Just eight teams remain in the chase for a national championship. All eyes will be on Pasadena this week when #9 Alabama battles #1 Indiana in the Rose Bowl. This New Year’s Day matchup pits an old-school powerhouse against an impressive new contender. One thing is for certain: plenty of star power will be taking the field on Thursday.
Which players will step up during this postseason clash? These are the top prop bets to consider at DraftKings Sportsbook for Thursday’s Rose Bowl showdown between Alabama and Indiana.
The Hoosiers enter this contest as seven-point favorites (-112) over the Crimson Tide, with the over/under set at 47.5 points on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Alabama vs. Indiana best prop bets
Roman Hemby 62+ rush yards (-123)
Fernando Mendoza is the headliner for Indiana, and for good reason. The Heisman trophy winner put together a terrific campaign for the nation’s top-ranked squad. However, this Hoosiers offense isn’t a one-man show. Curt Cignetti’s crew makes a strong effort to keep things balanced on the ground. That means plenty of carries for the running back duo of Roman Hemby and Kaelon Black. If anyone has a claim as lead dog in this backfield, it’s the former. Through 13 games, Hemby has churned out 918 rushing yards and six touchdowns on 176 carries (5.2 YPC).
Alabama’s run defense is no joke, especially with defensive lineman LT Overton returning from injury. Still, expect most of the attention to be directed towards slowing down Mendoza. The Crimson Tide have allowed 120.6 rushing yards per game this season, seventh-best in the SEC. That’s not a bad mark by any means, but it certainly isn’t insurmountable. In seven of its 12 outings vs. Power Four opponents, Bama has allowed at least one 60-yard rusher. If anyone fits the bill this week, it’s Indiana’s underrated running back.
Daniel Hill anytime touchdown scorer (+235)
Difficulty running the ball has been a constant issue for the Tide this season. Granted, an early injury for projected starter Jam Miller hasn’t helped. Through ten games this season, he’s accounted for just 504 yards and three touchdowns. This team has gotten manhandled far too often on the line of scrimmage. Even during Alabama’s CFP win over Oklahoma, the school eked out just 22 rushing yards. At this point, the offense has become one-dimensional with star quarterback Ty Simpson under center.
In their search for consistency, the Crimson Tide have mixed things up in the backfield. That means increased work as of late for Daniel Hill. The 6’1″, 244-pound junior has done most of his damage in the red zone, churning out six touchdowns. In fact, five of those scores have come during Alabama’s last six contests. That includes three total TDs over two appearances vs. Oklahoma. It’s worth noting that the Sooners wield arguably the nation’s premier defensive front. That should give bettors more reason to back Hill, even against a formidable Indiana defense. At better than two-to-one odds, Bama’s best goal line back offers terrific odds.
