Indiana enters the Rose Bowl in a position few could’ve predicted even five years ago-favored against Alabama. That’s not a typo.
The No. 1 seed Hoosiers, long considered an afterthought in the college football power structure, are now expected to beat the Crimson Tide on one of the sport’s biggest stages. And yes, even some of the SEC’s most loyal voices are acknowledging the shift.
David Pollack, a three-time All-American at Georgia and longtime advocate for the SEC’s brand of physical football, didn’t mince words this week. “Indiana is a more physical football team than Alabama,” he said. Let that sink in.
Pollack, who’s spent years praising the toughness of SEC trenches, now sees Indiana as the more well-rounded, physical team. “Can [Alabama’s offensive line] give Ty Simpson time?
Can they protect and not let those free rushers come?” Pollack asked.
“It’s just wild to say that clearly the more physical team is Indiana. That’s a weird world, man.”
Weird or not, it’s the world we’re in. And Indiana didn’t just stumble into this moment-they earned it.
Indiana’s Defense Flipped the Script
Three weeks ago, the Hoosiers were seen as an offensive juggernaut. Curt Cignetti’s system was humming, Fernando Mendoza was in the thick of the Heisman race (and eventually won it), and the narrative around Indiana centered on their ability to light up the scoreboard. But heading into the Big Ten Championship Game, the spotlight shifted.
Ohio State’s defense-stacked with NFL talent and coached by former Super Bowl-winning defensive coordinator Matt Patricia-was expected to dominate. Instead, it was Indiana’s defense that controlled the game.
From the opening snap, the Hoosiers' front seven brought relentless pressure on Julian Sayin. Indiana sacked him five times and held the Buckeyes to their lowest point total of the season.
It wasn’t just a statement-it was a redefinition of who this Indiana team is. They didn’t just win with finesse or scheme.
They won with grit, pressure, and physicality.
Alabama’s Run Game: A Shadow of Its Former Self
One of the biggest questions heading into the Rose Bowl is whether Alabama can generate anything on the ground. The numbers haven’t been kind.
Against Georgia in the SEC title game, the Tide managed minus-3 rushing yards. Against Oklahoma in the first round of the playoff?
Just 28. That’s not the Alabama ground-and-pound we’ve come to expect over the past two decades.
The offensive line, once the bedrock of Alabama’s dynasty, has become a question mark. Ty Simpson is a capable quarterback, but he’s not the type who thrives under constant duress. If Indiana can replicate the kind of pressure they brought against Ohio State, they’ll force Simpson into uncomfortable territory.
As analyst Brent Rollins noted after rewatching Indiana’s performance in the Big Ten title game, Alabama’s run game is likely headed for one of two extremes: either their best rushing performance of the season-or another game with negative yardage. There’s not much room for middle ground.
What It All Means
This Rose Bowl isn’t just a playoff semifinal. It’s a clash of old-world power and new-era dominance.
Indiana, once a Big Ten doormat, now plays the role of Goliath. Alabama, long the standard of college football success, enters as the underdog.
But the matchup isn’t about history-it’s about now. And right now, Indiana is the more complete team. They’ve got a Heisman-winning quarterback, a defense that’s peaking at the right time, and a physical edge that even SEC legends are recognizing.
If the Hoosiers control the line of scrimmage the way they did against Ohio State, the Rose Bowl could be another defining chapter in a season that’s already rewritten the Indiana football narrative.