Indiana Crushes Alabama, Wins First Bowl Since 1991
PASADENA, Calif — Indiana quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza led the Hoosiers, the number one team in the country, to a 38-3 victory over Alabama Thursday at the Rose Bowl, giving Indiana its first bowl win since 1991.
The win advances the Hoosiers to the semifinals of the College Football Playoff, and Indiana is now 14-0 on the season.
Mendoza completed 14 of 16 passes for 192 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Indiana also gained 215 yards on the ground, with Kaelon Black rushing for 99 yards and a touchdown, Roman Hemby adding 89 yards and a score, and Mendoza contributing 16 yards.
Head coach Curt Cignetti told ABC/ESPN after the game, “I thought our guys played really hard from the first snap to the last snap and I’m proud of them. We got done what we wanted to get done, looking forward to the flight home and day off tomorrow and get ready for the next game.”
Indiana center Pat Coogan and the offensive line earned Rose Bowl Offensive MVP honors, while D’Angelo Ponds was named Defensive MVP. The defense totaled 41 tackles, three sacks, six tackles for loss, and an interception, holding Alabama to just three points.
Cignetti also responded to a question about whether the moment might be too big for Indiana: “Why should it be too big, cause our name’s Indiana? We got a lot of veteran starters and they’ve played a lot of successful football in their careers.”
With the Rose Bowl victory, Indiana will play in Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl against Oregon, a team they beat earlier this season 30-23. The Peach Bowl is scheduled for Friday, January 9.
The Hoosiers are now just two wins away from a national championship. Before Cignetti took over, Indiana had been the losingest program in college football.
