No. 1 Indiana Takes on No. 11 Alabama in Rose Bowl Showdown

PASADENA, Calif. – No. 1 Indiana (13-0) will face No. 11 Alabama (11-3) in the Rose Bowl Game on Thursday, January 1, at 4 p.m. PT. This matchup is part of the College Football Playoff Quarterfinals and will be broadcast live on ESPN.

This game marks a significant moment for Indiana, as it is the Hoosiers’ first appearance in the Rose Bowl since 1968, when they were defeated by USC 14-3. Indiana previously competed at Rose Bowl Stadium in 2024, winning against UCLA 42-13, marking head coach Curt Cignetti‘s first Big Ten victory.

Interestingly, this will be the first time Indiana and Alabama have met in their football history. The teams share a connection through their coaches—Cignetti was a wide receivers coach at Alabama, and current Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer served as Indiana’s offensive coordinator from 2019.

Indiana recently claimed its third-ever Big Ten Championship, defeating Ohio State 13-10 on December 6. This victory propelled the Hoosiers to the top of the College Football Playoff Rankings, the Associated Press Poll, and the USA Today Coaches Poll, marking a historic first.

Defensively, Indiana stands out as the only Power 4 team to record more than 100 tackles for loss and rank in the top 20 in several defense categories, including scoring and total defense. The Hoosiers also boast a robust offense, having surpassed both 2,500 rushing yards and 3,000 passing yards this season.

Head coach Curt Cignetti has secured 24 victories in his first two seasons at Indiana, tying the record for the most wins by a Big Ten coach in their initial two years. The Hoosiers finished the regular season undefeated, achieving a 12-0 record, and their current 13-0 mark ties the best single-season performance in program history.

However, both teams will be challenged by injuries ahead of the game. Alabama will play without key players Jah-Marien Latham, Dre Kirkpatrick Jr., and Jeremiah Beaman. Kalen DeBoer’s squad will also miss standout defensive lineman Stephen Daley, along with a few other players.

Kickoff for the Rose Bowl Game is set for 3 p.m. CST in Pasadena. Fans can expect a thrilling and historic encounter between two programs with dramatically different paths and records.