Ty Simpson’s Turnaround: From Fumble Woes to Playoff Poise as Alabama Eyes Indiana in the Rose Bowl
When Alabama and Oklahoma first squared off this season, the Sooners came in with a clear target: Ty Simpson’s ball security. And they weren’t shy about it.
“The only thing that we really saw was that Ty Simpson was the highest fumble rate (while) getting sacked or something like that,” Oklahoma defensive back Peyton Bowen said after that first meeting. “I don’t know what the statistic is, but every time he gets sacked, he fumbles the most out of anybody in the country.”
That wasn’t just talk. At the time, Simpson was in the middle of a rough stretch with ball security - five straight games with a lost fumble.
And in that first Oklahoma game, it came back to bite Alabama. A strip-sack by Taylor Wein was one of several momentum-swinging plays that ultimately helped the Sooners edge out a 23-21 win.
Simpson, a redshirt junior, was tied for the FBS lead in lost fumbles with five. And when you're the quarterback at Alabama - a program where the margin for error is razor-thin - that kind of stat doesn’t just show up on scouting reports; it becomes a storyline.
But here’s where things get interesting.
Fast forward to the rematch. Same opponent, same stakes - but a very different Ty Simpson.
This time around, he took hits. He got sacked four times.
But he didn’t cough it up once. That’s not just improvement; that’s growth under pressure.
Alabama found itself in a 17-0 hole in the first half, and it looked like the season might be slipping away. But Simpson held steady, protected the football, and helped engineer a 34-24 comeback win that punched the Crimson Tide’s ticket to the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.
After the game, head coach Kalen DeBoer emphasized just how much emphasis the team has placed on ball security - not just for Simpson, but across the board.
“Just being really conscious of it,” DeBoer said. “We’re just talking about that all the time.
All of our guys, but again, the ball was out again a couple times tonight. It’s something you can just not take for granted ever.”
That’s the reality of playoff football. One turnover can swing a game - or end a season.
Since that first loss to Oklahoma, Simpson hasn’t fumbled. That’s not just a stat correction; it’s a mental shift.
He’s playing with more awareness, more control, and more confidence in the pocket. And Alabama is reaping the rewards.
But the challenge only gets tougher from here.
Next up: No. 1 Indiana in the Rose Bowl. The Hoosiers come into the game ranked fourth in total defense among FBS teams - and they’ve got the kind of physical, disruptive front that can make life miserable for any quarterback, especially one with a history of ball-security issues.
“Ty knows how important it is,” DeBoer said. “Sometimes he’s in those vulnerable positions, but he knows he’s got to take care of the football.
That’s a priority for our football team. It has been all season.
It was good to see him - I know he got hit a few times, but he took care of it, and that first and foremost was what he needed to do.”
There’s no secret to what Alabama needs from Simpson in Pasadena: poise, protection, and possession. If he keeps the ball out of harm’s way, the Crimson Tide have the firepower to make a real run. But against a defense like Indiana’s, any slip-up could be costly.
Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. CT on Thursday at the Rose Bowl, with the game airing on ESPN.
For Simpson, it’s another chance to show just how far he’s come - and how much further Alabama can go.