{"id":487022,"date":"2026-01-02T12:05:11","date_gmt":"2026-01-02T12:05:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/487022\/"},"modified":"2026-01-02T12:05:11","modified_gmt":"2026-01-02T12:05:11","slug":"indiana-vs-alabama-cfp-takeaways-hoosiers-flip-rose-bowl-upside-down-with-statement-rout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/487022\/","title":{"rendered":"Indiana vs. Alabama CFP takeaways: Hoosiers flip Rose Bowl upside down with statement rout"},"content":{"rendered":"

PASADENA, Calif. \u2014 The talent on the field as assessed by recruiting rankers and the programs\u2019 pedigrees would suggest Alabama (the third-winningest program in college football history) should beat Indiana (the second-losingest program) something like 38-3, rather than the other way around, as it turned out in Thursday\u2019s Rose Bowl<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But Curt Cignetti\u2019s Hoosiers<\/a> have turned college football upside down and may soon rule it. The biggest game and biggest win in Indiana history<\/a> went as well as any of the tens of thousands of IU fans in attendance could have dreamed, at the expense of a blue blood suffering its worst loss since a 42-6 rout against Arkansas in 1998 and worst postseason loss ever. Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza was 14-for-16 for 192 yards and three touchdowns for the Hoosiers, who outrushed the Crimson Tide 215-23.<\/p>\n

Indiana hadn\u2019t won a postseason game since 1991. Indiana had never played a game as the No. 1 team and has never finished higher than No. 4 in the rankings. Alabama had a record 122 games as No. 1, to go with a claimed 18 national championships<\/a>. Oh, and of five previous quarterfinals in the 12-team version of the College Football Playoff, the higher-seeded team coming off the bye was 0-6.<\/p>\n

None of it matters to the 14-0 Hoosiers. This is much more now than a heartwarming example of what is possible in college football\u2019s new era \u2014 this is the best team playing and the favorite to win it all after dismantling Kalen DeBoer\u2019s Crimson Tide (11-4).<\/p>\n

\u201cThey just execute at a high level, and everyone feeds off each other on both sides of the ball,\u201d DeBoer said. \u201cIt\u2019s not just one thing. You\u2019ve got to tip your hat to coach Cignetti and what he\u2019s done here.\u201d<\/p>\n

The No. 1 Hoosiers \u2014 somewhat stunningly, even at this point \u2014 dominated the No. 9 Crimson Tide up front on offense and defense to advance to the semifinals. Indiana<\/a> will have a rematch with Big Ten rival Oregon on Jan. 9 in the Peach Bowl semifinal in Atlanta. Oregon (13-1), which lost 30-20 at home to Indiana in October, advanced by beating Texas Tech 23-0 in Thursday\u2019s Orange Bowl quarterfinal<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A defensive grinder opened up in the second quarter after Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson (12 -or-16, 67 yards) had the ball knocked out of his hands by Indiana\u2019s D\u2019Angelo Ponds. Isaiah Jones recovered for the Hoosiers, and Mendoza moved IU 58 yards for a 1-yard touchdown pass to Omar Cooper Jr. that made it 17-0. The second half was essentially garbage time, with Simpson leaving the game after one series due to what he later revealed as a cracked rib suffered on the first-half play when he fumbled.<\/p>\n

\n

A DART FROM MENDOZA FOR THE TD \ud83d\udd25 pic.twitter.com\/ivhddNF2OQ<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 ESPN (@espn) January 1, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Mendoza backs up Heisman win<\/p>\n

Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy<\/a> convincingly, but his lack of impressive statistics against high-level competition led to pointed criticism from his detractors that he wasn\u2019t the difference-maker in Indiana\u2019s team success.<\/p>\n

Against currently ranked opponents Iowa, Oregon and Ohio State, Mendoza made critical plays in key junctures to win those games away from Bloomington. But he also threw just four touchdowns and three interceptions in those games. Mendoza hushed any critics in the Rose Bowl, providing both the stats and the subtle moments.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very confident the way the team is playing,\u201d Mendoza said. It\u2019s not just myself. I think our entire team and our coaching staff really enjoy football, and I think that\u2019s why we work so hard at it. We work really hard every single day because not only do we enjoy football, we also enjoy winning.\u201d<\/p>\n

Each of Mendoza\u2019s three touchdowns was on a different route to a different receiver. Mendoza connected with Charlie Becker on a 21-yard post route in the face of a blitz. The quarterback threw a 1-yard strike to Cooper in the corner of the end zone with 17 seconds left in the first half, then ripped a 21-yard pass to Elijah Sarratt on a fade to boost the Hoosiers to a 24-0 lead.<\/p>\n

But Mendoza was more than just a passer. On the Hoosiers\u2019 scoring drive to open the third quarter, he rushed for 8 yards on third-and-5 and scrambled twice for a combined 20 yards. \u2014 Scott Dochterman<\/p>\n

Tide can\u2019t hang with Hoosiers<\/p>\n

Forget the Heisman Jinx or the CFP Bye Jinx. Alabama needed a lot more help than that Thursday to try and hang with undefeated Indiana.<\/p>\n

This Tide team looked like it didn\u2019t belong on the same field as the Hoosiers, much less in the CFP.<\/p>\n

Alabama sputtered down the stretch of the season, barely beating an inept Auburn team as well as losing at home to Oklahoma before getting crushed by Georgia in the SEC title game.<\/p>\n

After coming back from 17-0 down to beat Oklahoma in the opening round, Bama didn\u2019t have much left. The Tide started fast Thursday, pressuring Mendoza into two sacks to notch a three-and-out, but it was all downhill from there. DeBoer tried to get creative, but the Hoosiers blew up a fourth-and-short play early, and would beat Bama to the punch every time. Alabama struggled to convert third downs, going 1-for-5 while it couldn\u2019t get its defense off the field, as IU went 4-for-7 in the first half.<\/p>\n

Whatever hopes for a comeback were dashed on the Tide\u2019s opening series of the second half. Bama\u2019s defense was equally overmatched. The Tide let IU receivers run free into the end zone to wait for Mendoza\u2019s spirals. Bama couldn\u2019t wrap up Kalen Black and Roman Hemby, who ran through the Tide like they were Derrick Henry.<\/p>\n

For DeBoer, this kicks off what will be a challenging offseason. The Tide missed the CFP last year, going 9-4, and then struggled at various points of this year, squeezing into the CFP. They needed some Sooners meltdowns to spark a comeback to get to the Rose Bowl. Against the Hoosiers, Bama showed little energy or edge and will have to have hard conversations to reestablish its culture. The Tide got embarrassed by an Indiana program that won just three games two years ago. \u2014 Bruce Feldman<\/p>\n

Hoosiers may have impressed even Cignetti<\/p>\n

Cignetti is known for a grumpy exterior, and he wears it often. It was on full display during a pregame Rose Bowl news conference, which took place one day before the game.<\/p>\n

Cignetti lamented how the Hoosiers\u2019 travel routine was altered because of the bowl game. Instead of flying to Los Angeles one day before kickoff \u2014 like the Hoosiers did before their 2024 matchup with UCLA \u2014 the team arrived three days beforehand. Never mind that before the College Football Playoff, teams spent more than a week in Southern California with side trips to Disneyland, the Pacific Ocean and the Beef Bowl.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe last two days have been fairly disruptive, with the travel day and then a first practice on site,\u201d Cignetti said. \u201cSo, as the leader, the head coach, I feel there\u2019s a lot of loose ends we\u2019ve got to tie together (Wednesday).\u201d<\/p>\n

As witnessed during the game, the Hoosiers found a way to alleviate Cignetti\u2019s pre-game concerns. And Cignetti improved to 25-2 at IU.\u00a0 \u2014 Dochterman<\/p>\n

Can Indiana beat Oregon again?<\/p>\n

Oregon coach Dan Lanning didn\u2019t like his team\u2019s defensive performance in a 51-34 first-round win over James Madison. The Ducks were great on defense and uneven offensively \u2014 against a loaded Texas Tech defense \u2014 in Thursday\u2019s 23-0 quarterfinal win at the Orange Bowl. Put the best of both together, and the Ducks will have a shot to avenge their 30-20 home loss to the Hoosiers on Oct. 11, in the Jan. 9 Peach Bowl semifinal in Atlanta.<\/p>\n

Mendoza overcame a score-tying pick six in that game to hit Sarratt for the game-winning touchdown with 6:23 to play at Autzen Stadium. The Hoosiers picked off Dante Moore twice and sacked him six times in snapping the nation\u2019s longest home winning streak (18 games) and getting the program\u2019s first win over a top-five team since 1967 against Purdue. Now, they\u2019ll meet again with a spot in the national championship game on the line. \u2014 Joe Rexrode<\/p>\n

Indiana broke game open with fourth-down stop<\/p>\n

If a single play represents the teams\u2019 season in a microcosm, it took place on fourth-and-1 from the Alabama 34. After a pair of timeouts \u2014 one by each team \u2014 the Tide chose to go for the first down out of a wildcat formation. Running back Daniel Hill pitched forward to Germie Bernard running right to left on a jet sweep. Indiana strung out the play and linebacker Isaiah Jones met Bernard at the 34-yard line. Jones and fellow Indiana linebacker Ro Hardy brought down Bernard short of a first down.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust felt like it was going to be one of those games where you\u2019ve got to take advantage of possessions,\u201d DeBoer said. \u201cObviously, when you fall short, it\u2019s the wrong decision, right?\u201d<\/p>\n

The Tide have struggled running the ball all season, and while it was considered a pass, it had every element of a run play. Alabama entered the game ranked 125th in yards per carry (3.43) while the Hoosiers ranked 10th (2.89 yards per carry) in stopping the run. Those stats permeated throughout the first half, with the Tide rushing for only 29 yards on 11 carries. Alabama\u2019s longest run came on a 9-yard scramble from Simpson, who then fumbled. The Hoosiers capitalized and scored both of their first-half touchdowns after each stop. \u2014 Dochterman<\/p>\n

Sun emerges after rare soggy start to new year<\/p>\n

The Rose Bowl did not live up to Pasadena\u2019s chamber-of-commerce standard on game day. But by the fourth quarter, it was borderline perfection.<\/p>\n

It rained for most of New Year\u2019s Eve and throughout the Tournament of Roses Parade, but it stopped about two hours before kickoff. The sun came out in the fourth quarter, and the clouds dissipated.<\/p>\n

The quality weather alleviated the hand-wringing about the rain during the buildup to kickoff.<\/p>\n

The last Rose Bowl to have significant rain took place on Jan. 1, 1955, when Ohio State beat USC 20-7. According to the Los Angeles Times, the rain turned local parking lots into \u201ca sea of mud.\u201d More than 1,500 cars stalled at the Brookside Golf Course, which led to police officers pushing at least 400 out of the mud. Even the tow trucks got stuck in the mud, and more than 1,200 police officers \u2014 including those off-duty \u2014 had to help with the traffic.<\/p>\n

The only other game featuring inclement weather since 1955 was on Jan. 2, 2023, when Penn State beat Utah 35-21 in a rainy fourth quarter.\u00a0 \u2014 Dochterman<\/p>\n