Social Media Reacts to Indiana's Dominant Rose Bowl Win Over Alabama

When Indiana beat then-No. 9 Illinois by 53 points, what did the non-believers say? The Illini were vastly overrated. How about going into Eugene and knocking off then-No. 3 Oregon by double digits? Well, the Ducks aren’t that good – or so they said.

The victory over then-No. 1 Ohio State in the Big Ten championship finally won over the entire nation. There was no way around it following that contest: Indiana was viewed, indisputably, as the best team in the country.

Then Ohio State went and laid an egg, getting tossed all over AT&T Stadium by Miami in the quarterfinal round of the College Football Playoff on New Years Eve. The Hurricanes controlled the contest from wire to wire, eventually winning 24-14, and, subsequently, the narrative returned: the Big Ten is fraudulent.

And, with that in mind, No. 1 Indiana is overrated and Alabama – a perennial SEC powerhouse – is going to prove that to the nation in the Rose Bowl on Thursday.

Indiana blows out Alabama in unforgettable Rose Bowl performance

Jan 1, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti looks on before the 2026 Rose Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Unfortunately, though, for the Crimson Tide faithful and all of SEC nation, that was not the case whatsoever. Indiana, as it has done all season long, made its opponent look like a JV squad on New Year’s Day, beating Alabama 38-3 in the Rose Bowl, and dominating the Crimson Tide in every phase.

The Hoosiers registered 407 total yards to the Crimson Tide’s 193, rushing for more yards (215) than Alabama accumulated in total, while quarterback Fernando Mendoza had just two incompletions on the afternoon. The Heisman-winning gunslinger finished the day 14-for-16 for 192 yards and three touchdowns.

A thorough spanking, Indiana’s performance didn’t just make the day of Hoosiers fans across the country, but, seemingly, all non-Alabama college football fans.

Naturally, social media had a field day. Here are the best reactions from all sides:

Social media explodes as Indiana knocks Alabama off in shocking fashion

Indiana Footbal — Indiana Hoosiers fans cheer Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, during the Rose Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff against Alabama Crimson Tide at Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Won't be satisfied until that national championship trophy resides in Bloomington

Curt Cignetti’s reaction based on what Indiana does pic.twitter.com/VweRPw23PZ
— College Football Zone (@CollegeFBonX) January 1, 2026

All that needs to be said

Indiana football.

That's it. That's the tweet. pic.twitter.com/CljLyXWqWW
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) January 1, 2026

Took Kalen DeBoer a little too long to realize this

"Dang, Indiana is legit..." pic.twitter.com/xIch5bFNkH
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) January 1, 2026

Agreed, Nathan, it's simply unfair

We just can’t let SEC schools into the CFP. Poor Bama just doesn’t have the athletes that Indiana does.

Getting smoked at the LOS. Skill players aren’t fast enough.

Becoming a safety issue. Already seen Bama’s QB get hurt. How many more? Just have an SEC playoff, it’s safer.
— Nathan Carroll (@Nathan_26_) January 1, 2026

The final margin wasn't exactly on anyone's tarot cards (except Cignetti)

Just looked at the Alabama-Indiana score 💀
pic.twitter.com/EnAJKzPKOo
— Kyrie Center (@kyriecenterig) January 1, 2026

Tennessee fans loving it

I’m really watching Alabama get taken behind the woodshed by the Indiana Hoosiers

It’s beautiful
— Austin Brown (@Austin_Vols) January 1, 2026

Where is Bama??

Are Indiana fans chanting WE WANT BAMA???
— Matt Brown (@MattBrownEP) January 1, 2026

Elite ball knowledge

People are gonna overreact to this, but the game really only came down to like 30 plays that Indiana made and we didn’t.
— Roll ‘Bama Roll (@rollbamaroll) January 1, 2026

Trends mean nothing to the Hoosiers (teams with a first-round bye were 0-6 in 12-team CFP until Indiana's win)

Indiana is dominating the toughest opponent possible: the first-round bye.
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) January 1, 2026

Sorry, Illini fans, no amount of emphatic Hoosiers wins can justify a 53-point loss

So… we all know Indiana’s winning the National Championship, right?
— Barstool Illini (@BarstoolILL) January 1, 2026

No way of sugarcoating this one

Chris Fowler: “Alabama is being humiliated by this Indiana team.”

Kirk Herbstreit: “Yeah, this is embarrassing.”

💀
— SleeperCFB (@SleeperCFB) January 1, 2026

Even the hoops experts have to chime in

Indiana making Alabama look like they are Indiana State.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) January 1, 2026

There's a first time for everything

Indiana has made Alabama quit.

Never thought I'd see the day.

But we are here.
— Aaron Torres (@Aaron_Torres) January 1, 2026