Alabama’s margin for error in the Rose Bowl is thin. This is a disciplined, efficient, and explosive offense led by a Heisman Trophy winner. That’s why DC Kane Wommack knows execution will decide the game, and it starts on the back end with the safety duo of Bray Hubbard and Keon Sabb, who have issued a double warning for head coach Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers.

“Now, I would argue he’s as good as any safety in the country right now,” Kane Wommack said of Bray Hubbard in his Sunday news conference. “Keon Sabb has built himself into the position of being as good as any safety in the country right now. As a tandem and a duo, I think they’re playing at a really high level.” 

That sounds like praise, which it is, but it’s also a double warning of what the duo can bring to the Rose Bowl showdown. 

Bray Hubbard’s season supports the confidence. He earned first-team All-SEC honors after tying for the league lead with four interceptions, adding 71 tackles, three tackles for loss, and three forced fumbles. His versatility defines Alabama’s back end.

According to PFF, he logged 762 snaps across multiple alignments, including heavy usage in the box, at free safety, and at nickel. He finished with an 86.2 overall grade, a 91.0 coverage grade, and an 82.9 run-defense grade. 

Keon Sabb complements him with experience and volume. He has played a team-high 770 snaps this season, collecting 51 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, a sack, and an interception. He also brings a perspective that few others in the locker room have. This former Wolverine was part of Michigan’s 2023 team that beat Alabama in the Rose Bowl semifinals and went on to win the national title. 

“It’s a little funny to some of the guys,” he said. “We jab and poke at each other about it sometimes.” 

But the bigger picture here is Keon Sabb understands what the Rose Bowl demands, and Alabama is counting on that.

The respect between the two safeties is direct and mutual. When asked earlier this season whether they form the best safety duo in college football, Bray Hubbard did not hesitate. 

“For sure,” he said. 

He praised Sabb’s consistency, effort, and communication. Kane Wommack echoed that evaluation, pointing to his command of alignments, anticipation, and structural communication.

Alabama’s defensive profile explains why Kane Wommack is willing to speak boldly. The Crimson Tide ranks No. 13 nationally in total defense, No. 10 against the pass, and No. 13 in scoring defense. They are tied for sixth in the SEC in sacks and interceptions and lead the league with three pick-sixes.

But Indiana ensures that the test will be severe.

Curt Cignetti’s Hoosiers allow just 1.39 sacks per game and rank among the national leaders in efficiency. They are No. 4 in points per play, No. 6 in yards per play, and No. 1 on third down. Kane Wommack, who coached at Indiana from 2019-20, called the offense as disciplined and detailed as any Alabama has faced.

Besides, there’s the Heisman problem the Tide must solve. 

How Kane Wommack is preparing for Curt Cignetti’s offense

Fernando Mendoza is the reason Kane Wommack needs to put his guard up.

The former California transfer won the Heisman after leading Indiana to a 13-0 season and a Big Ten title over then-No. 1 Ohio State. He finished the regular season completing 71.5 percent of his passes for 2,980 yards with a 33-to-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio and an 88.6 QBR, while also adding 240 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns across 13 games.

Indiana averages 41.9 points per game, led by a balanced attack that puts pressure on defenses. Alabama enters as the No. 9 seed and the underdog, again playing with its back against the wall.

Top Stories

LIV Golf Braces for Another Possible Exit in Wake of Brooks Koepka Departure

Sean Payton Announces Retirement Plans as Broncos HC Demands Improvement From Bo Nix & Co. Before Playoffs

Greg Biffle’s $4M Prized Possession Goes Up for Sale After Tragic Crash, Leaving NASCAR Fans Heartbroken

Biff Poggi All But Confirms Bryce Underwood’s Michigan Future After Announcing His Own Departure

‘Fighting for His Life’: ESPN Confirms Kirk Herbstreit’s Silent Struggles at College GameDay

Rory McIlroy Makes Feelings Clear on Bryson DeChambeau’s PGA Tour Return: ‘Have Lost…’

“I want to stop quarterbacks whether they’ve won the Heisman Trophy or not,” Wommack said. “But certainly if they’ve won the Heisman, it’s a tremendous challenge for us. He’s opening at a really high level. He’s executing at a really high level.”

He emphasized coverage discipline, pass rush coordination, and finishing at the catch point against a receiving group that has thrived in big moments. Keon Sabb distilled it further. 

“He’s a really good player, whether he won the Heisman or not,” he said of Mendoza. “Congrats to him for winning that, but we’re going to play our game.”

Alabama will need that confidence to be justified. The Rose Bowl on January 1 in Pasadena will demand answers, not talk.