Fernando Mendoza leads the nation in touchdown passes (24) and the Big Ten in rushing-plus-passing touchdowns (27).

He remains active only on LinkedIn and YouTube, the latter, he says, so he can watch NFL film.

Various sportsbooks now consider Mendoza one of two favorites, or perhaps the lone favorite, to win this year's Heisman Trophy.

IU kicks off at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, at Maryland. The game is scheduled to be broadcast on CBS.

BLOOMINGTON — Last week, somewhere in his regimented build-up to Indiana ’s end-of-October visit from UCLA, Fernando Mendoza opened his phone and fired a text message off to Matt Leinart.

Mendoza first connected with the Fox "Big Noon Kickoff" analyst — and, crucially, former Heisman Trophy winner — in an interview for Fox’s weekly Saturday pregame show.

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