Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is a Heisman Trophy winner, and many of his colleagues at the Heisman House have beaten Alabama before. Can history repeat itself as the Hoosiers chase a national title? Alabama is the first step in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy this year, and it was well deserved. He won the vote in a landslide, and has the 13-0 Hoosiers seeded No. 1 in this year's College Football Playoff.
Indiana is three games away from a national championship, which would be a football first for the school. They take on No. 9 seed Alabama — a school that claims 18 national titles — on Jan. 1 in the Rose Bowl.
Alabama might be the most high-profile program in the nation, and they've been in these situations many times before. Want some good news on that history? Heisman Trophy winners are 5-3 vs. Alabama in the year that they won the trophy.
Alabama certainly has a lot of respect for Mendoza.
“I just think Mendoza winning the Heisman, that doesn’t happen by accident,” Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said. “You put a whole season of film together, of games and stringing them each and every week and you end up undefeated because a trigger man can make some plays and do his things at an extremely high level.
“When the opportunities are there, they get it done.”
Mendoza thoroughly enjoyed his awards week celebrations, especially the weekend in New York when he won the Heisman. He celebrated it all with his family and teammates, but when they all got back to Bloomington, they started getting to work.
Mendoza and the Hoosiers, while thrilled to be 13-0 and Big Ten champs, know that there is still plenty of work left to do.
“I think this is pushing us forward, and now all of our team understands that we need to be humble and hungry. It’s 'congrats,' and all this stuff. We did it, we got the (Heisman) trophy.
“Now it’s on to the real trophy — or the season’s trophy — which is the national championship.”
Here's how Alabama has fared against Heisman winners through the years.
Jayden Daniels, LSU (2023): In a regular season game on Nov. 4, 2023 in Tuscaloosa, Daniels threw for 219 yards on 15-of-245 passing in Alabama's 42-28 win over LSU. Daniels rushed for 163 yards and scored a touchdown. Alabama went 12-0 that season and made the four-team College Football Playoff, losing to Michigan 27-20 in overtime in the semifinals.
Joe Burrow, LSU (2019): Burrow might have had the greatest season in college football history on the way to his Heisman, and he beat Alabama 46-41 on Nov. 9, 2019 on the way to the Tigers' national title. Burrow was 31-of-39 passing for 393 yards with three touchdown passes, plus another 64 yards rushing. Alabama went 11-2 that year, beating Michigan in the Citrus Bowl.
Kyler Murray, Oklahoma (2018): Alabama beat Murray and Oklahoma 45-34 in the College Football Playoff semifinals. Murray was 19-for-37 passing for 308 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed for 109 yards. Alabama finished 14-1 that season, with their only loss coming in the national championship game against Clemson.
Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M (2012): Manziel stunned the college football world by upsetting No. 1 Alabama on Nov. 10, 2012 in Tuscaloosa, winning 29-24. He passed for 253 yards and two scores, and ran for another 92. Alabama would finish 13-1 that year, beating Notre Dame for the national title. Manziel was the first freshman to ever win the Heisman.
Cam Newton, Auburn (2010): Newton led Auburn to a 28-27 victory over Alabama on Nov. 29, 2010 in Tuscaloosa. He was 13-for-20 passing for 216 yards and three touchdowns. Alabama went 10-3 that year. Auburn beat Oregon in the BCS National Championship Game that season.
Jason White, Oklahoma (2003): Oklahoma quarterback Jason White led the No. 1-ranked Sooners to a win over Alabama in a regular season game on Sept. 6, 2003. This was a rough year for the Crimson Tide. They went 4-8 on the year and just 2-6 in SEC play. White was 21-of-35 passing for 259 yards and two touchdowns.
Danny Wuerffel, Florida (1996): Wuerffel and his Gators beat Alabama 45-30 in the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta. Wuerffel had a game for the ages, passing for 401 yards and six touchdowns. A month later, the Gators beat No. 1 Florida State to win the national title under Steve Spurrier.
Gino Torretta, Miami (1982): Torretta and the Hurricanes squared off with Alabama in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, 1983, and the Crimson Tide pounded them 34-13. Torretta was 24-of-56 passing for 278 yards, but he didn't have a single touchdown pass and had three interceptions.