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PASADENA — The grand stage of the Rose Bowl will host a compelling College Football Playoff quarterfinal as the No. 1–seeded Indiana Hoosiers prepare to face No. 9 Alabama Crimson Tide, a program surging with momentum after a statement road win.
By Earl Heath | Contributing Sports Writer
PASADENA — The grand stage of the Rose Bowl will host a compelling College Football Playoff quarterfinal as the No. 1–seeded Indiana Hoosiers prepare to face No. 9 Alabama Crimson Tide, a program surging with momentum after a statement road win.
Indiana earned the top seed and a first-round bye by knocking off previously unbeaten Ohio State Buckeyes 13-10 in the Big Ten Championship Game. That victory not only vaulted the Hoosiers into the CFP’s top position but also delivered the program’s first Big Ten title since 1967 — a milestone moment for a school long defined by perseverance rather than postseason hardware.
A rapid rise in Bloomington
The transformation in Bloomington has been swift and stunning under head coach Curt Cignetti. Known for building winners at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Elon University, and James Madison University, Cignetti has translated that formula seamlessly to the Big Ten.
Indiana’s all-time record sits at 507-691-38 dating back to 1899, but in just two seasons under Cignetti, the Hoosiers are an eye-opening 24-2. The turnaround has been fueled by disciplined defense, situational efficiency, and a belief that has reshaped expectations across the program.
Now, Indiana faces its biggest test yet — a brand-name opponent with championship pedigree and renewed confidence.
Alabama surging at the right time
Alabama arrives in Pasadena riding the high of a resilient comeback victory over Oklahoma Sooners. After falling behind by 17 points in Norman, the Crimson Tide flipped the script with a dominant second half, turning what looked like trouble into a comfortable opening-round win.
Head coach Kalen DeBoer has Alabama playing with edge and balance as the postseason unfolds. The Rose Bowl matchup will mark the first-ever meeting between Alabama and Indiana on the football field, but the staffs are more familiar than the history suggests.
DeBoer previously served as Indiana’s offensive coordinator under Tom Allen in 2019. Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack spent three seasons in Bloomington from 2018 to 2020, coaching linebackers and later adding defensive coordinator duties. Crimson Tide defensive backs coach Jason Jones also has Indiana roots, having coached IU safeties from 2020 to 2022.
Those connections add a subtle chess-match element to a game already rich with intrigue.
What’s at stake
Beyond the pageantry of the Rose Bowl, the implications are clear. The winner will advance to the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, where a semifinal berth awaits against the survivor of a loaded bracket featuring Oregon Ducks, James Madison Dukes, and Texas Tech Red Raiders.
For Indiana, it’s a chance to cement one of the most remarkable seasons in college football history — a program once overlooked now standing atop the CFP. For Alabama, it’s another opportunity to remind the sport that postseason success remains part of the Crimson Tide’s DNA.
When the sun sets over the San Gabriel Mountains, tradition will meet transformation in Pasadena — and only one program will take the next step toward a national championship.