Curt Cignetti, Indiana lose Fernando Mendoza successor for 2026 after National Championship

On the morning after the school’s first-ever College Football Playoff National Championship crowning, the Indiana Hoosiers learned that Fernando Mendoza’s successor had entered the NCAA transfer portal, with one clear favorite emerging to sign him. In the blink of an eye, Curt Cignetti and company discovered there might not be a competition for the starting quarterback job next spring.

Indiana’s backup quarterback behind Fernando Mendoza—his brother Alberto Mendoza—has announced his decision to enter the transfer portal ahead of the 2026 college football season, as reported by Matt Zenitz and Chris Hummer.

After being limited throughout his two years in Bloomington, the three-star recruit is now off to his next destination in the NCAA. During his time with the Indiana Hoosiers, the Heisman trophy winner’s brother only made appearances in garbage time as Indiana blew its competition out of the water.

Where will Mendoza play in 2026?

According to On3, Alberto Mendoza is headed out of the Big Ten Conference. Instead, the former James Madison commit who followed Curt Cignetti to Indiana is reportedly signing with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets as a transfer. Georgia Tech is coming off a promising year with Haynes King under center.

Fernando Mendoza at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

However, King is headed to the NFL Draft, leaving the starting job race wide open in Atlanta. Mendoza will vie to earn the QB1 role, as the Yellow Jackets boast an exciting offense—one that has become even more appealing after Alabama and Michigan RB transfer Justice Haynes joined their backfield.

Who will Indiana start at QB in 2026?

With the Mendoza brothers headed for the exit door—Fernando trending to be the No. 1 selection in the 2026 NFL Draft and Alberto looking for an opportunity to be a starter in college football—Cignetti and Indiana will stare at a depleted quarterback room in Bloomington. However, all hope is not lost. Instead, the Hoosiers believe they have found their next great quarterback in the portal.

The Indiana Hoosiers have signed TCU transfer Josh Hoover, who was expected to be the starting quarterback in 2026 even if Alberto Mendoza stayed with the program. With the younger sibling of the Heisman winner out of the picture, all signs indicate the redshirt senior out of Rockwall, Texas will run away with the first-string job.