There’s something timeless about the Rose Bowl. The San Gabriel Mountains looming in the background, the sun setting over Pasadena-it’s more than just a football game. It’s a stage for college football’s biggest moments, and for Alabama defensive coordinator Kane Wommack, it’s a dream finally coming true.
Wommack, who’s been around the game his entire life, is set to experience his first-ever Rose Bowl when Alabama faces Indiana on January 1. And for a guy who’s seen just about every bowl game there is, this one still hits different.
“This would be a bucket list opportunity for me,” Wommack said Sunday in Tuscaloosa, just before Alabama begins its westward journey. “Between my dad’s career, my playing career, and now coaching, I’ve been part of the Orange Bowl, Sugar Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Peach Bowl… This will be my 26th bowl game, but I’ve never been part of a Rose Bowl.”
That’s saying something. Twenty-five bowl games, and yet the Rose Bowl still stands out. That’s the kind of reverence this game commands.
Wommack knows the moment will be special-but he also knows the job isn’t done. “I’ll take a moment to appreciate it and enjoy it,” he said, “but then it’s right back to the work and the task at hand. I’d imagine Rose Bowls are a lot more memorable when you win the game, so we’ll make sure we do that.”
That last part? That’s the mindset Alabama brings into every postseason. Appreciate the moment, sure-but don’t let it distract from the mission.
And the mission this time is no small task. Indiana comes into the College Football Playoff with one of the most efficient offenses in the country, averaging 7.09 yards per play-seventh-best nationally. That kind of firepower will test Wommack’s defense from the opening whistle.
But this is exactly the kind of challenge Alabama embraces. The Rose Bowl isn’t just a scenic venue or a historic footnote-it’s a proving ground. And for Kane Wommack, it’s a long-awaited destination that now carries enormous stakes.
Come January 1, the sun will set over Pasadena like it always does. The pageantry will be there, the history will be thick in the air, and for one of college football’s most experienced coordinators, a bucket-list moment will finally become reality.
The only thing left? Make it memorable-for all the right reasons.