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01/01 18:19 CST Top-seeded Indiana routs Alabama 38-3 for its first Rose Bowl
victory, roaring into CFP semifinals
Top-seeded Indiana routs Alabama 38-3 for its first Rose Bowl victory, roaring
into CFP semifinals
By GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer
PASADENA, Calif. (AP) --- Fernando Mendoza threw three touchdown passes,
Indiana's defense thoroughly throttled Alabama, and the top-seeded Hoosiers
roared into the College Football Playoff semifinals with a 38-3 victory in the
112th Rose Bowl on Thursday.
Mendoza passed for 192 yards in his first game since winning his school's first
Heisman Trophy, but the hard-nosed Hoosiers (14-0, No. 1 CFP seed) won the Rose
Bowl for the first time in school history by dominating the Crimson Tide (11-4,
No. 9 CFP seed) at the line of scrimmage.
Indiana scored the game's first 24 points before pouring it on with
fourth-quarter rushing TDs from Kaelon Black and Roman Hemby, wrapping up a
jubilant win in the 112th edition of the Granddaddy of Them All.
Charlie Becker, Omar Cooper Jr. and Elijah Sarratt caught TD passes, while
Black rushed for 99 yards. Indiana outgained Alabama 407-193, steadily
delighting a decidedly pro-Indiana crowd that celebrated its long-struggling
team's first Rose Bowl game appearance since 1968 with chants of "Hoosier
Daddy?" in the final minutes.
Indiana had not won any bowl game since the Copper Bowl in 1991, but history
has been no match for Curt Cignetti and his dominant Hoosiers during the
coach's two transcendent seasons.
The Hoosiers are headed 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 beat the then-No. 3 Ducks 30-20 in Eugene last October in
one of Cignetti's most impressive Big Ten victories.
Indiana is two wins away from the first national championship in school history
after becoming the first team to advance following a first-round bye in the
current 12-team playoff format. The first six bye teams --- including the first
two this season --- couldn't come back strong from an extra-long layoff, but
the Hoosiers took care of business while improving to 25-2 under Cignetti.
The Crimson Tide's second season under Kalen DeBoer ended in the same venue as
their final season under Nick Saban two years ago. Alabama was outclassed one
week after an impressive road win over Oklahoma, managing just 151 yards before
the meaningless final minutes of this blowout.
Ty Simpson passed for 67 yards before backup Austin Mack replaced him in the
third quarter. Mack immediately got the Tide rolling on a 65-yard drive leading
to a short field goal, but the Hoosiers responded with two unstoppable TD
drives.
Indiana dominated the famous Rose Bowl turf, which stayed pristine despite
nearly 24 hours of steady rain before kickoff. The storms dissipated while the
Hoosiers took their first-half lead, and blue skies appeared in the second half.
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 before
Nicolas Radicic's 31-yard field goal on the first snap of the second quarter.
Indiana's defense then stopped Alabama on fourth and 1 at the Tide 34, and
Mendoza fired a long, high pass to the leaping Becker four plays later for a
21-yard touchdown.
Simpson fumbled in Indiana territory after a courageous first-down scramble
late in the first half, and the Hoosiers methodically drove for Mendoza's
1-yard TD pass with 17 seconds left to Cooper, the hero of Indiana's dramatic
victory over Penn State.
After halftime, Mendoza led a steady 79-yard drive ending in his 24-yard TD
pass to the leaping Sarratt.
The victory is the latest step in the monumental two-season turnaround of what
was the losingest program in college football when Cignetti took charge. After
winning 11 games and reaching the CFP last season, the Hoosiers steamrolled
through their schedule this fall before beating defending national champion
Ohio State for the Big Ten title and ascending to the No. 1 spot in the AP Top
25 for the first time.
Takeaways Alabama: It was remarkable to see the most successful program of the 21st century get dominated up front. The Tide's inability to run the ball was a season-long problem, but it was particularly painful in Pasadena. Whether through personnel or scheme, DeBoer's offense must take a step forward next year to reach the standard expected at Bama. Indiana: The Hoosiers acted like they've been here before, even though they haven't. Cignetti's group has a businesslike demeanor that wasn't remotely altered by Alabama's reputation and history.
Up next Alabama: Host East Carolina on Sept. 5. Indiana: A trip to Atlanta to face the powerhouse Ducks, who lost last season's Rose Bowl to Ohio State as the No. 1 seed. ___ AP college football: https://apnews.com/college-football
Takeaways Alabama: It was remarkable to see the most successful program of the 21st century get dominated up front. The Tide's inability to run the ball was a season-long problem, but it was particularly painful in Pasadena. Whether through personnel or scheme, DeBoer's offense must take a step forward next year to reach the standard expected at Bama. Indiana: The Hoosiers acted like they've been here before, even though they haven't. Cignetti's group has a businesslike demeanor that wasn't remotely altered by Alabama's reputation and history.
Up next Alabama: Host East Carolina on Sept. 5. Indiana: A trip to Atlanta to face the powerhouse Ducks, who lost last season's Rose Bowl to Ohio State as the No. 1 seed. ___ AP college football: https://apnews.com/college-football
