Top-seeded Indiana routs Alabama 38-3 for its first Rose Bowl victory and a spot in CFP semifinals

PASADENA, Calif. — Fernando Mendoza threw three touchdown passes, Indiana’s defense thoroughly throttled Alabama, and the top-seeded Hoosiers roared into the College Football Playoff semifinals with a 38-3 victory in the 112th Rose Bowl on Thursday

PASADENA, Calif. — Fernando Mendoza threw three touchdown passes, Indiana’s defense thoroughly throttled Alabama, and the top-seeded Hoosiers roared into the College Football Playoff semifinals with a 38-3 victory in the 112th Rose Bowl on Thursday.

Mendoza passed for 192 yards in his first game since winning his school’s first Heisman Trophy, but the hard-nosed Hoosiers (14-0, No. 1 CFP seed) won the Rose Bowl for the first time in school history by dominating the Crimson Tide (11-4, No. 9 CFP seed) at the line of scrimmage.

Indiana scored the game’s first 24 points before pouring it on with fourth-quarter rushing TDs from Kaelon Black and Roman Hemby, wrapping up a jubilant win in the 112th edition of the Granddaddy of Them All.

Charlie Becker, Omar Cooper Jr. and Elijah Sarratt caught TD passes, while Black rushed for 99 yards. Indiana outgained Alabama 407-193, steadily delighting a decidedly pro-Indiana crowd that celebrated its long-struggling team’s first Rose Bowl game appearance since 1968 with chants of “Hoosier Daddy?” in the final minutes.

Indiana had not won any bowl game since the Copper Bowl in 1991, but history has been no match for Curt Cignetti and his dominant Hoosiers during the coach’s two transcendent seasons.