When Indiana and Alabama meet in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl, it won’t just be a clash of rankings - No. 1 vs. No. 9 - or a collision of tradition and ambition. It’ll be a meeting of two head coaches whose paths to Pasadena couldn’t have been more unconventional, yet whose journeys have quietly mirrored each other in meaningful ways.
On the west sideline, Curt Cignetti will lead the Hoosiers into uncharted territory. Across from him, Kalen DeBoer will pace Alabama’s sideline, guiding a program that’s long lived in the postseason spotlight. But for both men, this moment is deeply personal - a culmination of decades spent climbing the coaching ladder, often from places far removed from the national stage.
Cignetti’s Crimson Roots
For Cignetti, this game comes full circle. Long before he was the face of Indiana’s football renaissance, he was grinding through the coaching ranks.
The pivotal stop? A stint under Nick Saban at Alabama, where he served as receivers coach and recruiting coordinator.
That experience, Cignetti says, shaped the foundation of his coaching philosophy.
“It had such a big impact in my growth and development,” Cignetti said earlier this week. “I think philosophically, the program that we run here is probably a lot more the same than different than Alabama. I wouldn’t be where I am today without my time under Nick.”
That’s not just coach-speak. After leaving Tuscaloosa, Cignetti took the reins at Division II Indiana University of Pennsylvania - a move that, at the time, looked like a step back. But it was there that he began to build his own blueprint, one that would eventually carry him to FCS powerhouse James Madison and now to the College Football Playoff with Indiana.
DeBoer’s Climb from the NAIA
While Cignetti’s path zigzagged across divisions and job titles, DeBoer’s journey followed a steady climb from humble beginnings. A former wide receiver at the University of Sioux Falls, DeBoer returned to his alma mater in 1997 as an assistant. By 2005, he was the head coach - and quickly turned the program into an NAIA juggernaut, winning three national titles in five years.
From there, DeBoer’s resume grew at a rapid pace: Southern Illinois, Eastern Michigan, Fresno State. But it was his 2019 season at Indiana - yes, the very program he now faces - that truly launched him onto the Power Five radar.
That year, Indiana averaged over 31 points per game and cracked the top 15 nationally in passing. It was the Hoosiers’ first January bowl appearance since 1988.
“It was short-lived, but one that I remember,” DeBoer said of his time in Bloomington. “Nothing but a great time there.”
That one-year stop helped propel DeBoer to head coaching jobs at Fresno State and then Washington, where he reunited with Indiana transfer Michael Penix Jr. and led the Huskies to the 2024 national championship game. Now in his second season at Alabama, DeBoer has brought some of that Indiana DNA with him.
Familiar Faces, New Places
DeBoer’s Alabama staff features several familiar names from his Indiana days, including former Hoosiers coordinators Nick Sheridan and Kane Wommack. Wommack, in fact, played a key role in getting DeBoer to Bloomington in the first place - and later answered the call when DeBoer offered him a spot on his Crimson Tide staff.
“[Wommack] was a big part of me coming there, trying to get me to Indiana,” DeBoer said. “I’m glad he returned the favor and came when I called him as well.”
It’s a testament to the relationships that have helped shape both coaches’ careers - and to the respect they’ve earned along the way.
Postseason Pedigree, Different Platforms
While the Rose Bowl is new ground for both programs, the postseason grind isn’t unfamiliar to either coach. DeBoer cut his teeth in the NAIA playoffs, where national titles required navigating a multi-round bracket. Cignetti did the same at James Madison, where deep FCS playoff runs tested his team’s resilience week after week.
That experience matters now. The stakes are higher, the spotlight brighter, but the structure is familiar - win and advance. And both coaches have proven they know how to prepare a team for that kind of pressure.
A Stage Like No Other
The Rose Bowl, with its 75,000-plus seats and century-old legacy, is a far cry from the smaller venues that once defined Cignetti and DeBoer’s careers. Frank Cignetti Field and Bob Young Field - the home stadiums of IUP and Sioux Falls - wouldn’t even fill half the Rose Bowl combined. But here they are, leading two programs that have rarely crossed paths, now locked in a postseason battle with everything on the line.
For Alabama, it’s another step in a tradition of excellence. For Indiana, it’s a historic breakthrough. But for both Cignetti and DeBoer, it’s something else entirely - a shared moment that reflects years of persistence, belief, and a deep understanding of what it takes to build something lasting.
One will move on, another step closer to a national title. But no matter the outcome, this Rose Bowl matchup is already a testament to the power of the long road - and the coaches who never stopped believing in the journey.