Tide QB hurt in Rose Bowl loss to Hoosiers … Updating an earlier story on Indiana’s rather shocking 38-3 dismantling of Alabama in the Rose Bowl earlier this evening, Tide QB Ty Simpson actually suffered a fractured rib on that hard hit at the end of the first half that for all intents and purposes forced him from the after Alabama’s first series of the second half … If someone was told that the final score in today’s Rose Bowl was 38-3 they would most likely think that Indiana’s football bubble finally burst as the Tide rolled in. However, that someone would be wrong as today’s final was Indiana 38 Alabama 3. And tge two words that come to mind are shocking and stunning. With the win, the #1 ranked Hoosiers advance to the a CFP semi-final match-up with Big 10 rival Oregon in the Peach Bowl on January 9th. And while it was’t quite a clinic, Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza was near perfect as he completed 14 of 16 passes for 192 yards and 3 TDs to further solidify his status as the projected #1 prospect for the 2026 draft. It wasn’t as much fun, though, for Alabama QB Ty Simpson who was taken out of the game early in the second half after taking a hard hit just before the break. Before leaving, Simpson did complete 12 of 16 passes but for barely 67 yards, while he lost a fumble after taking that hard hit. Simpson now faces the tough choice whether to stay with Alabama for his final year of eligibility after having waited four years for his chance to actually play, enter the transfer portal, or put his name into the hat for the upcoming draft, which now seems less likely after his late season struggles unless he should get a very positive evaluation from the NFL’s special draft advisory committee. Stay tuned.
