated their entire roster and will simply be playing nobody on Sunday vs. the Chiefs,” another joked.“Fernando Mendoza: YOU are a Las Vegas RAIDER!” a third posted, amid suggestion the New York Giants would also be interested in him.“He’s going to resurrect the Raiders franchise in Vegas,” a fourth concluded.Even Tom Brady, a minority owner of the Raiders, is high on Mendoza.NFL's Greatest......Ranking the top 10......Quarterbacks of all-time – Can anyone better Tom Brady?Wide receivers of all-time – Does Randy Moss or Jerry Rice come out on top?Running backs of all-time – Stacking Jim Brown, Barry Sanders, Walter Payton, Emmitt Smith and moreTight ends of all-time – How does Travis Kelce compare?Comments the NFL legend made after Indiana’s quarterback won the Heisman have resurfaced overnight, and take on new meaning as Las Vegas are likely to have the top draft pick.“I love everything about his game,” Brady said earlier in December.“His leadership is what stands out to me, his relatability to his teammates. He’s overcome a lot in his career.“He’s a Miami kid, went to Cal, to Indiana. You go to a program that hasn’t won anything, in forever, and what he’s done this season is so impressive.”Raiders minority owner Brady has previously spoken highly of MendozaGettyNext season, Brady might have the chance to watch Mendoza up close in Las Vegas.But right now, the young quarterback will be fully focused on his CFP run, and the Hoosiers will face No. 5 Oregon in the semifinals on January 9.Stay up to date with the latest from college football across all platforms – follow our dedicated talkSPORT USA Facebook page and subscribe to our talkSPORT USA YouTube channel for all the news, exclusives, interviews and more.