Overview
- After Ty Simpson said on a podcast that Indiana's defense did the same thing every down, Bryant Haines called the take 'adorable' on X and later told Alabama fans to grow up.
- In the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl, Indiana beat Alabama 38-3 and held the Tide to 193 total yards with just 23 rushing yards and 3-of-11 on third down.
- Simpson completed 12 of 16 passes for 67 yards, ran for 17 yards, and left the game with a cracked rib in the third quarter.
- Indiana's 2025 defense ranked No. 2 in scoring and No. 4 in total defense, Haines won the Broyles Award, and he signed a multi-year extension that placed him among the highest-paid coordinators.
- Looking to 2026, Indiana added a top-10 transfer class that includes Kansas State edge rusher Tobi Osunsanmi and Penn State corner A. J. Harris, reinforcing expectations for another strong unit.