Alabama Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson has received a rather stern warning before facing the Indiana Hoosiers in the Rose Bowl.
The Alabama Crimson Tide rallied from a 17-0 deficit to defeat the Oklahoma Sooners by a score of 34-24 in their first-round College Football Playoff matchup on Friday night, setting up a date with the Indiana Hoosiers in the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day.
Ty Simpson definitely didn't get off to a good start against Oklahoma, but he turned things around as the game progressed.
However, ESPN's Bill Connelly is worried about the senior quarterback heading into Alabama's clash with the top-ranked team in the country.
"Simpson began Friday night's win just 2-for-6 with a sack, and though he improved from there and didn't throw any interceptions -- his final passing line: 18-for-29 for 232 yards, 2 touchdowns and 4 sacks (6.0 yards per attempt) -- his footwork still betrayed him quite a bit during the game, and he misfired on quite a few passes," Connelly wrote. "Oklahoma's pass rush is fearsome, but Indiana's defense ranks seventh in sack rate, and with almost no blitzing."
Connelly added that Simpson will be the determining factor in whether or not the Crimson Tide will be able to upset the Hoosiers but that Indiana has already experienced a great deal of success against fellow top quarterbacks this season.
SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images."The Hoosiers generate pressure and clog passing lanes, and they held Oregon's Dante Moore and Ohio State's Julian Sayin to 5.1 yards per dropback with 11 sacks, 2 touchdowns and 3 picks. Bama will be an underdog for a reason," Connelly wrote.
Simpson entered the CFP likely knowing that his NFL Draft stock was at stake. His status has certainly slipped in recent weeks thanks to a rather clumsy end to the regular season and a poor performance in the SEC Championship Game.
There was a time when Simpson was viewed as a sure-fire top-10 pick, and some even had him tabbed as the best signal-caller in this upcoming draft class.
However, he is now almost universally viewed as the No. 3 quarterback behind Fernando Mendoza and Moore, and he is slipping further and further in mock drafts. It even has some wondering if Simpson could return to school in 2026.
Leading Alabama to a win over Indiana — and putting forth a strong showing in the process — would go a long way in re-establishing Simpson as a top NFL prospect.