Austin Mack enters Alabama Indiana Rose Bowl for Ty Simpson: What to know
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PASADENA, Calif — Austin Mack has entered the Rose Bowl for Alabama football.
Midway through the third quarter of the Crimson Tide’s College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl against Indiana, Ty Simpson, who had been battling injuries, was replaced by Mack.
“Right now, I’m really focused on this moment right now because I know I am one play away from playing in this game,” Mack told The Tuscaloosa News days before the Rose Bowl. “Obviously not wishing for that, absolutely, but I know that I got to be ready. I’m one play from playing in the Rose Bowl vs. Indiana. That’s kind of where my mind’s at, just taking each day, practice and then just preparing as if I was a starter.”
Austin Mack has played in three Alabama football games in 2025
Mack has played in three other Alabama games in 2025.
He had extensive playing time in the Crimson Tide’s 73-0 win against Louisiana Monroe Saturday, Sept. 6. In one second quarter drive and two third quarter drives, Mack led the Crimson Tide to two touchdowns and a field goal. He completed eight of his 10 pass attempts for 80 yards with two touchdown passes: a 6-yard score to tight end Kaleb Edwards and a 3-yard score to tight end Josh Cuevas.
Mack also appeared in Alabama’s 38-14 win against Wisconsin. He led the Crimson Tide on a three-play drive that ended in a punt. He did not complete his only pass attempt.
He completed all five of his passes against Eastern Illinois for 45 yards.
Austin Mack followed Kalen DeBoer to Alabama from Washington
Mack originally committed to coach Kalen DeBoer at Washington, reclassifying from the 2024 recruiting class to 2023. He redshirted the 2023 season and sat behind Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
Mack followed DeBoer to Alabama as his first transfer in January 2024. The Crimson Tide also added Cuevas, wide receiver Germie Bernard and center Parker Brailsford from the Washington roster.
As a redshirt freshman, Mack completed two of three passes for 39 yards and a touchdown.
Austin Mack continues Alabama football West Coast ties
Mack is a former four-star quarterback out of Folsom, California. He was the No. 16-ranked quarterback in the 2023 class per 247Sports’ composite rankings and led Folsom to a CIF Sac-Joaquin Division 1 championship.
Mack is one of 15 California natives on Alabama’s 2025 roster along with Cuevas, Edwards, defensive back Domani Jackson, defensive back Zabien Brown, defensive back Dijon Lee Jr., quarterback John Gazzaniga, defensive lineman Fatutoa Henry, defensive back Chuck McDonald III, wide receiver MJ Chirgwin, punter Alex Asparuhov, linebacker Abduall Sanders Jr., linebacker Grant Johnson, kicker Reid Schuback and offensive lineman Jackson Lloyd.
Colin Gay covers Alabama football for The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at cgay@gannett.com or follow him @_ColinGay on X, formerly known as Twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: What to know about Alabama QB Austin Mack
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