As Indiana football prepares for its long-awaited return to the field, the Hoosiers find themselves squarely in the national spotlight. After a 26-day break, they’re headed to Pasadena for a New Year’s Day showdown in the Rose Bowl - a College Football Playoff quarterfinal with major implications.
Their opponent? Either No.
8 Oklahoma or No. 9 Alabama, two bluebloods with very different trajectories heading into Friday night’s first-round matchup.
Let’s dive into what’s at stake and what to watch for when the Sooners and Crimson Tide clash in Norman.
Oklahoma’s Offense: Searching for Its Rhythm
At the center of Oklahoma’s offensive story is quarterback John Mateer - a redshirt junior who started the season as a Heisman frontrunner before a hand injury in late September changed the narrative. Mateer fractured a bone in his throwing hand against Auburn and underwent surgery. He missed just one game, but since returning, he hasn’t quite looked like the same quarterback.
In the seven games since his return, Mateer has completed 58.6% of his passes for 1,363 yards, with six touchdowns and seven interceptions. That’s a stark contrast from the early-season version of Mateer, who looked poised to lead one of the most explosive offenses in the country.
Oklahoma head coach Brent Venables said this week that Mateer is still dealing with some lingering soreness, though there are signs of progress. At Monday’s practice, Mateer wasn’t wearing the wrap between his thumb and index finger that had been a constant since his return. Venables noted that his grip strength is improving - a promising sign for a quarterback who relies heavily on touch and timing.
Still, the Sooners' offense has sputtered down the stretch, averaging just 21.4 points per game since Mateer’s return. Yet, they’ve managed to string together four straight wins, including impressive road victories at Tennessee and Alabama. It hasn’t always been pretty, but it’s been enough.
A Defensive Identity Shift in Norman
Under Brent Venables, Oklahoma has flipped the script. Once known for shootouts and defensive lapses under former coach Lincoln Riley, the Sooners now lean on their defense - and it’s working.
Venables took over defensive play-calling duties this season, and the results speak for themselves. Oklahoma ranks seventh nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 13.9 points per game. They’re giving up 273.6 yards per contest, a testament to their ability to limit big plays and control the tempo.
That said, they weren’t perfect in their earlier meeting with Alabama. The Crimson Tide racked up 406 yards of total offense in a narrow 23-21 Oklahoma win back on Nov.
- But the Sooners made plays when it mattered most - particularly on defense.
They’ve also been without one of their top pass rushers, R Mason Thomas, for the final stretch of the regular season. Thomas injured his hamstring while returning a fumble for a touchdown against Tennessee, but he’s since returned to practice and is no longer listed on the injury report.
That’s a big boost for a defense that thrives on pressure and disruption. Thomas has recorded 9.5 tackles for loss this season and could be a difference-maker Friday.
Ground Game Woes on Both Sides
If you’re looking for dominant run games in this matchup, you might be left wanting more. Neither Oklahoma nor Alabama has found much consistency on the ground this season.
The Sooners have leaned on a committee approach, with freshman Tory Blaylock, sophomore Xavier Robinson, and quarterback John Mateer each topping 400 rushing yards. But no single back has emerged as a true workhorse.
Alabama, for its part, has relied primarily on senior Jam Miller, who leads the team with 493 rushing yards at a clip of four yards per carry. That’s solid, but not game-breaking.
When these two teams met earlier this year, the ground game was nearly nonexistent. Oklahoma managed just 74 rushing yards, while Alabama wasn’t much better with 80. If the trend continues, this game could come down to which quarterback can make the bigger plays through the air - and who avoids the costly mistakes.
Ty Simpson: Alabama’s X-Factor
For Alabama, redshirt junior quarterback Ty Simpson has grown into the role over the course of the season. His first start - a rough outing in a loss to Florida State - saw him complete just 53.5% of his passes. But he’s come a long way since then.
Simpson has emerged as one of the SEC’s top quarterbacks and is projected to be a first-round pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. On the year, he’s completed 64.3% of his passes for 3,268 yards, 26 touchdowns, and just five interceptions.
Still, his last outing - a 21-point loss to Georgia in the SEC Championship - raised a few eyebrows. Simpson struggled to find a rhythm, throwing one interception and completing just 48.7% of his passes. That kind of performance won’t cut it against a stingy Oklahoma defense.
If Alabama wants to punch its ticket to the Rose Bowl, Simpson will need to bounce back in a big way.
Turnovers Could Be the Decider
In their previous meeting, Oklahoma beat Alabama by doing what every coach preaches: win the turnover battle. Ty Simpson threw a pick-six, and Alabama fumbled twice - miscues that proved too costly to overcome.
Statistically, Alabama had the edge in nearly every category. But the turnovers flipped the game.
Now, the Crimson Tide are looking to avoid becoming the first team to lose to Oklahoma twice in the same season since 1893. That’s not a typo. It’s been over 130 years since that happened - and it speaks to the stakes and the rarity of this kind of rematch.
Familiar Faces on the Sidelines
There’s an added layer of intrigue in this game, especially for Indiana fans. Alabama’s coaching staff is filled with names that have ties to Bloomington.
After Nick Saban’s retirement in 2023, Alabama hired Kalen DeBoer - Indiana’s offensive coordinator in 2019 - as head coach. DeBoer brought along co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Nick Sheridan, another former Hoosiers OC. He also hired Kane Wommack, Indiana’s defensive coordinator in 2019 and 2020, to lead the Tide’s defense.
Even Alabama’s director of sports performance, David Ballou, spent two seasons with Indiana in the same role.
On the flip side, Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti knows the Crimson Tide well. He was part of Saban’s staff from 2007 to 2011, giving him a deep understanding of the Alabama culture and expectations.
What’s Next
Friday night’s game kicks off at 8 p.m. ET from Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman. The winner advances to face Indiana in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1 - a chance to move one step closer to a national title in this new 12-team College Football Playoff format.
Catch the action on ABC and ESPN, with Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit on the call. It’s playoff football in December, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.