The Cincinnati Bengals are partially an evolved version of the National Championship-winning 2019 LSU Tigers team, as star quarterback Joe Burrow and star wideout Ja'Marr Chase were both on that squad. However, LSU had plenty of other future NFL stars on that team, including Minnesota Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Patrick Queen, and Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.

That's why Chase scoffed at the notion of the 2025 title-winning Indiana squad being able to beat the 2019 LSU team head-to-head, via his "Chasing No. 1" podcast on Overtime.

"Bro, there is no chance," the 25-year-old said. 

Asked how the defense would stop Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza, Chase replied "Boy, you know who we had on that back? It was 22 [players], all the starters went to the league."

LSU tied an NFL record with 14 players selected in the 2020 draft, per NFL.com. In addition to the aforementioned players, the list includes linebacker K'lavon Chasson, running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, safety Grant Delpit, cornerback Kristian Fulton, offensive lineman Damien Lewis, offensive lineman Lloyd Cushenberry, linebacker Jacob Phillips, offensive lineman Saahdiq Charles, defensive tackle Rashard Lawrence, long snapper Blake Ferguson, and tight end Stephen Sullivan. 

The Hoosiers will be hard-pressed to match that this spring, although Mendoza is projected to be picked No. 1 overall by the Las Vegas Raiders, per ESPN. Of course, Burrow was picked No. 1 by the Bengals in 2020.

The 2019 Tigers and 2025 Hoosiers also have similarities other than sporting star quarterbacks. Both teams were ranked No. 1 in the nation and went undefeated with Heisman Trophy-winning signal-callers.

However, LSU was on another level. Burrow won the Heisman by the largest margin in history after breaking the FBS records with 60 touchdown passes. Meanwhile, the team outscored opponents by a combined 726-328 despite playing in the elite SEC.

That doesn't take anything away from the Hoosiers, who executed one of the best turnarounds in NCAA history this past season after going 3-9 (1-8 Big Ten) in 2023. Mendoza led the country with 41 touchdown passes and a 90.3 ESPN quarterback rating while also sporting a 72 percent completion rate. Indiana is also the first FBS team to go 16-0 since Yale in 1984, as LSU finished 15-0 in 2019. Additionally, it finished second in the country with 11 points allowed per game.

A key difference is that the Hoosiers don't have as many star prospects as those Tigers did, although that can't be fully evaluated until their NFL careers play out. But as of now, it's safe to assume that the 2019 LSU team would beat 2025 Indiana.