Every quarterback to defeat Alabama football during Nick Saban era
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During his 17 seasons in Tuscaloosa, Nick Saban lost only 29 times as head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide.
When taking a look at those 29 losses, more times than not, it required a special performance from the quarterback position in particular against the Alabama defense, both in terms of passing and rushing. As a result of this, some of the quarterbacks who defeated the Crimson Tide during the Saban era went on to become household names due to their performances, with some even going on to win the Heisman Trophy.
Here is every quarterback who defeated Alabama during the Nick Saban era from 2007-23, as well as how each performed against the Crimson Tide during those games.
Matthew Stafford, Georgia Bulldogs
The very first quarterback to defeat Saban at Alabama likely ended up being the best of them all in Stafford, who led Georgia to a 26-23 road win in Tuscaloosa early in the 2007 season. A game which featured a pair of ranked teams, Stafford completed 19-of-35 passes for 224 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in the win, while also rushing for five yards on two attempts.
Xavier Lee, Florida State Seminoles
A neutral-site game played in Jacksonville, Lee was the primary signal caller during Florida State's 21-14 win against Alabama back in 2007. An Alabama team that was ranked at the time, Lee completed 12-of-19 passes for 224 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, while also leading the Seminoles in rushing with 59 yards on 11 attempts.
Matt Flynn, LSU Tigers
Saban's first season at Alabama featured four losses during the month of November, the first of which came against Flynn and LSU in a ranked showdown in Tuscaloosa. A game won by the Tigers, 41-34, Flynn completed 24-of-44 passes for 353 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions, while also rushing for 19 yards on 10 attempts.
Wesley Carroll, Mississippi State Bulldogs
Carroll and Mississippi State upset a ranked Alabama team in Starkville back in 2007, 17-12. The Bulldogs' starter struggled mightily though in the win, completing 9-of-21 passes for 100 yards and an interception.
Kinsmon Lancaster, Louisiana Monroe Warhawks
Lancaster was the starting quarterback for what was the most shocking loss of the Saban era at Alabama, a game which saw the Crimson Tide upset at home by Louisiana Monroe, 21-14. In the shocking upset, Lancaster completed 14-of-24 passes for 161 yards and a touchdown.
Brandon Cox, Auburn Tigers
Saban's first Iron Bowl at Alabama featured a 17-10 road loss at Auburn, a game that Cox started for the Tigers. Cox completed 12-of-22 passes in that year's Iron Bowl for 117 yards and an interception, while also rushing for a score.
Tim Tebow, Florida Gators
Alabama's first-of-two losses during the 2008 season came against Florida in that year's SEC Championship Game, a game which saw the Crimson Tide fall 31-20 in a top five showdown. The Heisman Trophy winning quarterback completed 14-of-22 passes for 216 yards and three touchdowns in the win, while also leading the Gators in rushing with 57 yards on 17 attempts.
Brian Johnson, Utah Utes
Johnson led Utah to a 31-17 win over Alabama in the 2008 Sugar Bowl, a game which featured a pair of teams who were ranked in the Top 10. In the win, Johnson completed 27-of-41 passes for 336 yards and three touchdowns.
Stephen Garcia, South Carolina Gamecocks
After not losing in 2009, Alabama's next loss did not come until midway through 2010 when the defending national champion Crimson Tide were upset in Columbia by South Carolina in a Top 25 showdown, 35-21. Garcia completed 17-of-20 passes for 201 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception in the win, while also rushing for 11 yards on seven attempts.
Jordan Jefferson, LSU Tigers
A game where Jarrett Lee also saw action, Jefferson led LSU to a Top 10 home win over Alabama in 2010, 24-21. In the home win, Jefferson completed 10-of-13 passes for 141 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 27 yards on seven attempts.
Cam Newton, Auburn Tigers
Newton, the eventual Heisman Trophy winner, led Auburn to a comeback 28-27 victory in Tuscaloosa in the 2010 Iron Bowl, a Tigers team that later went on to win the national championship as well. The Auburn signal caller had a big day despite the Tigers' slow start, completing 13-of-20 passes for 216 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for 39 yards and a score on 22 attempts.
Jordan Jefferson, LSU Tigers
Jefferson became the first opposing quarterback to defeat Saban's Alabama twice back in 2011, doing so during the infamous "Game of the Century" in Tuscaloosa between the nation's top two teams. A game won by LSU, 9-6, this matchup also featured Jarrett Lee seeing action, with Jefferson completing 6-of-10 passes for 67 yards, while also rushing for 43 yards on 11 attempts.
Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M Aggies
Manziel announced himself to the college football world during Texas A&M's 2012 trip to Tuscaloosa, a game which saw the Aggies win a Top 25 matchup, 29-24. The eventual Heisman Trophy winner, Manziel completed 24-of-31 passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns, while also leading the Aggies in rushing with 92 yards on 18 attempts.
Nick Marshall, Auburn Tigers
One of the most memorable Iron Bowl's off all-time, Marshall led Auburn to a 34-28 win over Alabama in a top five, high-stakes matchup at the end of the 2013 regular season. A game Auburn won via the "Kick Six" on the final play, Marshall completed 11-of-16 passes for 97 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing for 99 yards and a score on 17 attempts.
Trevor Knight, Oklahoma Sooners
In the next game following the aforementioned loss at Auburn, Alabama's 2013 season ended with a 45-31 upset loss to Oklahoma and Knight in that year's Sugar Bowl. Knight completed 32-of-44 passes for 348 yards, four touchdowns, and an interception in the win, while also rushing for seven yards.
Bo Wallace, Ole Miss Rebels
Alabama's first loss of the 2014 campaign came in Oxford when the Crimson Tide were upset by Wallace and Ole Miss in a Top 15 matchup, 23-17. Wallace completed 18-of-31 passes for 251 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for 32 yards.
Cardale Jones, Ohio State Buckeyes
Jones introduced himself to the college football world back in 2014 when the Ohio State backup led the Buckeyes to a 42-35 win in that season's CFP Semifinal at the Sugar Bowl. In the win, Jones completed 18-of-35 passes for 243 yards, one touchdown, and an interception, while also rushing for 43 yards on 17 attempts.
Chad Kelly, Ole Miss Rebels
Alabama's lone defeat of their 2015 national title winning season came at the hands of Ole Miss in Tuscaloosa, when Kelly led the Rebels to a 43-37 upset of Alabama in a Top 15 showdown. Kelly, who rushed for 21 yards and a score in the game, completed 18-of-33 passes for 341 yards and three touchdowns.
Deshaun Watson, Clemson Tigers
After falling to Alabama the year before, Watson and No. 2 Clemson topped the No. 1 Crimson Tide in the 2016 CFP national championship game, 35-31. A game which Clemson won in the final seconds, Watson completed 36-of-56 passes for 420 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for 43 yards and a score on 21 attempts.
Jarrett Stidham, Auburn Tigers
Stidham and the Tigers defeated Alabama during a high-stakes, Top 10 Iron Bowl showdown in Auburn during 2017, 26-14. The Auburn quarterback completed 21-of-28 passes for 237 yards, with Stidham also rushing for 51 yards and a touchdown on 12 attempts.
Trevor Lawrence, Clemson Tigers
Alabama's lone defeat during the 2018 season came in the CFP national championship game against Clemson, a No. 2 ranked Tigers team which defeated the No. 1 Crimson Tide in blowout fashion, 44-16. Lawrence enjoyed a strong showing against the Alabama defense by completing 20-of-32 passes for 347 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for 27 yards on six attempts.
Joe Burrow, LSU Tigers
Burrow, the eventual Heisman Trophy winner, led LSU to a 46-41 road win at Alabama during the 2019 season, with both teams ranked within the top five nationally at the time. The Tigers' signal caller completed 31-of-39 passes for 393 yards and three touchdowns in the win for the eventual national champions, while also rushing for 64 yards on 14 attempts.
Bo Nix, Auburn Tigers
Nix and Auburn upset Alabama at home in the 2019 Iron Bowl, with the Tigers winning the Top 15 matchup, 48-45. The Auburn quarterback completed 15-of-30 passes in the win for 173 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing for 44 yards and another score.
Zach Calzada, Texas A&M Aggies
Alabama's first loss during the 2021 season came on the road in College Station when the top ranked Crimson Tide were upset by an unranked Texas A&M team led by Calzada, 41-38. A game the Aggies won on a field goal as time expired, Calzada completed 21-of-31 passes for 285 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception, rushing for 12 yards also.
Stetson Bennett IV, Georgia Bulldogs
Georgia defeated Alabama in the 2021 CFP national championship game, 33-18, with Bennett leading the Bulldogs in the win. In the win, Bennett completed 17-of-26 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns.
Hendon Hooker, Tennessee Volunteers
Alabama's first loss of the 2022 season came in Knoxville against Tennessee in a high-scoring, Top 10 showdown, 52-49. Hooker completed 21-of-30 passes for 385 yards, five touchdowns, and an interception in the win, while also rushing for 56 yards on 14 attempts.
Jayden Daniels, LSU Tigers
Alabama's other loss during the 2022 season also came on the final play when LSU upset the Crimson Tide in a Top 10 showdown in Baton Rouge, 32-31. Daniels had a big showing on the ground by rushing for 95 yards and a score on 18 attempts, while also completing 22-of-32 passes for 182 yards and two touchdowns.
Quinn Ewers, Texas Longhorns
Saban's final season at Alabama in 2023 featured two losses, the first of which came at home when the Crimson Tide were upset by Texas in a Top 15 matchup, 34-24. Ewers led the Longhorns that day by completing 24-of-38 passes for 349 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for 11 yards.
JJ McCarthy, Michigan Wolverines
Saban's final loss as head coach at Alabama came against No. 1 Michigan in the CFP Semifinal at the Rose Bowl, a 27-20 loss to the Wolverines in overtime. McCarthy was the starting quarterback for Michigan in that game, as the Wolverines' signal caller completed 17-of-27 passes for 221 yards and three touchdowns, while also rushing for 25 yards.
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This article originally appeared on Roll Tide Wire: Every quarterback to defeat Alabama football during Nick Saban era
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