Blue blood meets new blood when Alabama and Indiana square off in a College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl on Thursday in Pasadena, Calif.
Though the ninth-seeded Crimson Tide have a storied history, they are the underdogs coming in with something to prove.
The Hoosiers entered the season as the losingest program in college football history, but they assume the Goliath role as the No. 1 playoff seed and college football’s lone undefeated team, with Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza in tow.
“I want to stop quarterbacks, whether they’ve won the Heisman Trophy or not,” Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack said.
The Hoosiers-Crimson Tide winner will take on either No. 4 Texas Tech or No. 5 Oregon in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 9 in Atlanta.
The Hoosiers (13-0) are not only trying to continue to break long-term precedent in continuing their best season in school history — ahead of 2024’s 11-2 mark — but also break recent precedent set last season in the first edition of the 12-team playoff.
All four first-round winners beat the top four seeds last season.
“Would I prefer to play earlier? Yeah, I probably would, to be quite honest with you,” Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said. “But that’s not the case. We’re excited about playing.”
Mendoza has thrown for 229.2 yards per game, with 33 total touchdowns and just six interceptions. He also has rushed for six touchdowns.
The Crimson Tide have had plenty of success slowing down quarterbacks this season, entering with the No. 10 passing defense in FBS at 168.4 yards allowed per game.
Alabama (11-3) is coming off a 34-24 road win over Oklahoma in the first round on Dec. 19.
Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson struggled late in the season but had a bounce-back game against the Sooners. He averages 250 passing yards per game and has tallied 28 touchdowns and five interceptions.
The biggest difference in the offenses comes in the ground game, where Indiana is in the top 10 nationally with 221.2 rushing yards per game, while Alabama has struggled with just 109.9 rushing yards per game (118th).
“I look at (the Hoosiers’) skill around the offensive line, they just all complement each other,” Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said. “They go make plays. When the opportunities are there, they get it done.”
Indiana has been in the Rose Bowl just once before — losing to Southern California to end the 1967 season.
Alabama is in the game for the ninth time, going 5-2-1 with their most recent appearance coming in a 27-20 overtime loss to Michigan in the CFP semifinal two seasons ago. The Crimson Tide also won the 2009 national title with a win over Texas in the then-BCS Championship Game in the historic stadium.
Cignetti was Alabama’s wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator for that championship team.
While Cignetti has an appreciation for Alabama’s history, DeBoer also can recognize how far Indiana has come under Cignetti. DeBoer was the Hoosiers’ offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2019.
Mendoza figures to have one of his favorite targets back Thursday.
Hoosiers receiver Omar Cooper Jr., who suffered a right leg injury early in the Big Ten title game on Dec. 6, is cleared to play in the Rose Bowl. Cooper, a redshirt junior, leads Indiana with 58 catches for 804 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Alabama also figures to get a key piece back with the return of edge rusher LT Overton.
Overton, a senior, missed the Southeastern Conference championship game and the first-round win over Oklahoma due to an illness.
