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

byDaniel Coleman

in

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

byDaniel Coleman

in

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. The...

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Fire at Swiss Alps bar kills many people and leaves multiple injured during New Year's celebrations

CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland (AP) — A fire at a bar in the Swiss Alps has left many people dead and injured during New Year's celebrations, police said early Thursday.

Multiple people were killed in the blaze and many others were injured in the Alpine ski resort municipality of Crans-Montana, Switzerland, police said.

"The fire started around 1:30 a.m. this morning in a bar called 'Le Constellation,'" police spokesperson Gaëtan Lathion said. "More than a hundred people were in the building, and we are seeing many injured and many dead."

Investigators were working to determine the cause of the fire, police said.

"We're just at the beginning of our investigation, but this is an internationally renown ski resort with lots of tourists," Lathion said.

A reception center and helpline have been established for impacted families, Lathion said.

The community is in the heart of the Swiss Alps, just 40 kilometers (25 miles) north of the Matterhorn, one of the most famous Alpine peaks, and 130 kilometers (81 miles) south of Zurich.

The highest point of Crans-Montana, with a population of 10,000 residents, sits at an elevation of nearly 3,000 meters (1.86 miles), according to the municipality's website, which says officials are seeking to move away from a tourist culture and attract high-tech research and development.

The municipality was formed only nine years ago, on Jan. 1, 2017, when multiple towns merged. It extends over 590 hectares (2.3 square miles) from the Rhône Valley to the Plaine Morte glacier.

byDaniel Coleman

in

January 01, 2026

Fire at Swiss Alps bar kills many people and leaves multiple injured during New Year's celebrations

CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland (AP) — A fire at a bar in the Swiss Alps has left many people dead and injured during New Year...

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At least 10 killed after explosion in Swiss ski resort

At least 10 people have been killed with dozens more feared dead after an explosion at a bar in a Swiss sky resort town on New Year's Day.

More than 100 people were inside the Le Constellation bar in Crans-Montana, which is popular with British tourists, when a blast caused a fire at around 1.30am on Thursday.

Swiss police told Sky News that at least 10 people were dead and another 10 were injured. The incident is not being treated as terror-related.

Local media outlets Rhône FM and Blick have reported that the death toll could be as high as 40.

Credit: via X

A doctor in the Swiss air ambulance and rescue service told the national broadcaster RTS that hospitals were "overwhelmed" with burn victims.

A no-fly zone has been imposed over the town and the area has been completely closed off as helicopters and air ambulances rescue victims.

A source in the emergency services described the incident as a "major catastrophe", with Blick claiming that pyrotechnics could have been involved, citing "unconfirmed reports".

Crans-Montana is a fashionable ski resort in the Valais region ofSwitzerland. It is set to host the FIS World Cup for skiing at the end of January.

Gaetan Lathion, a police spokesman, said: "The fire started around 1.30am this morning in a bar called Le Constellation.

"More than a hundred people were in the building, and we are seeing many injured and many dead."

A reception centre and helpline have been setup for impacted families, the spokesman added.

"We're just at the beginning of our investigation, but this is a internationally renowned ski resort with lots of tourists," Mr Lathion said.

The Foreign Office has been contacted for comment.

Police are set to hold a press conference at 9am UK time.

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byDaniel Coleman

in

January 01, 2026

At least 10 killed after explosion in Swiss ski resort

At least 10 people have been killed with dozens more feared dead after an explosion at a bar in a Swiss sky resort town on New Year's D...

Read More