Paul Finebaum accidentally chose Alabama to defeat Indiana in Thursday’s College Football Playoff quarterfinals, and the Hoosiers certainly had their revenge.
During the fourth quarter of Indiana’s decisive 38-3 victory, veteran broadcaster Don Fisher playfully called out Finebaum as running back Kaylon Black scored a rushing touchdown.
“Paul Finebaum, what are you thinking right now?” Fisher asked, lightheartedly referencing his long history of covering Indiana sports, which spans 53 years.
Finebaum, who hosts a show on the SEC Network, originally saw the Crimson Tide as the likely winner but later confessed he was “on the fence.” He expressed, “I think this means a lot.” He was speaking on a segment of ESPN’s “First Take” earlier this week. “Alabama is a tough team to root for. They dropped the first game to Florida State and got beaten by Georgia, but they managed to bounce back. Throughout the season, they kept defeating top-ranked teams.”
Yet, in the Rose Bowl match, Alabama struggled, with Indiana taking control right from the beginning.
Post-game, Alabama’s head coach Karen DeBoer mentioned there’s a “fine line” between a team that faces a harsh playoff loss and where they aspire to be.
“It might not seem like it right now, given the context of today’s events, but I can assure you, there’s a fine line between being here and reaching the pinnacle,” DeBoer stated to reporters. “We must strive, have faith, stay consistent, be disciplined, and then we can start over.”
In his second year as Alabama’s head coach following in Nick Saban’s footsteps, DeBoer acknowledged the achievements of the Hoosiers’ head coach Curt Cignetti and quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
“They took charge with their quarterback, making precise throws and crucial third-down conversions while controlling the gameplay,” DeBoer noted. “They wore us down with their running game as the match progressed. Their performance is impressive, and everyone contributes on both sides. It’s not just one element.”
“I really commend coach Cignetti for what he’s accomplished, and clearly, his team is unified in their goals,” he added.
