Top-seeded Indiana thrashed ninth-seeded Alabama 38-3 in the Rose Bowl on Thursday to advance to the College Football Playoff semi-finals. The Hoosiers (14-0) became the first top-four seed to win in the 12-team CFP era, after bye teams had lost all six previous quarter-finals. Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza threw for 192 yards and three touchdowns, completing 14 of 16 passes. Indiana racked up 215 rushing yards, while Alabama managed just 193 total yards, handing the Crimson Tide their worst ever bowl loss.
Indiana (14-0) will face fifth-seeded Oregon in the Peach Bowl on 9 January. The Ducks earlier shut out fourth-seeded Texas Tech 23-0 in the Orange Bowl. Oregon (13-1) avenged the earlier losses of bye teams, with Dante Moore passing for 234 yards and Atticus Sappington kicking three field goals. Texas Tech (12-2), ranked second nationally in scoring offence, turned the ball over four times and failed to find the end zone.
Oregon’s Matayo Uiagalelei forced a fumble early in the third quarter, which he returned into the red zone, and Jordon Davison scored on the next play to give Oregon a 13-0 lead. Davison added a second touchdown in the final minute. The Ducks’ defence stifled Texas Tech, forcing three fourth-down failures and four three-and-outs. Behren Morton completed 18 of 32 passes for 137 yards but threw a red-zone interception.
Indiana’s win was their first bowl victory since 1991 and first Rose Bowl win ever. They led 17-0 at half-time after Mendoza threw a one-yard touchdown pass to Omar Cooper. Nicolas Radicic opened the scoring with a 31-yard field goal. Alabama’s only points came on a Conor Talty 28-yard field goal late in the third quarter. The Crimson Tide (11-4) lost a bowl by more than 32 points for the first time in programme history.
