#1 IUFB vs. Alabama: CFP Quarterfinal at THE ROSE BOWL - 1/1 @ 4PM on ESPN

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

ESPN INSIGHTS -

Alabama blitzed Fernando Mendoza a season-high 12 times. He was 8-8 for 161 yards and 3 TD against 5 or more pass rushers, the first QB with 3 pass TD vs the Alabama blitz since Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel in 2013

And from Raby we set 3 new Rose Bowl records:

1. Fernando highest passer rating
2. Fernando highest completion percentage
3. Longest scoring drive in minutes.  Previous record set in 2010.

[Pagoda]

Haha.  This was pre-game!  Classic Cig.  

 

[str8baller]

1 hour ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

ESPN INSIGHTS -

Alabama blitzed Fernando Mendoza a season-high 12 times. He was 8-8 for 161 yards and 3 TD against 5 or more pass rushers, the first QB with 3 pass TD vs the Alabama blitz since Texas A&M’s Johnny Manziel in 2013

And from Raby we set 3 new Rose Bowl records:

1. Fernando highest passer rating
2. Fernando highest completion percentage
3. Longest scoring drive in minutes.  Previous record set in 2010.

I think the Bama got home 3x on the other 4 chances. All early though. It really speaks to Shanahan and Mendozas ability to adjust on the fly. 

[68Hoosier]

I woke up this morning and still can't believe it.  Rose Bowl champs!!! What a complete game.  The staff and players have far exceeded my expectations this year.  

Two more now for more history!

Hoo Hoo Hoo 

[Pagoda]

Looking back at the game, the Fernando TD throws were of course awesome.  Easily some of the most exciting IU athletics plays I've ever seen.

But those Black and Hemby rushing TDs were so damn satisfying.  IU kept wearing down Alabama until they broke and we ran right through their entire #9 SP+ defense full of "high end" recruits with 18 and 25 yard runs.  Those two were superb yesterday and I'm glad they got a couple scores.

[68Hoosier]

1 minute ago, Pagoda said:

Looking back at the game, the Fernando TD throws were of course awesome.  Easily some of the most exciting IU plays I've ever seen.

But those Black and Hemby rushing TDs were so damn satisfying.  IU kept wearing down Alabama until they broke and we ran right through their entire #9 SP+ defense full of "high end" recruits with 18 and 25 yard runs.  Those two were superb yesterday and I'm glad they got a couple scores.

We were talking about that last night.  It looked like they just broke their will there at the end.  Those runs were very satisfying, LOL. 

[Home Jersey]

So we all woke up giddy after seeing IU football beat Alabama to a pulp at the Rose Bowl, huh? Awesome. Most thoroughly enjoyable game from start to finish I think I've ever watched. 

Only team with a bye in the 12 team format to advance, is that right? On paper, things definitely broke in our favor yesterday. I'd have preferred TTU to Oregon. Respect to them. Will not be an easy path to a title at all regardless... but, Miami or Ole Miss instead of Georgia or Ohio State coming out of the other side of the bracket is huge.

I think this just may be a team of destiny fellas. 

[68Hoosier]

3 minutes ago, Home Jersey said:

So we all woke up giddy after seeing IU football beat Alabama to a pulp at the Rose Bowl, huh? Awesome. Most thoroughly enjoyable game from start to finish I think I've ever watched. 

Only team with a bye in the 12 team format to advance, is that right? On paper, things definitely broke in our favor yesterday. I'd have preferred TTU to Oregon. Respect to them. Will not be an easy path to a title at all regardless... but, Miami or Ole Miss instead of Georgia or Ohio State coming out of the other side of the bracket is huge.

I think this just may be a team of destiny fellas. 

If that happens (Destiny) then think about this.  We will be the last school to have both undefeated seasons in basketball and football through the post season.  

[southsidehoosier]

 

[southsidehoosier]

 

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

Seeds of doubt were planted on the 4th down stop and cemented when we stopped them on their first 3rd Q possession and we scored on our first possession.

https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/sports/college/iu/2026/01/02/indiana-football-defense-fourth-down-stop-rose-bowl-alabama-cfp/87925898007/

[AZ Hoosier]

7 minutes ago, southsidehoosier said:

 

The bandwagon is getting pretty full. Hop on, Kev, we'll make room!

#NeverDaunted

[southsidehoosier]

 

[68Hoosier]

18 minutes ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

Seeds of doubt were planted on the 4th down stop and cemented when we stopped them on their first 3rd Q possession and we scored on our first possession.

https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/sports/college/iu/2026/01/02/indiana-football-defense-fourth-down-stop-rose-bowl-alabama-cfp/87925898007/

That was a huge moment of the game.

[LIHoosier]

57 minutes ago, Home Jersey said:

So we all woke up giddy after seeing IU football beat Alabama to a pulp at the Rose Bowl, huh? Awesome. Most thoroughly enjoyable game from start to finish I think I've ever watched. 

Only team with a bye in the 12 team format to advance, is that right? On paper, things definitely broke in our favor yesterday. I'd have preferred TTU to Oregon. Respect to them. Will not be an easy path to a title at all regardless... but, Miami or Ole Miss instead of Georgia or Ohio State coming out of the other side of the bracket is huge.

I think this just may be a team of destiny fellas. 

Miami having a home game to win the national title ain't gonna be easy. They built their dynasty in the 80s by having a home bowl game every year beating the likes of Nebraska or Oklahoma having a road game where they'd be favorites if the game was a true neutral site.

[Stuhoo]

32 minutes ago, AZ Hoosier said:

The bandwagon is getting pretty full. Hop on, Kev, we'll make room!

#NeverDaunted

Coach Wilson doesn't hop on a wagon, he falls off the wagon.  :)

[Class of '66 Old Fart]

5 minutes ago, Stuhoo said:

Coach Wilson doesn't hop on a wagon, he falls off the wagon.  :)

So much for your  New Year's resolution to be a kinder gentler poster.

[JSHoosier]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6934917/2026/01/01/indiana-alabama-rose-bowl-curt-cignetti-cfp/

I didn't have breaking Bama on my bingo card, but sure was fun.

[jermhoosierfan]

44 minutes ago, Class of '66 Old Fart said:

Seeds of doubt were planted on the 4th down stop and cemented when we stopped them on their first 3rd Q possession and we scored on our first possession.

https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/sports/college/iu/2026/01/02/indiana-football-defense-fourth-down-stop-rose-bowl-alabama-cfp/87925898007/

Yeah, I was listening on the radio changing from Fisch and the ESPN broadcast, and the ESPN booth was wondering what they were doing.  They took so much time with the timeout and moving players around, the guys were saying that it was basically not going to work.  That play set the tone for the rest of the game.  Hearing Fisch call out BaldTrollDumb@$$ on air was pretty nice. LOL

[johnsoniu]

I didn’t have any coffee this morning, I don’t want to risk waking up in case this is all a dream.

But if I had drank coffee it would taste Flippin’ awesome