The Alabama Crimson Tide is facing perhaps the biggest challenge of the Kalen DeBoer era on New Year’s Day in Pasadena, taking on the undefeated Indiana Hoosiers in the College Football Playoff quarter-final with everything on the line for both teams.
If you just took the helmets and logos of each team even only a few short years ago, one would think Alabama would be the Goliath heavy favorite here. The most storied program in the history of college football going up against a Hoosiers team which has historically been a complete doormat in the Big 10.
Instead though, things are reversed. It’s the Crimson Tide who are the heavy underdogs — roughly a touchdown — against an Indiana team which has taken the sport by storm this season.
The incredible reality of the leveled playing field NIL and the transfer portal have led to is on full display in this game, and the Hoosiers are the shining example of what a program is capable of in today’s day and age of the sport. Ironically though, Indiana is not doing it with the elite five-star athletes that have dominated college football for so long.
They are winning by executing at an elite level, not making many mistakes, and a head coach in Curt Cigentti — forged in the fires of working for Nick Saban — who demands excellence from every one of his players on every single play. It’s a mindset which has brought Indiana to where they are, and sitting as a touchdown favorite against Alabama in the Rose Bowl.
So how can the Crimson Tie overcome the mighty Hoosiers?
Like most games, it will start with not beating themselves. Indiana does not turn the ball over at a high rate, so Alabama cannot afford to do the same. An elite pass rush for the Hoosiers is going to try to disrupt a Crimson Tide offensive line which has at times struggled to protect Ty Simpson.
Simpson will need time to operate here and be able to get the ball out quickly to his group of playmakers.
For as much as has been made about the running game for Alabama, they have found a ton of success without even an average ground attack. They don’t need to run for 200 yards, but getting something going rushing wise — similar to how they did two weeks ago against Oklahoma — it would go a long way towards keeping things open through the air.
The weather has been a significant discussion, but most reports indicate the worst of it should be over by the time the game actually kicks off, which is good news both for the fans in the stands and an Alabama offense which hopes to be able to throw the ball to victory.
There is a real path to victory here for the Tide if they can protect Simpson, not turn the ball over, and look more like the version of themselves for the three final quarters in Norman rather than the first.
As healthy as they’ve been all season long, it’s a wonderful opportunity for Alabama to advance and pull off what would be by far the biggest win of Kalen DeBoer’s tenure so far.
