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The Indiana Hoosiers will play the Alabama Crimson Tide in the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff on New Year’s Day in what could be the team’s biggest challenge yet.
The Hoosiers solidified their spot in the Playoff earlier this month with a Big Ten Championship win over the Ohio State Buckeyes. It will only be more difficult from the squad led by Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza from here.
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Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) and quarterback Alberto Mendoza (16) take the field for warmups before the 2025 Big Ten Championship game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Lucas Oil Stadium on Dec. 6, 2025. (Aaron Doster/Imagn Images)
Mendoza said he will embrace the challenge the Crimson Tide will provide. His comments to the Big Ten Network on Tuesday suggested he had the right mindset to win.
“I think one message we call covered is, ‘Pressure is a privilege.’ Even though we’re the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff, we have all these high expectations, this is the first time Indiana has ever done this. At the same time, we’re grateful and we want this opportunity. It’s what we’ve been working for all offseason.”
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Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti looks on before the 2025 Big Ten Championship game against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Lucas Oil Stadium on Dec. 6, 2025. (Robert Goddin/Imagn Images)
“It’s not like we’re here to defend anything. We don’t have this Rose Bowl win. We don’t have the national championship. We don’t have a semifinal win yet. We don’t have the Rose Bowl trophy or we don’t have roses in our mouths yet. We’re going to go get it. We’re going to take it — especially against an SEC team like we’re going to get at Alabama. Blessed and honored for the opportunity. Like (coach Curt Cignetti said), it’s something we’ll get to to remember for the rest of our lives, and even though the boys’ trip to New York was a blast, I will say that we all worked very hard because we all worked our whole lives for this moment and for this opportunity, as younger kids, we will remember this opportunity.
The Hoosiers finished undefeated in the regular season for the first time since 1945, when they were 9-0-1. The team was ranked No. 1 in the final Associated Press regular poll for the first time ever.
Much of that has to do with how Cignetti coached his team throughout the year and how Mendoza stepped up in games despite costly turnovers.
Alabama Crimson Tide head coach Kalen Deboer yells from the sideline during the first half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family OK Memorial Stadium on Dec. 19, 2025. (Nelson Chenault/Imagn Images)
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Now, Indiana will surely get to prove if they are true national title contenders against a giant in Alabama.
