Mark your calendars and get your travel plans in order - Alabama is heading back to Pasadena, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.
The No. 9 Crimson Tide (11-3) will square off against undefeated No.
1 Indiana (13-0) in the Rose Bowl on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026.
Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. CT at the iconic Rose Bowl Stadium, with ESPN carrying the broadcast.
It’s a College Football Playoff quarterfinal matchup that blends tradition with high-stakes drama, and it’s got all the makings of a classic.
Alabama punched its ticket to the Rose Bowl in dramatic fashion, staging a 34-24 comeback win over Oklahoma in the opening round of the 12-team playoff. That victory wasn’t just thrilling - it was historic. The Crimson Tide became the first team in the new playoff format to win a true road game, showing the kind of resilience and championship DNA that’s long defined the program.
Indiana, on the other hand, earned the luxury of rest. The top-seeded Hoosiers secured their spot in the quarterfinals after claiming the Big Ten title two weeks ago. That bye week could be a difference-maker, especially against an Alabama team that just went through a physical battle to advance.
This will be Alabama’s first trip back to the Rose Bowl since Nick Saban’s final game as head coach two years ago - a loss to eventual national champion Michigan. That memory still lingers, and there’s no doubt the Tide would love to flip the script this time around.
The matchup itself is loaded with intrigue. Indiana brings a perfect record and the confidence of a team that hasn’t tasted defeat all season. Alabama enters as a battle-tested underdog with momentum on its side and a legacy of rising to the occasion when it matters most.
It’s the Rose Bowl. It’s the College Football Playoff.
And it’s Alabama vs. Indiana with a shot at the semifinals on the line.
Buckle up - Pasadena is about to host another chapter in college football’s evolving postseason era.