Indiana thoroughly dominated Alabama in the Rose Bowl on Thursday and, in the process, handed the Crimson Tide a historic defeat.
The No. 1 Hoosiers hammered Kalen DeBoer’s squad 38–3 in Pasadena, besting the No. 9 Tide in every phase of the game for 60 minutes. It was the kind of loss you don’t see Alabama suffer very often. In fact, it hadn’t happened in a long time.
According to ESPN Research, Alabama hadn’t trailed by 35 or more points in a game since 1998. That was a 42–6 loss to Arkansas. Until Thursday, they hadn’t lost by 30 or more points since the 1998 Music City Bowl, when Virginia Tech beat them 38–7. That was the inaugural edition of the Music City Bowl, and then-head coach Mike DuBose’s Crimson Tide squad got thoroughly mopped by the Hokies.
It had been 27 years and 9,865 days since an Alabama team had been beaten as badly as it was at the Rose Bowl on Thursday.
Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza led Indiana’s offense to an incredibly efficient performance. Mendoza finished the game 14-of-16 for 192 yards, with three touchdowns, no interceptions, and a sparkling QBR of 96.7. Indiana ran the ball for 215 yards, as Kaelon Black finished with 15 carries, 99 yards and a touchdown, while Roman Hemby had 89 yards and a score on 18 carries.
Mendoza was on the mark all afternoon, and each of his three touchdown passes was perfectly placed. While he was great, Indiana’s offensive line owned Alabama’s front seven, opening holes all afternoon and giving IU’s quarterback time in the pocket. Things were so lopsided up front that center Pat Coogan was named the game’s offensive MVP.
Defensively, the Hoosiers held Alabama to 193 total yards and allowed three points on the Crimson Tide’s nine drives. On the flipside, Indiana only punted twice in the game and didn’t turn the ball over. The Hoosiers scored on six of their nine drives, which includes the final series where they ran out the clock.
DeBoer’s team dropped to 10–4 on the season with the loss, and this is not the kind of performance we’re accustomed to seeing from the Crimson Tide. Alabama was pushed around all afternoon and the final score shows that.
Indiana’s remarkable season will continue, as they are now 14–0 and will move on to face Oregon at the Peach Bowl next Friday. That College Football Playoff semifinal game will be a rematch, as the two teams faced off at Autzen Stadium on October 11. The Hoosiers scored a 30–20 road victory in that one, and the Ducks will be looking for revenge next week.
Curt Cignetti’s team is marching on, after handing a historic beatdown to Alabama.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Alabama’s Loss to Indiana in the Rose Bowl Wasn’t Just Ugly—It Was a Historic Beatdown.
