Indiana is clear national title favorite after dominating Alabama in Rose Bowl rout.

All roads to the national championship goes through Bloomington and Indiana football. Twelve words no one ever thought about typing 20 or even three years ago. Yet here we are after watching the Hoosiers’ 38-3 onslaught of Alabama in the Rose Bowl Thursday.

The other team in Crimson red looked more like Alabama’s past dominating teams. The Southeastern Conference representative got manhandled SEC style by the Big Ten rep. Curt Cignetti looked like Nick Saban in front of his old boss at ‘Bama.

IU walked into this historic venue facing a team with more football prestige. They turned to a former walk-on as the starter behind center. And its roster came with lesser four and five-star recruits.

But again…Indiana hammered Alabama with a familiar brute style the ESPN analyst Saban once created in Tuscaloosa. And IU’s trouncing launches these reasons why the Hoosiers are the new clear cut favorite to party on Jan. 19 in Miami.

Fernando Mendoza continues to stack accolades with Indiana

Mendoza brought the Heisman Trophy back to Bloomington for the first time in school history. He looked near flawless after accepting the award.

Mendoza surgically delivered 14-of-16 completions — enduring two incomplete passes only. Alabama sent 12 blitzes on him, yet Mendoza completed every pass facing the heavy rush. He flamed three touchdown passes before the fourth quarter — all on wide open targets.

The Cal transfer picked apart Alabama when the Tide sent five or more rushers. He made the Tide defense pay for providing no safety help on his end zone strikes.

Shredding Alabama adds to the growing list of accolades for the nation’s best player per the Heisman committee.

Indiana trenches built to thrash

IU’s front five produced the Rose Bowl Most Valuable Player…not Mendoza. Center Pat Coogan earned the stunning honor.

Linemen everywhere, young or old, likely rejoiced seeing Coogan earn the game’s top honor. But there’s good reason he earned the MVP.

The 23-year-old and his trench mates plowed over a massive Alabama interior line — creating 215 rushing yards amid the lane openings. Coogan set the tone against a front line with NFL scout eyes locked on them. The Notre Dame transfer led the line of scrimmage domination on offense. IU’s defensive front opened attack lanes too.

Ty Simpson ran for his life multiple times with the unheralded trench representatives in pursuit. Linebackers Aiden Fisher, Rolijah Hardy, plus Isaiah Jones piled a combined 10 solo tackles from there. Even defensive back Devan Boykin roamed freely thanks to the line push, hitting three solo stops on his end. Cignetti didn’t just hunt via the portal, he made sure to build the trenches in Bloomington.

Indiana holds few weaknesses

You’re not the nation’s top-ranked team by accident. It means few weaknesses reside in your football facility.

Cignetti and his staff gives IU the coaching advantage. Mendoza shreds by arm and feet. Big targets galore are at his disposal from Elijah Sarratt (caught the 24-yard touchdown to put Indiana up 24-0), Charlie Becker and Omar Cooper Jr.

Indiana then manhandled two of the biggest heavyweights in CFB Ohio State and Alabama in the trenches. The ground attack pulverized the Buckeyes with 118 rushing yards, then 215 versus the Tide.

Finally, the nation’s remaining highest ranked defense resides in the 812 region. Indiana brings the best unit left in these playoffs.

Everything in place allows the Hoosiers to win in multiple ways. A bad scoring day for IU is still a worse day for the opponent. Then a near-perfect outing for Indiana is a nightmare for the opponent.

Indiana is the favorite to win it all. Time for the nation to say those eight words.

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