How Indiana player handled perceived disrespect from Alabama in Rose Bowl

1 day ago 1

ATLANTA — Indiana cornerback D'Angelo Ponds smiled, as a reporter asked him Wednesday night whether he paid attention to any perceived disrespect from the other side of last week's Rose Bowl game pregame.

Ponds brushed it off, for the most part, and in fairness most of that noise seemed to come largely from social media-driven discussion and not anything said or implied by anyone associated with Alabama's program specifically. But he certainly delivered the kind of performance, in Pasadena, that would put any such discussion to rest.

"It was something that was sent to me. I kind of just laughed it off," Ponds said Wednesday night. "I know myself as a player, but it's definitely something, just to prove somebody wrong, when I got the opportunity, that's always been me.

"But it was definitely something to just laugh at."

Ponds finished the Rose Bowl — a 38-3 Indiana win — with three tackles. One of three Hoosiers to play all 50 possible defensive snaps, his signature moment came late in the first half.

As Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson got turned around by Aiden Fisher near the end of a long scramble, Ponds shouldered Simpson squarely in the back, knocking the ball out of his hands. Indiana recovered the fumble and turned it into a touchdown, while the hit left Simpson with a rib injury that eventually forced him from the game.

No. 1 seed Indiana sent perhaps the message of the quarterfinal with that Rose Bowl victory, both in the method and the dominance of the performance. Still, Ponds said, the Hoosiers can perceive doubts over their championship worthiness that drive them into their semifinal Peach Bowl game against Oregon.

"We're always gonna have doubters," Ponds said. "After 'Bama, we still were hearing we didn't play anybody, things like that. We just keep trying to go 1-0 each week and not let the outside noise get to us."

Want more Hoosiers coverage? Sign up for IndyStar's Hoosiers newsletter. Listen to Mind Your Banners, our IU Athletics-centric podcast, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Watch the latest on IndyStar TV: Hoosiers.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: D'Angelo Ponds reacts to Alabama fans disrespect from Indiana Rose Bowl win

Read Entire Article