David Pollack doesn’t mince words, and ahead of the Rose Bowl quarterfinal clash between Indiana and Alabama, he dropped a take that might raise some eyebrows in Tuscaloosa: Indiana is the more physical football team.
Yes, you read that right.
Now, if you’ve been following college football for the last decade, that sentence might sound like it came from an alternate universe. Alabama, long known for its dominance in the trenches and its ability to wear teams down physically, is suddenly the squad with something to prove in that department. But when you dig into the tape and look at how this season has unfolded, Pollack’s assessment isn’t as wild as it might sound.
Alabama’s Physicality Problem
Let’s go back to the SEC Championship. Georgia didn’t just beat Alabama - they imposed their will.
The Crimson Tide finished that game with minus-3 rushing yards. That’s not a typo.
The Bulldogs’ defensive front lived in the backfield, collapsing the pocket and making life miserable for Ty Simpson, who never looked comfortable under constant pressure.
That game wasn’t an isolated incident, either. Alabama has struggled to assert itself physically at several points this season.
In the opener against Florida State and the first matchup with Oklahoma - both losses - the Tide looked like the second-best team at the line of scrimmage. Even in the rematch win over the Sooners, Alabama managed just 33 rushing yards.
That’s not the kind of ground game we’re used to seeing from a program that built its dynasty on running the ball downhill and controlling the line.
Indiana Brings the Punch
So here comes Indiana, a team that’s turned heads with its physicality on both sides of the ball. They’re not just showing up to Pasadena with a good game plan - they’re bringing an edge.
They’ve been the more aggressive, more disciplined, and yes, more physical team in several of their biggest games this season. And now, they’re facing a Bama squad that’s been vulnerable in exactly those areas.
Pollack pointed out that Ty Simpson has been solid when defenses drop into zone and he can hit those in-breaking routes. But the key question is whether Alabama’s offensive line can give him enough time to work. If Indiana follows the Georgia blueprint - stuffing the run and bringing pressure without needing to blitz heavily - Simpson could be in for another long afternoon.
A Shift in Identity?
What’s striking about this matchup isn’t just that Alabama is the underdog in terms of physicality - it’s that this is even a conversation. For years, Alabama was the standard for toughness. Now, they’re the ones being questioned in the trenches.
This isn’t to say the Crimson Tide can’t flip the script. They still have talent across the board, and Simpson has shown flashes of high-level play when he’s protected. But if Indiana comes out and controls the line of scrimmage early, it could be a long day for Bama - and a huge opportunity for the Hoosiers to make a statement on the biggest stage.
Pollack summed it up best: “Clearly, the better, more-rounded, well-rounded, physical team is Indiana. That’s a weird world, man. Weird world.”
Weird, yes. But not inaccurate.