Indiana Football Readies for 'Dominant' Alabama Defense Led by Familiar Face

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — On an Indiana football team lacking experience against the SEC, redshirt senior tight end Riley Nowakowski knows the Hoosiers' Rose Bowl foe, Alabama, quite well. And he doesn't have fond memories.

Nowakowski, then playing for Wisconsin, faced Alabama in September of 2024. The Crimson Tide took a 42-10 victory in Madison, and Nowakowski didn't catch a pass. But he carries with him the lessons of Alabama's speed, be it how the Crimson Tide fired off the line of scrimmage, how they play in coverage and how they attack the ball in the air.

Such experiences and insight from Nowakowski can't replicate the feelings No. 1 Indiana (13-0) will gather when it faces No. 9 Alabama (11-3) at 4 p.m. ET on Jan. 1 in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., during the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.

But any information, Nowakowski says, is positive. And he has plenty of it pertaining to Alabama's highly ranked defense, a unit led by defensive coordinator Kane Wommack, who spent 2018-20 at Indiana and called plays his final two seasons in Bloomington.

Nowakowski's experience against Alabama, coupled with five full games of film and an abundance of cutups, gives him a defined perspective of the challenge awaiting the Hoosiers in Pasadena. The Crimson Tide are strong and fast, but Wommack's defense specializes in creating chaos.

"They do a lot of like seven, eight-up looks and they'll drop out of it, or they'll bring zero," Nowakowski said Saturday. "And that is tough for everybody to handle, because obviously, O-line's gotta sort it, QB's got to see his tells to see if it's really zero or not, and if you got to check something, or if they're dropping out of it.

"So, I think that'll be one of our biggest challenges, just seeing those bringing-everybody-up looks, and trying to decipher what exactly is going on, if they're really bringing that pressure, if they're dropping out. They have the athletes to be able to get out of it and hold that bluff for a long time."

Here's a deep dive on the position- and unit-specific challenges ahead for Indiana.

Where Alabama's defense ranks nationally

Total yards allowed: No. 13 (288.9 per game)
Passing defense: No. 10 (168.4 yards per game)
Rushing defense: No. 30 (120.6 yards per game)
Points allowed: No. 13 (17.9 per game)

The Crimson Tide are tied for sixth in the SEC in both sacks (30) and interceptions (11) through 14 games. They're tied for the conference lead with three pick-sixes.

Meet Alabama's defensive line

Alabama will be healthier up front in the Rose Bowl than it was against Oklahoma, as standout defensive end LT Overton, who missed the past two games with an undisclosed injury, has been cleared to play against Indiana.

The 6-foot-5, 278-pound Overton is second on the team with four sacks and 23 pressures, according to Pro Football Focus. He's added six tackles for loss this season.

Alabama's best pass rusher is redshirt sophomore Yhonzae Pierre, who leads the team with 6.5 sacks and 13 tackles for loss. The 6-foot-3, 248-pounder is also best on the team with 42 pressures, per Pro Football Focus.

The Crimson Tide have plenty of size and depth on the interior. The group is led by redshirt senior Tim Keenan, a 6-foot-2, 320-pounder who has registered three tackles for loss and two sacks in 11 starts this season. Next to him is 6-foot-3, 297-pound junior Tim Smith, who's made 6.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.

"I think it all starts with Tim Keenan, their nose guard, their defensive tackle, he's their leader, he's their captain," Indiana center Pat Coogan said Saturday. "Really stout run defender, plays with great leverage and he's going to be a huge challenge for all of us, me in particular."

Coogan said the size and skill of Alabama's defensive line stands out to him.

"Really, really, really good front, the front seven in general," Coogan said. "Really large individuals, great body types, it's an SEC defense, and it's dominant. They can really rush the passer across the board. So, it's going to be a huge challenge for us. One we're excited about, but one we got to be ready for, for sure."

Meet the Tide's linebackers

Alabama had only two defenders earn All-SEC recognition from the league's coaches, and one resides in the heart of their unit.

Redshirt senior Deontae Lawson, the green-dot player and signal caller for Alabama's defense, earned second-team All-SEC honors. At 6-foot-2 and 228 pounds, Lawson enters the Rose Bowl as the Crimson Tide's leading tackler with 85. He's added four tackles for loss, one sack and two forced fumbles this season.

Starting alongside Lawson is fellow redshirt senior Justin Jefferson, who's second on the team with 82 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss. The 6-foot-1, 227-pound Jefferson is athletic and explosive, and he's tied for the team lead with five pass breakups, according to Pro Football Focus.

Colorado transfer Nikhai Green-Hill, a 6-foot-2, 235-pound graduate student, caps off a potent trio. Green-Hill is fourth on the team with 54 tackles, and he's added 3.5 tackles for loss. He largely plays in a rotational role, though he's seen at least 25 snaps in all but two games this season and has played 83 combined snaps over the past two games.

"It's a great front seven that is going to be a big challenge for us," Coogan said.

Meet Alabama's secondary

Indiana has played several quality safeties this season, led by Ohio State's Caleb Downs, the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, and Oregon's Dillon Thieneman. Both players earned first-team all-conference honors this fall.

Alabama's Bray Hubbard is in a similar tier.

Hubbard earned first-team All-SEC honors while tying for the conference lead with four interceptions and making 71 tackles and three tackles for loss. He's forced three fumbles and plays a variety of spots on the Crimson Tide's back-end — across 762 snaps, he's played 348 in the box, 194 at free safety and 178 at nickel corner, among others, according to PFF.

Senior Keon Sabb starts at safety next to Hubbard. Sabb has played a team-high 770 snaps and collected 51 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack and one interception this season.

Alabama has a bit of flux at cornerback. Sophomore Zabien Brown has been a mainstay, and he's made several big plays this season, including a 99-yard pick-six against Tennessee and a game-changing pick-six against Oklahoma.

But opposite Brown, the Crimson Tide have swapped between senior Domani Jackson and freshman Dijon Lee Jr. over the past two months. Lee started five games, but Jackson started the other nine. Jackson started and played 46 snaps against Oklahoma while Lee saw 39 snaps.

Both players were consensus five-star recruits. The 6-foot-1, 196-pound Jackson, a 13-game starter in 2024, has tallied 37 tackles and one pass breakup this season. Lee carries a towering 6-foot-4, 202-pound frame, and he's recorded two interceptions and four pass breakups this season.

Alabama's nickel corner is sophomore Red Morgan, a 6-foot, 185-pounder who's made 24 tackles and three tackles for loss this fall.

Indiana senior receiver Elijah Sarratt said the Crimson Tide have a scheme-versatile secondary behind a "great" group of defensive linemen and linebackers.

"They got some experienced guys back there," Sarratt said. "They like to play a lot of zone. But last week, they mixed it up, played a little bit more man against Oklahoma. So, we'll see what they do against us. But it's an exciting challenge going against a group like that. I know they're great. I know they can fly around. They run to the ball.

"So, it's going to be an exciting challenge for us, but we're ready."