When Indiana takes the field at the Rose Bowl this Thursday, they’ll be staring down one of the most polished quarterbacks they’ve faced all season in Alabama’s Ty Simpson - a name that’s been in the thick of the Heisman conversation for much of the year, and for good reason.
Simpson has been the engine behind Alabama’s offense, throwing for exactly 3,500 yards with a completion rate of 64.1%. He’s accounted for 28 touchdowns through the air against just five interceptions, and while he’s added a couple of scores with his legs, he’s more of a pocket passer than a true dual-threat. Still, he moves well enough to make defenses pay if they get too aggressive.
What separates Simpson from some of the other top-tier quarterbacks Indiana has faced - like Julian Sayin or Dante Moore - is experience. Simpson’s a fourth-year player who’s been through the fire.
He’s played in an SEC Championship and a College Football Playoff game just this month, going 1-1 in those high-pressure matchups. That kind of battle-tested résumé means he’s not likely to be rattled by the bright lights of Pasadena.
In fact, he’s coming off a comeback win over a team that had already beaten Alabama earlier in the season - a performance that showed both poise and grit. And now, with Indiana entering the game as the favorite, Simpson and the Crimson Tide get to play with a chip on their shoulder - a dangerous combination for any opponent.
For Indiana defensive coordinator Bryant Haines, the assignment is clear but challenging: make Simpson uncomfortable. That job gets tougher without linebacker Steven Daley, a key piece in Indiana’s pressure packages.
Alabama’s offensive line has done a solid job protecting Simpson, keeping him clean on just over 70% of his dropbacks, according to Pro Football Focus. But when the pressure does get home - and that’s about 29% of the time - Simpson’s efficiency drops significantly.
He’s been sacked 29 times this season, and his completion percentage under pressure dips below 50%. Ball security has also been an issue in those moments - six fumbles, five of them lost. So the blueprint is there: get to him, and good things can happen.
But if Indiana can’t generate consistent pressure, the secondary will have its hands full. Simpson is one of the most effective downfield passers in the country.
Over a third of his attempts (36.4%) are thrown 10 or more yards downfield, and he’s completed at least one pass of 25+ yards in all but one game this season. He’s not afraid to take shots, and more often than not, he connects.
The one area where Alabama hasn’t been able to lean on Simpson for help is the run game - because it just hasn’t been there. The Tide ranks near the bottom of the SEC in rushing yards per game, ahead of only LSU. That one-dimensional nature could play into Indiana’s hands, allowing Haines to dial up more looks focused on slowing down the passing attack.
If Indiana’s defense can replicate the kind of success it had against Sayin and Moore - both of whom came in with similar hype - it’ll be in strong position to punch its ticket to the CFP Semifinals. But make no mistake: Simpson is every bit the threat those guys were, and maybe more, given his experience and big-game pedigree.
This one’s going to come down to whether Indiana can make Simpson uncomfortable - and whether they can do it often enough to keep him from making the kind of game-breaking throws that have defined his season.