After a comeback win in the first round of the College Football Playoff, Kalen DeBoer and the Alabama Crimson Tide head to a challenging Rose Bowl matchup against the Indiana Hoosiers.
Indiana is the No. 1 overall seed in the country, led by Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza. After defeating the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Big Ten Championship game, coach Curt Cignetti has them well-prepared to keep rolling toward their goal of winning a national championship.
With that, ESPN’s Chris Fowler recently sent a blunt warning to Alabama and its fans about the upcoming game, given how good this Indiana team is. His message focused on the Tide’s offense playing at its absolute best for the team to have any chance to pull off a major upset.
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“I’m telling you, Alabama fans, some of you will know this, but some of you will be surprised to hear me say it. Unless your offense plays a lot better and your offensive line blocks a lot better and creates some balance, you’re in a lot of trouble against this Indiana defense,” he said.
“So bring the A-game, pun intended, or you’re gonna get run out of the Rose Bowl. Indiana’s favored for a reason,” Fowler said in a strong message, adding, “I’m really impressed with this team.”
The Hoosiers have yet to suffer a loss this season, showing just how impressive they are. They defeated Ohio State 13-10 in the conference championship, taking over the top ranking in the country.
Along with having Mendoza at quarterback, they are No. 10 in rushing yards per game, averaging 221.2. Indiana ranks No. 4 in the nation in points scored with 41.9 per game. However, their defense is stellar, ranking second in the country in points allowed as they hold opponents to just 10.8 per game.Â
While quarterback Ty Simpson received a lot of spotlight this season for the Tide, they may need more from running back Jam Miller in the Rose Bowl. Alabama had just 28 yards rushing against Oklahoma, something they’ll need to improve on.
However, that Indiana defense is tough, and it could get quite ugly based on Fowler’s observations about these two teams from watching them closely this past season.
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