HeisMendoza! Buy our Heisman commemorative page print + new book
Fernando Mendoza is the first Heisman Trophy winner for the Indiana Hoosiers.
HeisMendoza? Indeed!
And Indiana football’s season for the ages continues to steamroll into uncharted territory.
Quarterback Fernando Mendoza became the first Hoosier to win the Heisman Trophy on Saturday, Dec. 13, easily outdistancing runner-up Diego Pavia, Vanderbilt’s quarterback. The trophy was awarded for the 91st time in a nationally televised ceremony from New York’s Jazz at Lincoln Center.
To celebrate Mendonza’s historic award, the IndyStar has crafted a commemorative page print that fans can purchase (or give as a holiday gift) for as little as $27. The full-page print features “HeisMendoza” as its big headline and a photograph from the Big Apple festivities.
Page prints come in a variety of sizes and formats and start at $27 (plus tax and shipping) through the Paste BN Store. For more details, go to usatodaystore.com.
Mendoza, a fourth-year junior who transferred this year from California, was the second Heisman finalist in IU’s history. Running back Anthony Thompson finished as the runner-up in 1989 to Houston QB Andre Ware. The previous year, Thompson was ninth in the balloting.
Other top-10 finishers for the Hoosiers include Bill Hillenbrand (1942), Vaughn Dunbar (1991), Antwaan Randle El (2001), Tevin Coleman (2014) and Kurtis Rourke (2024).
Order your IndyStar page print today to celebrate Mendoza’s feat and to recognize your fandom didn’t waver in the lean decades.
Buy our Heisman page print as a gift
Keep reading for more page prints and a hardcover book that would make incredible souvenirs or gifts for any Hoosiers fan.
A keepsake for the ages
After the Hoosiers won their first Big Ten championship since the 1960s, the IndyStar and Bloomington Herald-Times announced a forthcoming hardcover collector’s book about the championship season.
Just days ago, the book’s cover was updated to capture the outpouring of excitement and emotion after the Hoosiers stunned top-ranked Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game. In the sea of humanity at Lucas Oil Stadium, quarterback Fernando Mendoza and defensive lineman Mario Landino embraced after a title that hadn’t seemed possible for decades.
Now they grace the cover of “PERFECT! Indiana’s Historic Rise to the Big Ten Championship.” The photograph was taken by Rich Janzaruk of the Herald-Times.
“PERFECT!” will chronicle how Indiana — now 13-0, ranked atop the polls and the CFP’s top seed — scored at least 50 points in six games, beat Ohio State for the first time since 1988 and won its first outright conference title since 1945. It will chronicle Mendoza’s epic journey from a two-star recruit to winner of the Heisman Trophy, the Maxwell Award, the Walter Camp Award, the Davey O’Brien Award, the Graham-George Award as the Big Ten’s offensive player of the year and the Grange-Griffin Trophy as the MVP of the Big Ten championship game.
This coffee-table collector’s book also will include full coverage of the College Football Playoff. And its cover with change again if — displaying plenty of grit as always and getting a little well-timed luck — the Hoosiers capture the CFP championship next month at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
It’s all there: The victory at Oregon that announced Indiana as a national contender. The Mendoza-to-Cooper toe-tap touchdown to stun Penn State. The 56-3 rout at Purdue in the 100th game with the Old Oaken Bucket at stake. The unforgettable night at Indianapolis when the Hoosiers won their third Big Ten title. And the next afternoon when they were ranked No. 1 in the polls for the first time ever.
“PERFECT!” will feature all the players (and personalities), not just Mendoza, who made it happen: Omar Cooper Jr., Elijah Sarratt, Roman Hemby, Nico Radicic, Carter Smith, Tyrique Tucker, Aiden Fisher, Louis Moore, D’Angelo Ponds, Rolijah Hardy, Riley Nowakowski and their close-knit teammates. Plus, of course, Curt Cignetti, back-to-back winner of the Hayes-Schembechler Award as Big Ten coach of the year.
The hardcover book will be packed with exclusive photography, behind-the-scenes access and game-by-game coverage from the award-winning journalists at the IndyStar and Herald-Times.
“PERFECT!” retails for $39.95 but order now for a 10% discount. That’s $35.95, plus tax and shipping. Although the book won’t be finished until after the season (and maybe a championship parade!), gift vouchers are available right now for holiday gift-giving.
Buy our Hoosiers championship book now!
Whether you’ve been a Hoosiers fan for decades or just arrived for the greatest era in program history, this book belongs on your coffee table. Order your copy today and own a piece of perfection. Or give perfection as the perfect holiday gift. More details at Indiana.ChampsBook.com.
Buy our Hoosiers championship book as a gift!
Deck your walls!
Besides the new HeisMendoza page print, the IndyStar previously crafted two commemorative page prints to celebrate the Hoosiers’ championship season. Hard to imagine that two years ago, before Cignetti’s arrival, they finished a lowly 3-9.
One page print features the big headline UNDISPUTED! and a stunning celebration photo of a bruised but victorious Mendoza after the 13-10 victory over Ohio State in the Big Ten championship game.
The other features the big headline PERFECTION and a photo of Cignetti stalking the sidelines.
Page prints start at $27 (plus tax and shipping) and come in a variety of sizes and formats through the Paste BN Store. For more details, go to usatodaystore.com and explore all Indianapolis memorabilia.
More for the holidays
Still looking for the perfect holiday gift for the Hoosier in your life? The IndyStar has several books that should check a gift or two off your to-do list. If you’re worried a gift won’t arrive in time, vouchers are available for holiday giving.
Culture Shock: The Inside Story of the Best Football Season in Indiana History
“CULTURE SHOCK: The Inside Story of the Best Football Season in Indiana History.” In 2023, the Hoosiers lost nine of their 12 games. In 2024, new coach Curt Cignetti inherited a team picked for 17th in the Big Ten but finished 11-2 and reached the College Football Playoff. The 2024 season built the foundation for 2025's rocket ship to the stars. Details at Indiana.PictorialBook.com.
Buy our 2024 Hoosiers commemorative book now!
Lee Corso: Not So Fast, My Friend: A tribute to the soul of college football
“LEE CORSO: Not So Fast, My Friend: A Tribute to the Soul of College Football.” Each of the 160 stunning pages celebrates what makes college football a cherished American passion. Besides insider stories about Corso’s career as a Florida Seminole (rooming with Burt Reynolds), college coach (spending a decade at Indiana) and beloved broadcaster (38 years with ESPN), “Not So Fast, My Friend” includes tidbits about every major-college team, including the Hoosiers, and each of Corso’s 431 headgear predictions. Details at Corso.PictorialBook.com.
Buy our Lee Corso tribute book now!
Gold Rush! How the Indiana Pacers claimed their first Eastern Conference title in 25 years
“GOLD RUSH! How the Indiana Pacers claimed their first Eastern Conference title in 25 years.” Boom, Baby! With a series of late-game heroics, Tyrese Haliburton led the Pacers to Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Thunder only to suffer a torn Achilles tendon in the first quarter. Details at Pacers.PictorialBook.com.
Buy our Pacers commemorative book now!
Inspiring Women of Indiana Sports: They Changed the Games We Love
“INSPIRING WOMEN OF INDIANA SPORTS: They Changed the Games We Love.” The Hoosier State has produced champions across every sport imaginable — from Caitlin Clark’s record-breaking performances to trailblazers in track and field, swimming and diving, gymnastics, soccer, cycling and beyond. Read how they have inspired generations of athletes to chase their dreams. Details at WomenIN.PictorialBook.com.
Buy our book on inspiring Indiana women now!
Chasing Gold: A Kid’s Guide to the 2026 Winter Olympics
“CHASING GOLD: A Kid’s Guide to the 2026 Winter Olympics.” Watch your little ones’ eyes light up as they discover figure skating, skiing and other winter sports, meet Team USA’s superstars and try the book’s fun activities such as Olympic bingo and crafts. Details at Gold.KidsGuidebook.com.
Buy our Winter Olympics book for kids now!
Contact Gene Myers at gmyers@usatodayco.com. Check out books and page prints from the Paste BN Network — including Caitlin Clark's rookie season with the Fever, Coach Steve’s youth sports survival guide and 100 years of the Grand Ole Opry.
This story was updated to provide more information about Paste BN Network books.