Indiana football head coach Curt Cignetti hoisted the Rose Bowl trophy on stage alongside nine of his players following Indiana’s blowout win against the University of Alabama on Thursday in Pasadena, California. He ignited a “Hoo-Hoo-Hoo-Hoosiers" chant as the Cream and Crimson awaited the presentation of the game’s offensive MVP.
Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza was one of the nine players on the stage. The redshirt junior quarterback was 14 for 16 for 192 yards and had three touchdowns against Alabama.
But Mendoza did not take home the offensive award.
Instead, ESPN’s Rece Davis called Pat Coogan’s name. The redshirt senior offensive lineman was hounded by Mendoza and teammates as he made his way to accept the honor.
Coogan anchored an Indiana offensive line that helped generate 215 rushing yards on the day — 22 more than Alabama produced in total offense. This effort up front drove the Hoosiers to a 38-3 Rose Bowl victory over the Crimson Tide — their first Rose Bowl win in program history and their first bowl game victory since 1991.
“It’s all a credit to my teammates and my coaching staff for, first of all, just believing in me and the ability to make my calls, and diagnose a defense, and fully entrusting in me and my abilities,” Coogan said postgame.
While the end result showed a dominant outing for Indiana’s offensive line, the game did not start smooth for the unit up front.
Alabama dialed up blitzes on the Hoosiers’ first drive, sacking Mendoza twice. Rather than folding, Indiana’s offensive line adjusted and stabilized its pass protection, allowing just one sack the rest of the game.
The unit also consistently opened rushing lanes. Redshirt senior running back Kaelon Black led the Hoosiers in rushing Thursday, totaling 15 carries for 99 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Meanwhile, redshirt senior running back Roman Hemby rushed 18 times for 89 yards and a fourth-quarter touchdown.
“Anytime that the offensive line gets as much push as they get, and we're able to kind of run the plays on our board the way we want to, it's a big advantage,” Hemby said postgame. “And we knew that to win these big games, we got to establish that physical presence up front. And I thought we were able to do it.”
Indiana’s coaching staff regularly brought in jumbo packages, featuring an extra offensive lineman to help power the running game. For the Hoosiers, this success on the ground game was crucial in tiring out the Crimson Tide.
“Well, I think that’s what you would always love to see as the head coach,” Cignetti said postgame. “Things we used to preach when I was at Alabama about changing the way they think, breaking their will. And that’s the best way to do it — running the football.”
Indiana had not played a game since its Big Ten Championship win over Ohio State on Dec. 6, dealing with a more than three-week layoff before the game. Before the Hoosiers’ victory Thursday, teams who earned a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff were 0-6 in the quarterfinals since the start of the 12-team CFP format in 2024.
Meanwhile, Alabama was coming off a 34-24 win over the University of Oklahoma on Dec. 19.
Cignetti expressed concern about his team’s preparation leading up to the Rose Bowl, but the Hoosiers did not miss a beat in the trenches –– both offensively and defensively.
Alabama struggled to run the ball against Indiana’s defensive front, recording just 23 yards on the ground. The Hoosiers added six tackles for loss and three sacks, limiting the Crimson Tide to 193 total yards of offense.
The Cream and Crimson dominated Alabama up front, even without senior defensive lineman Stephen Daley, who was out for the remainder of the playoff with a knee injury suffered while celebrating after the Big Ten Championship. This loss meant the Hoosiers needed to look for the “next man up,” defensive coordinator Bryant Haines said during media availability Sunday.
Sophomore defensive lineman Daniel Ndukwe was a primary candidate to gain a more prominent role on the edge without Daley.
“So, I expect that when Daniel Ndukwe's number is called, he'll be ready just like everybody that came before him and everybody that is going to come after him, as well,” Haines said Sunday.
Ndukwe stepped up in a key moment for the Hoosiers on Thursday. The Lithonia, Georgia, native lined up opposite of Alabama junior offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor — an Associated Press second-team All-American — on a third-and-10 in the second quarter.
Yet, Ndukwe won the matchup. He shed Proctor’s block before wrapping up Alabama redshirt junior quarterback Ty Simpson by the legs on a scramble, bringing him down after just a 1-yard gain.
The Hoosiers’ defense, much like their offense, won the battle up front despite Daley’s absence.
Now, Indiana prepares for a rematch against Oregon at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The Hoosiers defeated the Ducks 30-20 in their first matchup Oct. 11. Indiana recorded 111 rushing yards to Oregon’s 81 in the contest. Indiana will look to add another ‘will-breaking’ victory up front to its resume in the rematch. The game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 9.
Follow reporters Conor Banks (@Conorbanks06 and conbanks@iu.edu) and Dalton James (@DaltonMJames and jamesdm@iu.edu) and columnist Quinn Richards (@Quinn_richa and qmrichar@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana football season.
