(New York City) — Indiana redshirt junior quarterback Fernando Mendoza won the school’s first Heisman Trophy as college football’s most outstanding player Saturday night.

Mendoza came out of nowhere this season to win the award, not listed on any preseason Heisman Trophy oddsmakers’ lists or even the Big Ten Conference preseason honors.

None of that mattered to the 22-year-old Miami, Florida product, as he completed 71.5% of his passes for 2,980 yards. He led the nation with 33 touchdown passes (an IU record), ranked second in passer rating, and was the third Big Ten quarterback since 2000 with three-straight games of at least four passing touchdowns and no interceptions.

Mendoza is the first Heisman winner from the Big Ten since Ohio State QB Troy Smith won in 2006.

Mendoza, who transferred to Indiana from Cal this past offseason, received 643 first-place votes and 2,362 total points. Diego Pavia, who put the perennial cellar-dweller Vanderbilt on the map and led them to their first 10-win season in 122 seasons of playing football, was second in the voting (189 first-place votes, 1,435 points).

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love came in third (46, 719) and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin was fourth (8, 432).

Mendoza’s journey to the top of college football was a story in itself. Playing at Christopher Columbus High School,  he was a two-star recruit and was ranked the 72nd-best quarterback prospect in his class by ESPN. With only one Power Four scholarship offer, Mendoza initially committed to Yale before shifting his focus to California.

But transferring 2,200 miles east to Bloomington proved an easy decision, as his younger brother, Alberto, was already on the roster as a quarterback and he had earned his undergraduate degree from Cal in just three years.

Now, Mendoza, who is the seventh transfer to win the Heisman in the last nine years, will attempt to lead his team to another unprecedented accomplishment – a first national championship.