Pasadena, California—The page has turned to a new year, but for the Alabama Crimson Tide, the outcome at the Rose Bowl was anything but celebratory. On January 1, 2026, Alabama faced the top-seeded Indiana Hoosiers in a College Football Playoff showdown that many thought could become a classic upset. Instead, the Crimson Tide left the Rose Bowl field with a stinging defeat, their season halted by a dominant Indiana squad led by Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza.
Alabama entered the game with high hopes, riding the momentum of a playoff run and aiming for a second-straight upset. The stakes were enormous: a shot at the national championship and a chance to reassert their dominance under head coach Kalen DeBoer. The matchup in Pasadena was billed as a test of grit, talent, and coaching mettle. Yet, from the opening whistle, Indiana seized control, exposing Alabama’s vulnerabilities on both sides of the ball.
Kickoff at 3:10 p.m. CT saw Alabama’s starting lineup take the field with Ty Simpson at quarterback, Jam Miller in the backfield, and a receiving corps featuring Germie Bernard, Ryan Williams, and Isaiah Horton. The offensive line—Kadyn Proctor, Kam Dewberry, Parker Brailsford, Wilkin Formby, and Michael Carroll—was tasked with protecting Simpson and jumpstarting a rushing attack that had struggled all season. On defense, the Tide relied on LT Overton, Tim Keenan III, and James Smith up front, with linebackers Deontae Lawson, Justin Jefferson, and Yhonzae Pierre anchoring the middle. The secondary featured Domani Jackson, Zabien Brown, Keon Sabb, Red Morgan, and Bray Hubbard, while special teams rolled out Conor Talty as kicker and Blake Doud as punter.
But the game quickly spiraled away from Alabama. Indiana’s offense, orchestrated by the poised and electric Mendoza, found gaps in the Tide’s defensive front that simply weren’t there in the Nick Saban era. The Hoosiers’ ground game gashed Alabama repeatedly, underscoring a season-long weakness that had haunted the Crimson Tide: the absence of a true game-changing presence on the defensive line. As the contest wore on, it became clear that Alabama’s front seven lacked the star power and depth that once made them the envy of college football.
Offensively, Alabama’s woes continued. The rushing attack, which had sputtered throughout the 2025 campaign, failed to find rhythm against Indiana’s stout defense. The offensive line, a unit that had been under the microscope all season, struggled to open running lanes and keep pressure off Simpson. The lack of a workhorse running back further hampered the Tide’s efforts to control the clock and establish physicality at the line of scrimmage.
Midway through the game, the Tide’s challenges intensified when Ty Simpson exited with an injury. Simpson, who had garnered significant NFL draft buzz despite a late-season regression, may have played his final snaps in a Crimson Tide uniform. His postseason struggles—never passing for more than 250 yards after the Oklahoma loss—left questions swirling about his future and Alabama’s quarterback situation heading into 2026.
In Simpson’s absence, Austin Mack stepped in and provided a spark, showing flashes of potential that momentarily lifted Alabama’s offense. Mack, a redshirt junior next season, could become a hot commodity in the transfer portal if he doesn’t win the starting job outright. The Crimson Tide’s quarterback room will also feature true freshman Keelon Russell, one of the nation’s top recruits, who has already drawn attention for his talent and leadership. As Russell told reporters, he values his relationships with both Simpson and Mack, but he’s eager to compete for playing time: “I’m ready to do whatever it takes to help this team win.”
The loss in Pasadena dropped Alabama’s final record to 11-4, with two of those defeats coming in the postseason. While the Crimson Tide’s campaign included moments of resilience—such as their 27 unanswered points to reach the Rose Bowl—the season ultimately fell short of the program’s championship standards. The defeat at Indiana’s hands was particularly jarring given the storied legacy of Alabama football and the program’s recent dominance under Saban.
As the dust settles, three pressing questions loom over Kalen DeBoer’s offseason. First and foremost: Who will be Alabama’s starting quarterback in 2026? With Simpson’s NFL decision pending, Mack’s emergence, and Russell’s arrival, the competition promises to be fierce. DeBoer faces a pivotal choice—does he stick with experience, roll the dice on youth, or open the door to a transfer addition?
The second major concern is the running game. Alabama’s inability to establish the run this season was a glaring issue, especially in a conference as physical as the SEC. The offensive line’s inconsistency and the absence of a dynamic running back forced the Tide into one-dimensional play far too often. DeBoer will need to evaluate his position coaches and hit the recruiting trail hard, seeking both immediate-impact transfers and long-term solutions to restore Alabama’s trademark ground attack.
Finally, the defensive front’s drop-off in star power cannot be ignored. In the Saban era, the Tide boasted a rotation of future NFL talents, even among third-stringers. But the transfer portal era has thinned the ranks, and DeBoer’s staff must prioritize landing a disruptive pass rusher or dominant tackle who can anchor the defense. Indiana’s success running the ball in the Rose Bowl was a stark reminder of how far Alabama’s front has slipped—and how urgent the need for reinforcements has become.
Beyond personnel, Alabama faces broader questions about identity and resilience. Can DeBoer reestablish the program’s edge in recruiting and player development? Will the Tide adapt to the evolving landscape of college football, where transfers and NIL deals reshape rosters overnight? The answers will determine whether Alabama returns to its familiar place atop the national hierarchy or endures a period of transition.
As the Crimson Tide head into a critical offseason, the message from Pasadena is clear: change is needed, and fast. For a program accustomed to chasing championships, anything less simply won’t do. The eyes of the college football world will be fixed on Tuscaloosa as DeBoer and his staff get to work, determined to ensure that Alabama’s next trip to the Rose Bowl ends with confetti—not questions.
