The 2025 college football season was defined by the Indiana Hoosiers and their star quarterback Fernando Mendoza. After transferring from Cal to Indiana, Mendoza has a fairy tale season winning the Heisman Trophy and the National Championship becoming a household name. After a magical college football season, Mendoza is in all likelihood going to be the 1st Overall Pick.
Heading into the 2026 college football season, every team is trying to replicate the Indiana Hoosiers success from this season. Several teams will look to follow Indiana's path as they added transfer quarterbacks with several having a chance to follow the trajectory of Fernando Mendoza.
These 5 transfer could be next to accomplish Fernando Mendoza's success
5. Katin Houser
Illinois continues to build toward a College Football Playoff bid, but the Illini needed to replace Luke Altmyer this offseason. East Carolina transfer Katin Houser transfers in with a similar athletic profile, and if he can play at a similar level to what we just saw, this team shouldn't take a step back this season.
4. Josh Hoover
If anyone's going to follow the path Fernando Mendoza just took, you have to mention the quarterback directly following him at Indiana. Josh Hoover joins the Hoosiers with a ton of pressure, but the talent to pass him up. Indiana once again attacked the Transfer Portal, and with weapons like Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh we should see Hoover's best season yet.
3. Brendan Sorsby
The biggest splash of the offseason was made by Texas Tech going out and landing Brendan Sorsby from Cincinnati. Texas Tech's offense was exposed in the Playoffs, and the Red Raiders went out and landed the best transfer on the market. Sorsby could've been a late 1st Round Pick this offseason, and playing with the weapons he'll have this season should allow him to hit the next level.
2. Darian Mensah
The Miami Hurricanes got their lucky break when Darian Mensah announced his plans to enter the Transfer Portal on the final day of the window. Mensah jumped from Tulane to Duke, and proved he can play at this level, finishing 2nd in the Country in yards and touchdowns. Mensah will have an elite wide receiver duo and could certainly play his way into winning Mendoza's accomplishments.
1. Sam Leavitt
Sam Leavitt missed most of 2025 with an injury, but after his 2024 season where he took Arizona State to the College Football Playoff, it's hard not to be excited about his potential in a Lane Kiffin offense. Leavitt has dual threat ability, and he'll have weapons all around him giving him a great chance to post a monster season. The biggest question will be Leavitt's health after he missed most of this season.