When Alabama steps onto the field in Pasadena for the Rose Bowl, it won’t just be facing the No. 1 team in the country - it’ll be staring down the most decorated player in college football this season. Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza has racked up just about every major award you can win - the Heisman Trophy, the Walter Camp Award, the Maxwell Award, and AP National Player of the Year. Simply put, he's been the face of college football in 2025.
Mendoza’s numbers back up the hardware. He’s completing 72% of his passes, averaging 9.4 yards per attempt, with 33 touchdowns to just six interceptions.
His 181.4 passer efficiency rating ranks second in the country, and he sits third in ESPN’s opponent-adjusted Total QBR - a stat that accounts for quality of competition and game situation. He’s not just putting up big numbers; he’s doing it against top-tier defenses, in high-leverage moments, and doing it with precision.
For Alabama, this isn’t unfamiliar territory. The Crimson Tide have a history of going toe-to-toe with Heisman Trophy winners - and the results have been a mixed bag.
In their last eight matchups against Heisman winners during the season they won the award, Alabama has gone 3-5. Some of those games were shootouts, others were slugfests, but each came with its own set of challenges.
Let’s take a look at how those games have played out:
Jayden Daniels (LSU, 2023)
Alabama came out on top, 42-28, in a game where Daniels showed why he was the Heisman frontrunner - until he was knocked out in the fourth quarter.
He threw for 219 yards and two touchdowns, and added a jaw-dropping 163 yards and a score on the ground. It was a vintage dual-threat performance, but Alabama’s defense tightened up late and the offense capitalized.
Joe Burrow (LSU, 2019)
Burrow lit up Bryant-Denny Stadium in a 46-41 LSU win.
He was surgical, going 31-of-39 for 393 yards and three touchdowns, adding 64 yards on the ground. That LSU team was a juggernaut, and Burrow was the engine.
Alabama made a furious second-half push, but Burrow never blinked.
Kyler Murray (Oklahoma, 2018 CFP Semifinal)
In the Orange Bowl, Alabama jumped out early and held off a late push to win 45-34.
Murray put up 308 yards passing and 109 rushing - a classic Kyler stat line - but Alabama’s early dominance proved too much to overcome. It was a high-octane matchup, and Alabama’s defense did just enough to keep the Sooners at arm’s length.
Johnny Manziel (Texas A&M, 2012)
In one of the most memorable upsets of the decade, Manziel and the Aggies stunned Alabama 29-24 in Tuscaloosa.
Manziel was electric - 253 yards through the air, two touchdowns, and another 92 yards on the ground. His improvisational style gave Alabama fits all afternoon.
That was the game that cemented “Johnny Football” as a household name.
Cam Newton (Auburn, 2010)
The Iron Bowl that year was a classic.
Alabama built a 24-point lead, but Newton led a furious Auburn comeback to win 28-27. He threw for 216 yards and three touchdowns, and added another on the ground.
It was a defining moment in Newton’s legendary season and a bitter pill for Alabama fans.
Jason White (Oklahoma, 2003)
White didn’t go off statistically, but he was steady in a 20-13 win over Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
He threw for 259 yards and two touchdowns, managing the game effectively and avoiding mistakes. It wasn’t flashy, but it was enough.
Danny Wuerffel (Florida, 1996 SEC Championship)
Wuerffel torched Alabama’s defense for 401 yards and six touchdowns in a 45-30 win.
He also threw two picks and took a few hits, but his ability to bounce back and keep firing made the difference. That Gators team was loaded, and Wuerffel was the trigger man.
Gino Torretta (Miami, 1993 Sugar Bowl)
This one stands out - Alabama dominated Torretta and the Hurricanes 34-13.
The Tide defense suffocated Miami’s high-powered attack, proving that sometimes, even a Heisman winner runs into a wall. That Sugar Bowl win helped Alabama claim a national title and remains one of the program’s most iconic victories.
So what does all this mean for Alabama heading into the Rose Bowl? History shows that the Tide don’t shy away from elite quarterbacks - they’ve beaten a few, and they’ve been burned by a few.
But Mendoza presents a unique challenge. He’s not just efficient; he’s dynamic.
He can make every throw, extend plays with his legs, and he’s been remarkably poised in big moments.
If Alabama wants to punch its ticket to the national championship, it’s going to have to do what only a few teams have managed this year - slow down Fernando Mendoza. And if past matchups are any indication, expect fireworks.