History has repeated itself once more.
At the hands of the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, No. 1 Indiana squared off with No. 9 Alabama for the first time ever.
In a packed-out crimson red crowd, the storied Rose Bowl produced an encore from last season as a massacre occurred. The Hoosiers sledgehammered the Tide's momentum following a first-round victory over their SEC rival, the Oklahoma Sooners.
Thursday’s contest highlighted the continuous magical season of Curt Cignetti and Indiana. It was a lopsided 38-3 final, and the Hoosiers will welcome an opportunity to compete for a championship berth in the upcoming Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
Here is what I saw.
Welcome to the big stage, Hoosiers
It’s all about rolling the dice in the Playoff. However, every gamble comes with risk. Setting the tone was essential, but it came at a massive cost for the Tide.
After defeating No. 8 Oklahoma, Alabama’s thrilling comeback proved its capability of mounting a victory from behind. Against Indiana, in the quarterfinal, that likely would not be the key.
It was the Hoosiers’ first time on the big stage, and the bright lights did not blind any sense of ambition. After receiving the opening kick, Alabama’s early pressure got the best of Fernando Mendoza and company.
Soon after, Curt Cignetti’s defense set the tone and gave leeway into three points after holding the Tide to multiple consecutive three-and-outs. Then, it was a risk that shifted the tides.
Kalen DeBeor, down just three points, went for it on a fourth-and-one in his own territory. A Hoosier stop brought about the momentum to add seven points. Indiana went up 17 points as the offense settled in behind a fierce effort from the offensive line.
Winning the battle in the trenches allowed the Hoosiers to showcase its stars as Mendoza continued to click with Elijah Sarratt, Omar Cooper Jr. and the run game behind Kaelon Black and Roman Hemby.
In the midst of a stunning Heisman season, Mendoza’s 14-of-16 completions accounted for just 192 yards and 3 touchdowns. Still, it was enough to terrorize the Alabama secondary. The dude is a good football player.
Simpson benched for Mack
Midway through the third quarter, Ty Simpson was moved to the bench in favor of sophomore Austin Mack.
After taking a major hit at the end of the first frame, Simpson fumbled and subsequently hobbled off the field with a grimace. Simpson returned to action at the start of the second quarter and didn’t look to par.
It was clear the injury had impacted Simpon’s throwing ability. While the Tide were already down by multiple touchdowns, they were in need of a gunslinger–and that was not going to happen with Simpson.
Prior to the day, Mack had appeared in just three games, having thrown just 16 passes, with 13 completions. In years past, the large deficit has called for a spark, and while Mack showed glimpses of it and got Alabama on the board, he certainly was not enough.
It’s safe to say that Alabama and DeBoer had not envisioned Mack appearing on Thursday in the Rose Bowl.
Looking Ahead to the Peach Bowl
There are many storylines ahead of Indiana’s next game in the semifinals as it will rematch a familiar foe.
The No. 5 Oregon Ducks defeated No. 4 Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl, earning their ticket to Atlanta for a chance at redemption. The two Big Ten teams played in early October in Autzen Stadium. Surprisingly, or unsurprisingly, Indiana revealed its legitimacy as the team defeated Oregon 30-20.
That led to a now 14-0 record, where the team is set to continue its dominance in the next round. But, as the old saying goes, it’s difficult to beat a great team twice. The Hoosiers will have to do just that as Dan Lanning will undoubtedly have his Ducks ready to play.
In their 23-0 victory over the Red Raiders, Oregon showcased an impressive defensive effort. Similarly, today, Indiana’s defense largely fueled the victory over the Tide. The question will soon become, which defense pulls through?
There is exciting stuff upon the horizon.