The No. 9 Alabama Crimson Tide overcame a 17-point deficit on the road in the first round of the College Football Playoff to defeat the No. 8 Oklahoma Sooners.
Now in Pasadena, California, for the iconic Rose Bowl, the Crimson Tide will take on the No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers on Thursday. While Alabama enters the game as clear underdogs—an unusual position for the program—there remains plenty of optimism in Tuscaloosa.
Alabama’s roster is loaded with talent, but one household name still searching for a true statement game in his sophomore season is wide receiver Ryan Williams, who burst onto the scene last year as a true freshman.
However, head coach Kalen DeBoer predicted Tuesday while speaking with the media ahead of the game that a big performance from Williams is coming sooner rather than later.
“He’s gonna have a game like he’s had at different times where he goes off and I’m just waiting for that moment because it’s gonna be awesome and I know it’s coming — sooner rather than later,” DeBoer said.
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As a freshman, Williams hauled in 48 receptions for 865 yards and 10 total touchdowns, averaging 18.0 yards per catch. In his sophomore season, with a new quarterback in Ty Simpson, Williams has recorded 43 receptions for 636 yards and four touchdowns while averaging 14.8 yards per reception.
Despite the dip in production, DeBoer offered high praise for what Williams brings to the team on a daily basis.
“It hasn’t been the perfect year, but everyone in this room—all the players—has nothing but love for him and continues to support him,” DeBoer said. “Every day he steps on the football field, he’s trying to overcome things and help us get better.”
Alabama will need all of its playmakers to step up if it’s going to pull off an upset against an Indiana team that finished 13-0 this season and is coming off a Big Ten Championship win over Ohio State, holding the Buckeyes scoreless in the second half of a 13–10 victory.
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