Alabama Defense Zeroed In on Line of Scrimmage to Challenge Indiana Running Game

The Hoosiers are more than doubling up the Crimson Tide in average rush yards per game this season.

Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Tim Keenan III (96) celebrates after blocking a punt during a first-round College Football Playoff game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Alabama Crimson Tide at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. Alabama won 34-24. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.— College football teams don't go unbeaten through 13 games by pure good fortune. A variety of plays, outcomes and schematic choices over the course of a long season contributes to success in the win-loss column, and No. 1 Indiana is unblemished heading into the Rose Bown on Jan. 1 (3 p.m. CT, ESPN) opposite No. 9 Alabama.

Having a quarterback who wins the Heisman Trophy is, of course, a major benefit. Fernando Mendoza has helped take the Hoosiers (13-0) to places the program hasn't ever gone. Indiana also has a strong rushing attack, which posts an average of 221.1 yards per game. That's more than double the output of the Crimson Tide (11-3), which averages 109.9 yards per game on the ground in 14 contests.

Mendoza has 240 of the Hoosiers' 2,875 rushing yards and six of their 29 touchdowns in that category. Running back Roman Hemby ran for 918 yards on 176 carries across the team's first 13 matchups, the best season total for the redshirt senior since he reached 989 yards at Maryland in 2022. Hemby's six rushing touchdowns would tie him for the Alabama lead.

The Crimson Tide's defense has a tall task in front of it by virtue of facing Mendoza, who has not passed for 300-plus yards in a game since Oct. 18 against Michigan State. What he has done, however, is make critical throws and plays at the right moments. Alabama is preparing for Indiana to use the running game to open things up for Mendoza and his receiving corps.

"I gotta be on my A-game, gotta make sure I'm grabbing blocks and just owning my gap," Crimson Tide nose guard Tim Keenan said Sunday. "Not just kinda getting in my gap, but owning it, and re-establishing the line of scrimmage. Just playing my game and having fun and doing what's needed."

Sixth-year senior Kaelon Black rushed for 799 yards and seven scores this year and got more carries than Hemby on Dec. 6 in the Big Ten Championship Game victory over Ohio State. Hemby racked up 152 yards against Purdue during the Hoosiers' final game of the regular season. With multiple viable backfield options surrounding a capable quarterback, Indiana has plenty in the way of ability to impact games with its legs. The Hoosiers outgained the Buckeyes by 60 rush yards (118-58) in Indianapolis.

"They have a very good run game. They have a very good, detailed RPO scheme, and answers, in their run game," Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack said. "They can bleed you down the field if you'll allow them to do that... [The run game] has showed up for them just about in every single game. They haven't blown the doors off in every single game rushing the football, but they're very efficient in what they do and they stay on schedule because of it."

The success Curt Cignetti's squad has running the ball features another component in addition to yardage and points scored. It complements Mendoza, whom sophomore Alabama cornerback Zabien Brown said is the best quarterback the Crimson Tide has played this year, in the passing game.

"There's a reason why he won the Heisman Trophy," Wommack said. "He's a fantastic player. The offense goes with him. He's the leader of that offense, and he's the reason why they're able to do the things that they do and be efficient."