Alabama suffers its worst postseason defeat in school history as Indiana defeats them in the Rose Bowl
Indiana advanced to the College Football Playoff semifinals on Thursday after defeating Alabama 38–3 in the Rose Bowl.It was the Crimson Tide's most worst postseason loss in program history. Additionally, it was Alabama's largest loss margin in a game since a 42-6 loss to Arkansas on September 26, 1998.
Indiana hadn't won a bowl game since the Copper Bowl in 1991, but during the coach's two incredible seasons, Curt Cignetti and his powerful Hoosiers were unmatched by history.
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza passed for 192 yards and three touchdowns in his first game since winning his school’s first Heisman Trophy.
Indiana scored the game’s first 24 points before pouring it on with fourth quarter rushing TDs from Kaelon Black and Roman Hemby, wrapping up a jubilant win in the 112th edition of the "Granddaddy of Them All."
Charlie Becker, Omar Cooper Jr. and Elijah Sarratt caught TD passes, while Black rushed for 99 yards. Indiana outgained Alabama 407-193, steadily delighting a decidedly pro-Indiana crowd that celebrated its long-struggling team’s first Rose Bowl game appearance since 1968 with chants of "Hoosier Daddy?" in the final minutes.
The Hoosiers will play fifth-seeded Oregon in the CFP semifinal rematch at the Peach Bowl on January 9. Oregon defeated Texas Tech 23-0 in the Orange Bowl earlier on Thursday. In one of Cignetti's most spectacular Big Ten triumphs, Indiana defeated the No. 3 Ducks 30-20 in Eugene in October.
As the only team to progress following a first-round bye in the current 12-team playoff structure, Indiana is now two wins away from winning the first national championship in school history. The Hoosiers handled business and improved to 25-2 under Cignetti, whereas the previous six bye teams, including the first two this season, were unable to bounce back from an extra-long break.
The Crimson Tide’s second season under Kalen DeBoer ended in the same venue as its final season under Nick Saban two years ago. Alabama was outclassed one week after an impressive road win over Oklahoma, managing just 151 yards before the meaningless final minutes of this blowout.
Ty Simpson passed for 67 yards before backup Austin Mack replaced him in the third quarter. Mack immediately got the Tide rolling on a 65-yard drive leading to a short field goal, but the Hoosiers responded with two touchdown drives.
Indiana dominated the famous Rose Bowl turf, which stayed pristine despite nearly 24 hours of steady rain before kickoff. The storms dissipated while the Hoosiers took their first-half lead, and blue skies appeared in the second half.
After the first scoreless first quarter in a Rose Bowl in 26 years, Indiana’s second drive stretched 84 yards and 16 plays over nearly nine minutes before Nicolas Radicic’s 31-yard field goal on the first snap of the second quarter.
Indiana’s defense then stopped Alabama on fourth and 1 at the Tide 34, and Mendoza fired a long, high pass to the leaping Becker four plays later for a 21-yard touchdown.
Simpson fumbled in Indiana territory after a courageous first-down scramble late in the first half, and the Hoosiers methodically drove for Mendoza’s 1-yard TD pass with 17 seconds left to Cooper, the hero of Indiana’s dramatic victory over Penn State.
Mendoza led a methodical 79-yard drive after halftime, culminating in his 24-yard touchdown pass to a leaping Sarratt.
The triumph is the most recent development in a two-season comeback for a team that, before to Cignetti's leadership, had the most losses in college football history. The Hoosiers dominated their schedule last fall, defeating Ohio State, the reigning national champion, for the Big Ten championship and moving up to the top spot in the AP Top 25 for the first time after winning 11 games and making it to the CFP the previous season.
