Rose Bowl Primer – Indiana Hoosiers vs. Alabama Crimson Tide

On January 1, 2026, the #1 Indiana Hoosiers face #9 Alabama Crimson Tide in the Rose Bowl CFP Quarterfinal at Pasadena, CA. Indiana is undefeated (13-0) while Alabama has three losses (11-3). This historical matchup offers both teams a chance to advance in the College Football Playoff amidst forecasted rainy conditions.

Written by: TJ Inman

What: #1 Indiana Hoosiers (13-0) vs. #9 Alabama Crimson Tide (11-3)

When: Thursday, January 1 at 4:00 ET

Where: Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, CA

How to Watch: The game will be broadcast on ESPN and can be heard on the IU Radio Network.

Spread and Total: Indiana (-6.5) vs. Alabama | Total of 48.5

Series History: The Indiana Hoosiers and Alabama Crimson Tide have never met in football.

What’s at Stake: The Rose Bowl is “the Granddaddy of Them All” and the lights do not get any brighter in the sport of college football than this. Both teams are playing for the prestigious title of Rose Bowl Champions but of course, this game is also a College Football Playoff Quarterfinal matchup and the winner will advance to the Peach Bowl and be only two wins away from a College Football National Championship. Regardless of the outcome, this is an historic occasion for the Indiana University football program.

A FEW THINGS TO LOOK FOR

1. Aerial Power or One-Dimensional?

How you view Alabama’s offense is a matter of perspective. On one hand, the Alabama Crimson Tide have a very powerful passing attack with a quarterback that was a Heisman Trophy contender until the very latter part of the season. Ty Simpson has played fantastically at times and he’s had to join with a great receiver corps to carry the offense. Germie Bernard, Ryan Williams, Isaiah Horton and freshman Lotzier Brooks each have more than 30 receptions and 440 yards and tight end Josh Cuevas is a proven security blanket for Simpson.

That passing attack could certainly cause IU problems but it’s not the whole story with Alabama’s offense. Their offensive line has been erratic, ranking 86^th (of 134) in sacks allowed and the Crimson Tide have been shockingly poor running the ball. The Tide will turn to Jam Miller and Daniel Hill but neither back averages more than 3.88 yards per carry.

Offensive coordinator Ryan Grubb does not emphasize running the ball with Alabama at only 30.7 carries per game, 120^th in the country. Of IU opponents, only Purdue and Maryland had less interest in running the rock. Alabama is averaging 3.2 yards per carry (127^th nationally) and IU is 12^th nationally, allowing only 3.1 yards per rush.

2. Elite Alabama Secondary Takes On HeisMendoza

Most of the attention surrounding Alabama gets put on the offense but the defense has been the more consistent unit. The strongest part of defensive coordinator Kane Wommack’s unit? A top ten secondary that is allowing only 168.4 passing yards per game and is as talented as any back-end in the country. It’s fair to assert that there are opportunities for success.

Oklahoma just had more than 300 yards passing in Norman, Auburn had more than 250 in Alabama’s Iron Bowl win, South Carolina had 222 and Tennessee threw for 268. The pass defense will be a challenge for Fernando Mendoza and the IU offense, particularly after a long break but this is hardly a “no fly zone” unit that is impossible to move it on. Alabama’s run defense is solid, ranking 44^th nationally with 3.9 yards per rush allowed, and it will be critical for the Hoosiers to stay balanced throughout the contest.

3. The Granddaddy of Them All

The famous words of Keith Jackson are synonymous with the Rose Bowl Game but they could also be used to describe the Alabama football program. The Crimson Tide are as blue-blood and storied of a program as it gets in college football and having Alabama play in the sport’s most historically significant game is a big deal. Add in the stakes of a College Football Playoff quarterfinal with a trip to the Peach Bowl and a shot at the National Championship and you have a gigantic occasion.

Many called IU’s clash against Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game the biggest in program history and it’s fair to assert that this contest is even bigger. How does Alabama, a program accustomed to playing in huge games, handle the moment? How will Curt Cignetti’s Hoosiers handle the game and how rusty will they be after having nearly a full month off since last playing?

Alabama fans on message boards have been generally dismissive of IU and the season the Hoosiers have had, leaning on the historical placement of both programs as well as an assured sense that the SEC is better than the Big Ten to inform their expectations. IU fans will certainly know the names of Kalen DeBoer (former OC), Kane Wommack (former DC), Nick Sheridan (former OC and former staffer) and Dave Ballou (former strength coach) and this game is loaded with storylines. Of course, none of that will matter once the ball is kicked off and the two teams do battle for 60 minutes with the San Gabriel mountain range in the distance.

4. Raining on Our (Rose Bowl) Parade

Despite the best hopes and wishes of Indiana fans, it appears this game is going to be played in rainy conditions. That has happened only a handful of times in the long and storied history of the Rose Bowl Game but both IU and Alabama will have to deal with adverse weather and field conditions. The playing surface is natural grass and after heavy rainfall, traction and footing could be a problem.

Will that favor IU’s running game or will Alabama be able to get the ball to their playmakers on the perimeter and the slippery field will make it difficult for Indiana to tackle? This certainly won’t be the “Chamber of Commerce day” fans are accustomed to seeing on New Year’s Day from Pasadena.