Alabama soundly beaten in Rose Bowl by a Nick Saban replica:

Indiana tells Bama and the SEC we are no longer a basketball school:

Flash Thoughts:
  PASADENA: Alabama got taken to the woodshed Thursday in the Rose Bowl by Indiana 38 to 3 in the college football playoff quarterfinal round.
Indiana made a statement to Alabama and the Southeastern Conference too, "We are no longer a basketball school." That probably has Bobby Knight spinning around in his grave.
The new king of the Big Ten Conference and the No. 1 entry into the 12 team playoff format, Indiana is letting it be known of how good the Hoosiers have become since they hired Curt Cignetti from James Madison University two years ago.
Cignetti, who like many, worked with Alabama legend Nick Saban, has developed a winning formula from JMU and now in 2 years at IU.
James Madison was a playoff qualifier this year in winning the Sun Belt Conference before they were outscored in the opening round of the playoff to Oregon.
Between 2019 and 2023, the record of Cignetti and Saban are impressive.
Cignetti led JMU to 52 wins and 9 losses.
Saban was 60 & 8 in his final 5 seasons with Alabama.

 From playing at a soggy Rose Bowl stadium January 1st, Indiana utilized the opportunity of taking advantage of 2 huge Alabama mistakes in the 1st half that allowed the Hoosiers to jump out to a 17 to 0 lead by halftime.
Alabama failed to gain a 1st down on 4th and 1 from its 35 yard line. Indiana earned a short drive to the end zone.
Tide QB Ty Simpson lost the ball after getting crushed on a tackle in the 2nd period that allowed the Hoosiers to extend their lead and leave no doubt in their minds, their season would go on to the semifinal round and Alabama would have a painful trip back to the Capstone.
Indiana shut down Alabama's very inept running game, allowing the Tide 23 yards on 17 attempts.
Bama was also inconsistent on 3rd down, just 3 of 14.
Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza went 14 of 16 passing for 192 yards and 3 TDs.
Simpson completed 12 of 16 for 75 percent accuracy. However, the Tide gained only 67 yards with his throws.
The injury he suffered on the 2nd quarter hit sent him out of the game in the 2nd half.
Reserve QB Austin Mack hit of 11 of 16 for 103 yards and had one drive that got them points on the board late in the 3rd to avoid being shutout.

In closing, the superior team that is now 25 & 2 in 2 years with Cignetti, showed it to 90,000 that packed the Rose Bowl in the late afternoon.
Alabama ends the year at 11 & 4. But for sure, plenty of frustrated Tide fans for the result of this one as it allowed the letdown they had in the SEC championship December 6 against Georgia loom very much through their heart and soul.
One game does not make a season, but tell that to the over passionate people that cheer for a collegiate team out of the capstone, largely to how they were for over 2 decades under Nick Saban.

Photo of the Alabama defense surrounding an Indiana RB in the Rose Bowl game January 1 from Pasadena.
Photo courtesy of University of Alabama football.