PASADENA, Calif. —  We've seen that blueprint for years, or maybe more like decades. We've watched Alabama win national championships with overwhelming line play, tenacious tackling, an overpowering running game and quarterbacks who make perfect throws all game long.

We saw that again Thursday at the Rose Bowl game here in Pasadena between Alabama and No. 1-ranked Indiana. We saw all of those things listed above — with one huge exception.

That exception? The team that played exactly like those old Alabama teams was actually wearing crimson-colored Indiana jerseys.

The Hoosiers destroyed Alabama in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal, winning 38-3. It was their first game ever as the No. 1-ranked team in the country, and they certainly played the part to perfection.  It was the worst loss in Alabama bowl history.

The Hoosiers did everything right. Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza was 14-for-16 passing for 192 yards and three touchdowns, and he shared the wealth, with TD passes to Elijah Sarratt, Omar Cooper Jr. and Charlie Becker.

They also wore down Alabama with a brutal and physical running game, much like they have all year. The Hoosiers rushed for 215 yards, with two late touchdowns from Roman Hemby and Kaelon Black. Black ran for 99 yards, and Hemby had 89. They combined for 5.7 yards per carry as the offensive line imposed their will on Alabama's defense, which is loaded with four- and five-star recruits — and future NFL pros.

Indiana broke them. And broke them bad.

"I think that's what you would always love to see as the head coach, things we used to preach when I was at Alabama,'' said Indiana coach Curt Cignetti, who coached at Alabama for Nick Saban. "It's all about changing the way they think, and breaking their will. That's the best way to do it, running the football.

"It takes a while. It doesn't happen in the first quarter, or the second quarter. It happens in the second half at some point, hopefully, when you're able to achieve that goal. I thought our line did a nice job. I thought our backs really ran hard, and I'm sure there were some nice blocks down field too, but the backs, I was really impressed with how hard they ran.''

Proving the doubters wrong — again

Indiana's performance came on the heels of more disbelief in the few days leading up to this game. Despite being unbeaten and the top seed, the doubters persisted. This is Indiana, after all, a team with no winning football tradition. And they were playing Alabama, a true blueblood with 18 national titles and a massive fan base.

Most of those fans were sure that Alabama would dispose of little ol' Indiana. There were several college football experts who picked the Crimson Tide to win, including a few Indiana beat reporters.

Yeah, really. 

But the Hoosiers are a locked-in team. They are a confident bunch that is convinced they are the best team in the country. But they keep having to prove it, and show the doubters that they are for real.

They did that on Thursday. Those offensive stats were impressive and — as usual — the defense was overwhelming and destructive. They weren't about to let Alabama have any success running ball, and they completely shut them down. The Crimson Tide had just 23 yards on 17 carries, a 1.4 average. 

They also were bruising and physical, overpowering Alabama's offensive line and laying the hammer on the Crimson Tide skill-position players. There were a lot of big hits, including one by D'Angelo Ponds and Aiden Fisher on quarterback Ty Simpson that caused a fumble — which Indiana's Isaiah Jones recovered — and knocked Simpson out of the game. 

Continuing to dominate as the game goes on

If you needed another reminder — like the 14th reminder this year — Indiana's defense is crazy good.

"I feel that's a testament to (defensive coordinator) Bryant Haines,'' said Ponds, who was named the defensive player of the game." I feel he did a good job scheming them up. He knew what they liked to run, their tendencies and stuff like that. I feel he put us in the right positions to do that, and we came out victorious. That was the goal.''

It was a scoreless game through the first quarter, but Indiana took the lead with a field goal on the first play of the second quarter and never looked back. They scored points on six of their next seven possessions and completely pushed the Tide around over those final three quarters.

"It was a hard-fought game early, and. Alabama made some plays. They had us off balance offensively, and they had a new all-out blitz,'' Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said.

"But we were able to kind of make the plays when we needed to and take it over in the second half. It's a great win for our football program. I'm proud of our players, our coaches, and everyone. Again, a big win against a team that's got great tradition like that and history, a lot of good players, and great head football coach (Kalen DeBoer).''

The statement that got made again surely will shut up those SEC fans for a while. They like to whine that Indiana hasn't played anybody, but wins over Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game and on the road at Oregon, Iowa and Penn State were impressive.

Beating an SEC bluebood — especially this badly — should turn some heads. This Indiana team is that great.

Great is not overstating it.

Not at all.

This Indiana team is built for this playoff run, and they aren't done yet. Next up is Oregon, a team they've already beaten. They're a four-point favorite in the opening line in next Friday's game at Atlanta. They have every intent on going there and winning, and then playing for a national championship on Jan. 19 in Miami.

"I'm very confident the way the team is playing. And it's not just myself,'' Mendoza said. "I think our entire team and our coaching staff really enjoy football, and I think that's why we work so hard at it.

"We work really hard every single day because not only do we enjoy football, we also enjoy winning. And we know what that takes. So every single day we're always going to put our best foot forward.''

Indiana is now 25-2 since Cignetti arrived in Bloomington. They were the losingest program in the country and have never sniffed any big prize. Now they are just two game away from being national champions.

Two games.

At some point, people are going to finally understand that this Indiana team is that good. I've covered college football for a long time, and I know what a national championship team looks like.

I saw a team like that today, that Indiana team. They beat friggin' Alabama 38-3. Alabama is really good, an SEC power, And Indiana beat them like a drum.

Doubt this Indiana team at your own peril.