Alabama vs. Indiana prediction: Beat writers pick Rose Bowl winner

AlabamaandIndianawill meet for the first time in today'sCollege Football Playoffquarterfinal at the Rose Bowl.

Indiana entered the 2025 season as thelosingest team in college football history. Now,Curt Cignetti's Hoosiers (13-0) are ranked No. 1 and in the Rose Bowl for thefirst time since 1968. Awaiting them is perennial power Alabama (11-3) in a prove-it moment.

HowHeisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendozaand Ty Simpson handle the wet conditions could be a huge factor.

Writers fromIndyStar,The Herald-TimesandTuscaloosa News, all part of USA TODAY Co., provided their predictions for Thursday's CFP quarterfinal matchup. The winner advances to the Peach Bowl for a semifinal showdown with either Texas Tech or Oregon.

Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths

Alabama vs Indiana prediction

∎Depends on weather: I will stand, as the kids say, on business. If Thursday isn't played in a downpour, I think Alabama will be comfortable living without a lot of what Indiana takes away defensively, and I think the Crimson Tide found something in Norman in the first-round comeback. Provided decent weather,Alabama 27, Indiana 24. If it is pouring down rain,Indiana 28, Alabama 10, because at that point, the game will be defined by who can run the football, and only one of these teams can. So I'm standing mostly on business.— Zach Osterman, IndyStar

∎Indiana 31, Alabama 17:Alabama has plenty of talent and the comeback win over Oklahoma seemed to give it some momentum, but it has plenty of flaws. The Tide don't have a balanced offense (they have the No. 120-ranked run offense in the FBS), struggle to protect quarterback Ty Simpson at times and don't consistently rush the passer, either.

Those three things are of particular concern in the Rose Bowl when going up against Indiana that can score in a hurry if Fernando Mendoza has time in the pocket and has a defense that's dominated one-dimensional opponents.

Indiana will be coming off a lengthy layoff and the weather is a wild card, but none of that kind of 'clutter' as Curt Cignetti likes to say has tripped them up before. The Hoosiers have beaten better teams (Ohio State) that are just as athletic (Oregon) in much tougher environments. This would have been a more challenging moment for last year's team, but this battle-tested group knows its strengths and will come out on top on New Year's Day.— Michael Niziolek, The Herald-Times

∎Alabama 24, Indiana 21:Indiana is, by far, the best team Alabama has faced all season with a top-five scoring offense and a top-two scoring defense nationally. The Crimson Tide's defense has lived up to expectation against top offenses, shutting down Tennessee and Vanderbilt in the regular season, both of which are top-10 scoring offenses nationally. Paired with a surging offense, one that was methodical and consistent against an Oklahoma defense that is one of the best in college football, Alabama could be peaking at the right time, something that could mark trouble for the Hoosiers.— Colin Gay, Tuscaloosa News

∎Alabama 20, Indiana 17:A low-scoring affair. Both defenses are legit, and neither offense is dangerous enough to take the score into the 30s. Field position will play an important role.— Chase Goodbread, Tuscaloosa News

When is Alabama vs Indiana today in Rose Bowl?

• When: 4 p.m., Thursday, Jan .1

• Where: Pasadena, Calif.

What TV channel is Alabama vs Indiana today in Rose Bowl

• TV: ESPN

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Alabama vs Indiana prediction: Writers pick Rose Bowl CFP quarterfinal winner

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January 01, 2026

Alabama vs. Indiana prediction: Beat writers pick Rose Bowl winner

AlabamaandIndianawill meet for the first time in today'sCollege Football Playoffquarterfinal at the Rose Bowl. ...

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Ole Miss vs. Georgia prediction: Beat writers pick Sugar Bowl winner

TheSugar Bowlis an all-SECmatchup asOle MissandGeorgiameet in aCollege Football Playoffquarterfinal tonight.

The two teams met Oct. 18, a 43-35 Bulldogs win. Gunner Stockton completed 26-of-31 passes for 289 yards and four touchdowns and Georgia (12-1) held Ole Miss to 88 rushing yards.

Ole Miss (12-1) cruised in its CFP first round game against Tulane, another rematch. Pete Golding's debut was nearly perfect. Can he engineer an upset in New Orleans?

Writers fromClarion LedgerandAthens Banner-Herald, both part of USA TODAY Co., provided their predictions for Thursday night's CFP quarterfinal matchup. The winner advances to the Fiesta Bowl for a semifinal showdown with either Ohio State or Miami.

Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade baths

Ole Miss vs Georgia prediction

∎Georgia 34, Ole Miss 21:Kirby Smart's 4-0 record in rematches is not something to dismiss. The matchups are largely the same and the teams that played 10 weeks and 5 days ago have grown. Georgia, in particular, is a much better team defensively. Ole Miss gave the Bulldogs all they could handle until the fourth quarter of the first game in a 43-35 Georgia win.

Georgia seems about as locked in as can be given player movement is about to crank up with the transfer portal opening next month. A good chunk of the Ole Miss coaching staff is pulling double duty for their new jobs at LSU, but will turn attention to this game after Christmas. The Bulldogs were on a heater when they hit the playoff bye. Expect them to pick up where they left off with the defense raising its game considerably since the first matchup.— Marc Weiszer, Athens Banner-Herald

∎Georgia 28, Ole Miss 27: The Rebels dominated Tulane in the first round of the CFP, but the Bulldogs represent Ole Miss' first significant test the post-Lane Kiffin era. Georgia is coming off a 28-7 win against Alabama in the SEC championship and is playing well enough late in the season to win.— Sam Hutchens, Clarion Ledger

∎Georgia 28, Ole Miss 23: In the Oct. 18 game, Ole Miss was the better team for three quarters, but gotoutscored 17-0 in the fourth. Georgia's pass defense is the weakest part of its defensive game, giving up 205.3 yards per game. It's one of the few major defensive statistics in which the Bulldogs aren't ranked in the top 15 nationally.

Conversely, Ole Miss is third in the FBS with 312.4 passing yards per game. Chambliss has been the team's breakout star. He threw for 262 yards and a touchdown in the first matchup and rushed for two more scores. Another big game from him could be all it takes for Ole Miss to have a chance.

Beating a team twice in one season is difficult, but Georgia has found ways to win all season. It has gotten only stronger since the first meeting.—Tia Reed, Clarion Ledger

When is Ole Miss vs Georgia today in Sugar Bowl?

• When: 8 p.m., Thursday, Jan .1

• Where: New Orleans

What TV channel is Ole Miss vs Georgia today in Sugar Bowl

• TV: ESPN

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Ole Miss vs Georgia prediction: Writers pick Sugar Bowl CFP quarterfinal

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January 01, 2026

Ole Miss vs. Georgia prediction: Beat writers pick Sugar Bowl winner

TheSugar Bowlis an all-SECmatchup asOle MissandGeorgiameet in aCollege Football Playoffquarterfinal tonight. T...

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No. 6 Duke rallies past Georgia Tech to win ACC opener

Freshman phenom Cameron Boozer totaled a game-high 26 points and 12 rebounds for No. 6 Duke, which fought off Georgia Tech for an 85-79 victory in both teams' Atlantic Coast Conference opener on Wednesday in Durham, N.C.

Isaiah Evans added 17 points, while Cayden Boozer scored 13 for Duke (12-1, 1-0 ACC), which rebounded from its first loss of the season - an 82-81 loss to then-No. 19 Texas Tech on Dec. 20. Caleb Foster had 12 points and Patrick Ngongba II tallied 11 points and nine boards for the Blue Devils, who trailed by four at halftime.

Kowacie Reeves Jr. tied his career high with 23 points to lead Georgia Tech (9-5, 0-1), which fell to 0-4 against major-conference opponents. Jaeden Mustaf scored 11, while Lamar Washington and Chas Kelley III had 10 points apiece for the Yellow Jackets, who were outrebounded 42-28.

Duke trailed by seven with 18:38 left after Reeves' 3-pointer gave Georgia Tech a 50-43 lead. Evans and Cayden Boozer's baskets then began the Blue Devils' 9-2 run, pulling even at 52 with 16:24 remaining.

Duke held the Yellow Jackets without a field goal for nearly seven minutes, before Kelley's triple trimmed the deficit to two at the 10:44 mark.

The Blue Devils' lead grew to seven on Foster's 3-pointer with 8:14 left. Nearly four minutes later, Mustaf's trey pulled Georgia Tech within two.

Akai Fleming and Ngongba traded a pair of free throws, as Duke grabbed a 78-75 lead with 3:04 remaining. Cayden Boozer's mid-range jumper with 1:28 left gave the Blue Devils a five-point cushion.

Behind by six, Georgia Tech sliced its deficit in half on Reeves' 3-pointer with 39 seconds remaining.

Cameron Boozer made two foul shots, before Washington split a pair for Georgia Tech. Evans then calmly drilled his two free throws to seal the win.

After Fleming and Washington's back-to-back 3-pointers gave Georgia Tech a 9-3 lead, Evans' trey began a 7-0 Duke run.

Leading by a point, Georgia Tech pushed its advantage to five after Mouhamed Sylla's consecutive baskets put the visitors ahead 29-24 with 8:10 left in the first half.

Foster's second 3-pointer of the opening half gave Duke a 37-35 edge, but Mustaf's jumper and Kelley's personal 4-0 run returned the lead to the Yellow Jackets with 47 seconds remaining.

From there, Cameron Boozer's layup was answered by Reeves' mid-range jumper to close out the first half with Georgia Tech ahead 43-39.

--Field Level Media

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January 01, 2026

No. 6 Duke rallies past Georgia Tech to win ACC opener

Freshman phenom Cameron Boozer totaled a game-high 26 points and 12 rebounds for No. 6 Duke, which fought off Georgi...

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Alex Karaban helps No. 4 UConn rout Xavier

Alex Karaban scored 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead No. 4 UConn to a 90-67 Big East win over Xavier on Wednesday in Cincinnati.

Braylon Mullins amassed 17 points, six rebounds and four assists for the Huskies (13-1, 3-0 Big East).

Malik Messina-Moore led the Musketeers (9-5, 1-2) with 16 points.

Solo Ball came back after missing one game with a wrist injury to score 17 points for the Huskies, who outshot the Musketeers 53.2% (33-of-62) to 42.9% (24-of-56).

The Huskies dominated from the 3-point arc, hitting 13 of 28 (46.4%). The Musketeers struggled from long distance all night and were just 4 of 18 (22.2%) on 3-point attempts.

Xavier was able to get within 13 early in the second half when Roddie Anderson III laid in two of his 15 points to make it 53-40.

UConn answered with a 13-2 run with Ball hitting a 3-pointer to start the run and finishing it with a three-point play off a layup for a 66-42 UConn lead with 12:21 left.

The Huskies used a 17-2 run midway through the first half to build a 43-28 lead at the break.

UConn led 16-6 when Mullins hit a 3-pointer and Karaban scored five straight points with a layup and then a three-point play off a layup for a 24-6 lead with 12:39 left.

Tarris Reed Jr. went on an eight-point run of his own two minutes later with a three-point play off a dunk and a layup on the next possession to make it 30-6.

After Pape N'Diaye scored on a layup to stop the scoreless drought, Reed collected a second three-point play off a dunk for a 33-8 UConn lead.

Xavier had five of seven first-half turnovers during the run.

The Musketeers were able to outscore the Huskies 14-10 the rest of the way with Anderson scoring nine of points.

UConn was in command at that point, however, hitting 48.4% of its first-half shots (15-of-31), including 6-of-16 from the 3-point line.

The Musketeers only shot 37.5% from the floor (12-of-32) and missed all 10 of the 3-point shots they took.

UConn outrebounded Xavier 24-15 in the first half.

The Huskies jumped in front right away, hitting 6 of 12 shots to start the game. An early 7-0 run gave the Huskies a quick 12-point lead.

--Field Level Media

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January 01, 2026

Alex Karaban helps No. 4 UConn rout Xavier

Alex Karaban scored 19 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead No. 4 UConn to a 90-67 Big East win over Xavier on ...

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