Indiana beats Alabama 38-3 in Rose Bowl, advances to CFP semifinal

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Indiana dominated Alabama 38-3 within the Rose Bowl Thursday to ship the Hoosiers to the Faculty Soccer Playoff semifinals.

It marked essentially the most lopsided postseason defeat for the Crimson Tide in program historical past. It was additionally Alabama's largest margin of defeat in any sport since a 42-6 defeat to Arkansas Sept. 26, 1998.

Indiana had not gained any bowl sport because the Copper Bowl in 1991, however historical past has been no match for Curt Cignetti and his dominant Hoosiers in the course of the coach’s two transcendent seasons.

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Roman Hemby (1) of the Indiana Hoosiers runs with the ball within the fourth quarter towards the Alabama Crimson Tide in a Faculty Soccer Playoff quarterfinal at Rose Bowl Stadium Jan. 1, 2026, in Pasadena, Calif. (Sean M. Haffey/Getty Pictures)

Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza handed for 192 yards and three touchdowns in his first sport since winning his school’s first Heisman Trophy.

Indiana scored the sport’s first 24 factors earlier than pouring it on with fourth quarter speeding TDs from Kaelon Black and Roman Hemby, wrapping up a jubilant win within the 112th version of the "Granddaddy of Them All."

Charlie Becker, Omar Cooper Jr. and Elijah Sarratt caught TD passes, whereas Black rushed for 99 yards. Indiana outgained Alabama 407-193, steadily delighting a decidedly pro-Indiana crowd that celebrated its long-struggling staff’s first Rose Bowl sport look since 1968 with chants of "Hoosier Daddy?" within the remaining minutes.

The Hoosiers are headed to the Peach Bowl Jan. 9 for a CFP semifinal rematch with fifth-seeded Oregon , which routed Texas Tech 23-0 earlier Thursday within the Orange Bowl. Indiana beat the No. 3 Geese 30-20 in Eugene in October in certainly one of Cignetti’s most spectacular Large Ten victories.

Indiana is 2 wins away from the primary nationwide championship at school historical past after turning into the primary staff to advance after a first-round bye in the present 12-team playoff format. The primary six bye groups — together with the primary two this season — couldn’t come again sturdy from an extra-long layoff, however the Hoosiers took care of enterprise whereas enhancing to 25-2 underneath Cignetti.

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Roman Hemby (1) of the Indiana Hoosiers runs with the ball within the fourth quarter towards the Alabama Crimson Tide in a Faculty Soccer Playoff quarterfinal at Rose Bowl Stadium Jan. 1, 2026, in Pasadena, Calif. (Sean M. Haffey/Getty Pictures)

The Crimson Tide’s second season underneath Kalen DeBoer resulted in the identical venue as its remaining season underneath Nick Saban two years in the past. Alabama was outclassed one week after a powerful street win over Oklahoma , managing simply 151 yards earlier than the meaningless remaining minutes of this blowout.

Ty Simpson handed for 67 yards earlier than backup Austin Mack changed him within the third quarter. Mack instantly bought the Tide rolling on a 65-yard drive resulting in a brief discipline aim, however the Hoosiers responded with two landing drives.

Indiana dominated the well-known Rose Bowl turf, which stayed pristine regardless of almost 24 hours of regular rain earlier than kickoff. The storms dissipated whereas the Hoosiers took their first-half lead, and blue skies appeared within the second half.

After the primary scoreless first quarter in a Rose Bowl in 26 years, Indiana’s second drive stretched 84 yards and 16 performs over almost 9 minutes earlier than Nicolas Radicic’s 31-yard discipline aim on the primary snap of the second quarter.

Indiana’s protection then stopped Alabama on fourth and 1 on the Tide 34, and Mendoza fired an extended, excessive move to the leaping Becker 4 performs later for a 21-yard landing.

Simpson fumbled in Indiana territory after a brave first-down scramble late within the first half, and the Hoosiers methodically drove for Mendoza’s 1-yard TD move with 17 seconds left to Cooper, the hero of Indiana’s dramatic victory over Penn State .

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Indiana Hoosiers defensive again D'Angelo Ponds (5) forces a fumble by Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson (15) after a success in the course of the second quarter of the Faculty Soccer Playoff Rose Bowl on the Rose Bowl Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, in Pasadena, Calif. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Occasions)

After halftime, Mendoza led a gentle 79-yard drive that ended together with his 24-yard TD move to a leaping Sarratt.

The victory is the newest step within the two-season turnaround of a program that had essentially the most losses in faculty soccer historical past earlier than Cignetti took cost. After profitable 11 video games and reaching the CFP final season, the Hoosiers steamrolled by their schedule this fall earlier than beating defending national champion Ohio State for the Large Ten title and ascending to the No. 1 spot within the AP Prime 25 for the primary time.

The Related Press contributed to this report.

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Jackson Thompson is a sports activities reporter for Fox Information Digital protecting important political and cultural points in sports activities, with an investigative lens. Jackson's reporting has been cited in federal authorities actions associated to the enforcement of Title IX, and in legacy media shops together with The New York Occasions, The Los Angeles Occasions, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Related Press and ESPN.com.