"Where's ICE when you need them," "Most articulate winner": CFB fans react to Fernando Mendoza's honoring his Cuban roots in Heisman Trophy speech

Quarterback Fernando Mendoza had an impressive 2025 campaign with the Indiana Hoosiers. He led them to become the undefeated Big Ten champions and dethrone Ryan Day and the Ohio State Buckeyes. This victory helped them get a bye into this year's playoff quarterfinals.

Apart from this, Fernando Mendoza was also crowned as this year's Heisman awardee. The redshirt freshman became the program's first-ever player to win the coveted trophy. During his acceptance speech on Saturday, the quarterback spoke in Spanish while honoring his Cuban roots and expressing his gratitude to his grandparents.

Fans on social media shared their reactions to the Indiana quarterback's Heisman acceptance speech. Some praised him while others expressed their displeasure with him addressing the ceremony in Spanish.

"Where is ICE when you need them," one fan commented.

"That's a Heisman speech people will remember," another fan said.

"Most articulate winner of all time," this fan wrote

"Mendoza just turned a Heisman moment into a lessson on humility, respect and the importance of where you come from," another fan said.

"Learn English please," one fan wrote.

"What has happened to this country," another fan commented.

Mendoza received 643 first-place votes and 2,362 total points. Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia finished as the runner-up with 180 first-place votes, while Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love came in third with 46 first-place votes.

After spending the first three seasons with the California Golden Bears, Fernando Mendoza made the decision to transfer to play for Indiana in December 2024. He ended the 2025 season tallying 2,980 yards and 33 TDs passing with a 71.5% pass completion rate.

Skip Bayless ditches Fernando Mendoza for Diego Pavia as deserving Heisman winner

On X, Skip Bayless did not hesitate in expressing his thoughts on who the actual 2025 Heisman winner should have been.

After Mendoza was named as the winner, he shared a tweet on X stating that Diego Pavia deserved to win the coveted award but fell short because of his "swagger."

"Congrats to Fernando Mendoza... nice memorized, rehearsed speech ... But Diego Pavia deserved this award for his performance on the field, even if his swagger and edge rubbed some voters and viewers the wrong way," Bayless wrote.

The Hoosiers will be waiting to know who their opponents will be in the Rose Bowl playoff quarterfinal game between Alabama and Oklahoma. Can Mendoza help the program dethrone Ohio State as the national champions?

Edited by Priyam Hazarika