Indiana QB depth chart: Brother Alberto Mendoza and other backup options for Fernando Mendoza

Indiana is looking to prove it’s worthy of its No. 1 seed in this year's College Football Playoff, set to take on No. 9 Alabama in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1. The Hoosiers are 6.5-point favorites over the Crimson Tide.

A big reason for Indiana's success this season is how well quarterback Fernando Mendoza has been playing. On the season, he has thrown for 2,980 yards with 33 touchdowns and six interceptions. He has been the Hoosiers' starter all season, successfully winning the job after transferring from Cal.

But Mendoza did have to leave the Big Ten title game briefly after taking a big hit on the first play of the game. His backup, younger brother Alberto Mendoza, had to come in for him for one play.

Let's take a deeper look at Indiana's quarterback depth chart.

MORE: Why Fernando Mendoza transferred from Cal to Indiana

Indiana QB depth chart

Here's a look at Indiana's current quarterback room, featuring the two Mendoza brothers: 

Fernando Mendoza 

Fernando Mendoza has been lighting up defenses all season long. His best game came against Michigan State, when he threw for 332 yards with four touchdowns and zero interceptions. He's also completed 71.5 percent of his passes on the year, good for sixth in the nation.

Although he threw an interception, his 222 passing yards with a touchdown against Ohio State helped the Hoosiers secure their first Big Ten title since 1967. It was also a big reason he became the first Heisman Trophy winner in school history.

Alberto Mendoza

Alberto Mendoza was rated as a 3-star quarterback recruit per the 247Sports Composite. He was ranked as the No. 84 overall quarterback from the class of 2024 and 204th among recruits from his home state of Florida. He received offers from James Madison, App State, East Carolina, and several other non-power schools. Indiana and Duke were his only power-conference school offers.

On the season, Mendoza has thrown for 286 yards with five touchdowns and one interception.

He appeared in the Big Ten title game for one play after Fernando took a big hit on the first play of the game.

Grant Wilson 

Grant Wilson is a redshirt senior out of Arlington, Va. He started his career at Fordham in 2020 before transferring to Old Dominion prior to the 2023 season. He saw the most playing time of his career at Old Dominion in 2023, throwing for 2,149 yards with 17 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Over his career, he has 2,661 yards with 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

Jacob Bell

Jacob Bell is a true freshman out of Naperville, Ill. A former 3-star recruit from the class of 2025, he has yet to see any game action. 

MORE: Exploring the Mendoza family's Miami roots

Who is Fernando Mendoza's brother?

Fernando Mendoza's brother is Alberto Mendoza, who is a redshirt freshman. Alberto signed with the Hoosiers in Dec. 2023, and took a redshirt in 2024. 

Is Alberto Mendoza as good as Fernando Mendoza?

It's too early to tell at this point, given Alberto's lack of starting experience in college. But Alberto was a much higher-rated recruit coming out of high school, and he had several more offers than his brother did. 

We'll have to see how Alberto's college career develops over the coming years.