Tony Thomas
Writer
The Rose Bowl was the scene of a horrific fatality on New Year’s Day. By the end of the College Football Playoff quarterfinal game in the Grandaddy of them All, Alabama football was dead.
The No. 9 seed Crimson Tide scored just three points against the No. 1 seed Indiana Hoosiers and suffered an embarrassing 38-3 loss on college football’s biggest stage.
For the second straight season, the Crimson Tide suffered its fourth loss. College football fans and Alabama aficionados would have to turn the calendar pages way back to find the last time an Alabama team lost four games in a season. The ghost of Nick Saban looms large over the Crimson Tide football program.
Coming into this game, Alabama (11-4) ranked No. 9 in the FBS in passing defense, allowing 168 yards and a 61 percent completion percentage per game. Indiana quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza dispelled that notion quickly. Mendoza completed 14 of 16 passes (88 percent) for 192 yards and three touchdowns. He averaged 13 yards per completion.
Indiana coach Curt Cignetti preaches and coaches complementary football, and the Hoosiers certainly achieved that today: 215 yards rushing, two TDs, 192 yards passing, three scores.
The Indiana defense kept pressure on the Alabama quarterbacks all day, recording three sacks. The Hoosiers’ attacking style of defense forced Alabama starting quarterback Ty Simpson to a comfortable spot on the bench for the second half. Crimson Tide coach Kalen DeBoer switched to sophomore Austin Mack, who had played in only three games all season. Mack could not drive Alabama to the end zone either.
And so, it was a dominating performance by the Hoosiers. The 25-day layoff since their victory over Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game had absolutely no effect on Indiana whatsoever. They executed their game plan with perfection.
Indiana (14-0) now faces a familiar foe in the semifinals, the Oregon Ducks (13-1), in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. In October, Indiana beat the Ducks 30-20 on the road in Eugene. The Ducks dominated the Red Raiders of Texas Tech 23-0 in the Orange Bowl on New Year’s Day.
The Indiana-Oregon rematch is scheduled for January 9 at 6:30 PM CST on ESPN.
Bryson Blue
Writer
After almost a week of anticipation, the star quarterback of the Oregon Ducks, Dante Moore, has made his decision on his future.
Cody Croy
Writer
Northwestern transfer tight end Hunter Welcing has signed with Ohio State. The Illinois native will have one season of eligibility remaining. He is a former 3-star recruit in the class of 2020. Welcing, who will be gearing up for his sixth season of college football, spent five of them with the Northwestern Wildcats. Battling injury, […]
Cody Croy
Writer
Former Alabama Crimson Tide defensive linemen Qua Russaw and James Smith have announced their commitment to Ohio State, per Hayes Fawcett. The pair visited Ohio State together last week. The Buckeyes now have 11 transfer portal additions and 30 departures during this cycle. Qua Russaw, a redshirt junior, will have two seasons of eligibility remaining. […]
