Indiana did not just win the Rose Bowl on Thursday night. It overwhelmed Alabama on college football’s grandest stage, rolling to a stunning 38-3 victory that sent shockwaves through the postseason landscape.
The win pushed the Hoosiers into the College Football Playoff semifinals and marked one of the most dramatic moments in program history. On a night built for legends, Indiana seized the spotlight and never let go.
Alabama Suffers Its Worst Postseason Loss Ever
For Alabama, the loss landed in uncharted territory.
The 35-point defeat was the most lopsided postseason loss in Crimson Tide history and their worst margin of defeat in any game since a 42-6 loss to Arkansas on Sept. 26, 1998. Indiana dominated from the opening drives, scoring the game’s first 24 points and erasing any sense of drama early.
By halftime, the outcome felt inevitable. By the fourth quarter, it felt historic.
Heisman Winner Fernando Mendoza Controls The Game
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza delivered a poised and polished performance in his first game since winning his school’s first Heisman Trophy.
Mendoza passed for 192 yards and three touchdowns, calmly dissecting Alabama’s defense with efficient reads and precise throws. After halftime, he led a steady 79-yard drive that ended with a 24-yard touchdown pass to Elijah Sarratt, pushing the lead beyond reach.
Charlie Becker, Omar Cooper Jr., and Sarratt all caught touchdown passes, while the Hoosiers finished the night with a commanding 407-193 edge in total yards.
Defense Sets The Tone Early And Often
Indiana’s defense played with confidence and discipline, shutting down Alabama’s offense before it could find a rhythm.
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, ending with Nicolas Radicic’s 31-yard field goal on the first snap of the second quarter. Moments later, the Hoosiers stopped Alabama on fourth-and-1 at the Tide 34.
Four plays after that stop, Mendoza fired a long, high pass to the leaping Becker for a 21-yard touchdown.
Late in the first half, Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson fumbled in Indiana territory after a determined first-down scramble. The Hoosiers capitalized, driving methodically before Mendoza found Cooper for a 1-yard touchdown pass with 17 seconds remaining.
Hoosiers Turn Rose Bowl Into A Celebration
Indiana’s long-awaited return to the Rose Bowl felt more like a coronation than a contest.
Making their first appearance in the game since 1968, the Hoosiers dominated the 112th edition of the “Granddaddy of Them All.” A largely pro-Indiana crowd reveled in the moment, celebrating a program that had waited decades for a stage like this.
In the fourth quarter, rushing touchdowns from Kaelon Black and Roman Hemby sealed the blowout. Black finished with 99 rushing yards, while chants of “Hoosier Daddy?” rang out across the stadium in the final minutes.
Alabama Never Finds Momentum
Alabama entered the game fresh off an impressive road win over Oklahoma, but that confidence quickly vanished.
Simpson passed for just 67 yards before backup Austin Mack replaced him in the third quarter. Mack immediately led a 65-yard drive that resulted in a short field goal, Alabama’s lone points of the night.
Any hope of a rally disappeared just as quickly. Indiana answered with two more touchdown drives, keeping relentless pressure on a Crimson Tide offense that managed only 151 yards before the final, meaningless minutes.
Weather Clears As Indiana Takes Control
Concerns lingered about the Rose Bowl field after nearly 24 hours of steady rain before kickoff.
Those worries faded as the night unfolded. The storms dissipated while Indiana built its first-half lead, and blue skies emerged in the second half as the Hoosiers continued to dominate on pristine turf.
From Program Lows To College Football Power
The victory was the latest milestone in one of the most remarkable turnarounds the sport has seen.
Indiana once held the distinction of having the most losses in college football history. Under Curt Cignetti, that narrative has flipped completely. After winning 11 games and reaching the CFP last season, the Hoosiers stormed through their schedule this fall, defeated defending national champion Ohio State for the Big Ten title, and rose to No. 1 in the AP Top 25 for the first time.
The transformation has drawn national attention, summed up by the reaction, “‘Greatest turnaround in college football history’ 👀 Urban Meyer on Indiana winning B10 Championship”.
What Comes Next For Indiana
Indiana now stands two wins away from the first national championship in school history.
The Hoosiers advance to the Peach Bowl on Jan. 9 for a CFP semifinal rematch with fifth-seeded Oregon, which routed Texas Tech 23-0 earlier Thursday in the Orange Bowl. Indiana previously defeated the Ducks 30-20 in Eugene in October, one of Cignetti’s most impressive Big Ten victories.
In a playoff where several first-round bye teams struggled after long layoffs, Indiana showed no rust, improving to 25-2 under Cignetti.
For a program once defined by rebuilding years, the Hoosiers are suddenly sprinting toward history.
