Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is the betting favorite to win the Heisman Trophy heading into Week 10, but Ohio State’s Julian Sayin and Alabama’s Ty Simpson are close behind. Simpson is firmly in the race for the sport’s most prestigious individual accolade, but that’s not his focus.
Simpson has checked just about every box on the field in his first season as Alabama’s starting quarterback, and he keeps winning off the field, too. When asked about the Heisman race on the Jim Rome Show, Simpson responded, The championship hallway we have, there's only four Heisman Trophies, but there's six national championships in there. That's what I really care about."
What would earning a trip to New York mean to Ty Simpson? He tells @jimrome during the open week.
— Charlie Potter (@Charlie_Potter) October 28, 2025
"The championship hallway we have, there's only four Heisman Trophies, but there's six national championships in there. That's what I really care about."
🔗 https://t.co/bbbsoibT7b pic.twitter.com/6aHKZ3fJ4K
It was the perfect response and exactly what Alabama fans and Simpson’s teammates want to hear as the Tide prepares for the final four games of the regular season.
Ty Simpson has a national championship on his mind
Individually, Simpson has been remarkable this season. After struggling in his first career start at Florida State in Week 1, the redshirt junior has settled in and is second in the SEC in passing yards and first in passing touchdowns with 20 to just one interception. However, it’s what that play has translated to that is most impressive.
Despite the Crimson Tide ranking 125th in the FBS in rushing success rate and 100th in rushing yards per game, Alabama’s offense is still top 20 nationally in EPA/play and EPA/game. Simpson has carried the unit through a stretch of five straight SEC games, including four in a row against ranked opponents.
With consecutive wins over Georgia, Vanderbilt, Missouri, and Tennessee, Alabama became the first team in conference history to win four-straight games against ranked SEC opponents without a bye week in between. He then followed that up by delivering a clutch fourth-quarter game-tying touchdown drive in a hostile Williams-Brice Stadium to lead a come-from-behind win against South Carolina.
If Alabama wins the SEC Title, Simpson will have a strong case to win the Heisman Trophy, but more importantly, it will have a bulletproof case for a top-four seed in the College Football Playoff and the accompanying bye through the first round. There’s no reason that Simpson can’t accomplish both, but it’s obvious which of those two goals is top of mind for the unquestioned leader of the Crimson Tide.