Alabama loses Rose Bowl to Indiana 38 to 3

January 1, 2026 – ROSE BOWL - Old coaches back in the 1970s and 80s used to always say that the key to winning was "to be able to run the ball and stop the run." Football in a lot of cases have gone away from that mindset with the four wide receiver sets and the pinpoint passing games that can throw it all over the field. The Rose Bowl however was an example of one team being able to run the ball and one team not being able to run the ball. Unfortunately for University of Alabama fans, they were the team who could not run the ball and they could not stop Indiana's run game.

Bama got blown out by a much tougher, more physical Georgia team in the SEC Championship game 28 to 7. Indiana took that game plan and put an exclamation point on it.

Bama struggled to run the ball all year, The offensive line struggled all year to consistently get any kind of a run game going. Featured running back Jam Miller was hampered by injuries all year and the Tide's backs on the whole were not very remarkable at any point this year. Against Indiana, they only managed 23 yards of rushing.

Indiana's offensive line, on the other hand, blew Bama's defenders off the line of scrimmage and their backs were dynamic out in space against a Tide defense that lacked the toughness to make defensive stops. Indiana put on a clinic in power football rushing for an incredible 215 yards on the ground. At no point in this game did Alabama ever look like it belonged on the field with a team like Indiana – the now 14 win Big 10 Champions. Indiana hasn't been to a Rose Bowl since 1968 and hasn't won a bowl game since the Copper Bowl back in 1991. None of that mattered. Indiana looked like the best team in the country and Bama looked like they did not belong on the same field with them.

ESPN announcer Kirk Herbstreit said of Bama's performance "This is embarrassing" and it is hard to take issue with that.

Indiana had the Heisman Trophy winner at quarterback in Fernando Mendoza – a transfer from the Cal Bears – and Bama's defense had no answers for his talent and athleticism.

Mendoza threw for 190 yards with 14 completions on his 16 attempts. He could have thrown for 300 yards on Bama's defense except there was no reason to given Bama's inability to score or stop the Hoosiers' run game. He threw for three touchdowns on the day.

Alabama's Ty Simpson suffered a rib injury in the first half. According to Coach Kalen DeBoer he tried to play with it in the early third quarter but could not. Bama's only scoring drive was led by backup QB Austin Mack who was 11 for 16 and 103 yards. Bama had just 170 yards passing on the day between both quarterbacks.

Indiana moves on to play Oregon next week. Ole Miss (the last SEC team in the playoffs) eliminated Georgia in a thrilling 37 to 34 game in the Sugan Bowl. They will play Miami in the other playoffs semifinals game.

Coach Kalen DeBoer afterwards told reporters "Losing doesn't sit well with us." He said that he was "upset" from the loss and that the Tide must "start from scratch" to build the program up to where he wants it to be.

Ke credited Indiana Coach Curt Cignetti and his staff for the win.

Cignetti was a former Tide assistant from 2007 to 2011 as wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator under Nick Saban.

The transfer portal opens on Friday. The Tide will need to make some key acquisitions for next year if they hope to improve on this year's 10 and 4 performance. A key question is will Simpson announce if he is going to the NFL. If he stays for another year with the Tide, rather than going to the NFL or transferring there is speculation that five-star freshman phenom Keelon Russell will leave.

To comment or to ask a question email brandonmreporter@gmail.com

To comment or ask a question email brandonmreporter@gmail.com