As Alabama prepares to face Indiana in the Rose Bowl, former Heisman Trophy winner and ESPN analyst Cam Newton believes the Crimson Tide already hold a mental advantage heading into the College Football Playoff matchup.
Alabama advanced to the second round of the CFP after defeating Oklahoma on Friday, setting up a showdown with the Hoosiers, who earned a first-round bye as the No. 1 overall seed. While Indiana’s season has been historic, Newton questioned whether the Hoosiers inspire the same level of fear and preparation that Alabama has long commanded across college football.
Speaking on ESPN’s First Take, Newton was candid about the perception surrounding the matchup.
“I think nobody’s losing sleep over playing Indiana,” Newton said. “But there are teams that are going to lose sleep over the thought of playing Alabama.”
Newton acknowledged Indiana’s success and praised the Hoosiers for being one of the most well-coached teams in the country. However, he emphasized that coaching alone may not be enough to overcome Alabama’s traditional strengths, particularly when it comes to roster composition and physicality.
According to Newton, Alabama’s consistent ability to recruit elite talent plays a major role in shaping how opponents view the Crimson Tide.
“When you look at top-to-bottom metrics, Alabama has five-star guys year in and year out,” Newton said. “Indiana does not. That’s the difference when you start talking about physicality, size, and depth.”
Newton also pointed to the stylistic differences between conferences, suggesting that Alabama’s SEC-tested brand of football presents challenges that Big Ten teams do not often encounter.
“It’s the ground-and-pound. It’s the girth. It’s the physicality,” Newton explained. “That brand of football isn’t matched until teams go against somebody from the SEC.”
While Newton made it clear that Indiana should not be overlooked, he framed the matchup as one where Alabama’s reputation, experience, and physical presence could loom large especially on a stage as historic as the Rose Bowl.
New Year’s Day will mark the first-ever football meeting between Alabama and Indiana, adding another layer of intrigue to the playoff contest. For Alabama, it’s another opportunity to lean on its championship pedigree. For Indiana, it’s a chance to prove that preparation and execution can overcome reputation.
But if Cam Newton is right, the mental battle may already be tilting in Alabama’s favor before the opening kickoff.
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