After 58 years, Indiana is heading back to the Rose Bowl to face Alabama. Their last appearance came in 1968, marking the program’s first-ever bowl game. Now, as they walk into Pasadena once again, they carry the hopes of generations of fans, especially those who never thought they’d live to see this moment. With ESPN College GameDay set up in Pasadena, Kirk Herbstreit got real about just how much this day means to Hoosiers fans.

“I bumped into so many Indiana people. I talked to a woman who’s 80 years old and a gentleman who’s in his early 80s,” Herbstreit said. “They’re crying, talking about being here at the Rose Bowl. It’s not about the CFP. It’s about being in this stadium. They never thought they’d live long enough to have their team to play in this stadium, in this venue. And so I think there’s a part of people that are nostalgic about this.”

It doesn’t get more real than this. The Granddaddy of Them All has hosted numerous legendary matchups, including five Super Bowls, two FIFA World Cup finals (for both men’s and women’s teams), and even Olympic events. And now, six decades later, Indiana finally gets its moment on the big stage. Of course, fans are emotional. Some who were young during the final appearance are now making the trip as a true “lifelong dream.”

Indiana football hasn’t exactly had it easy. For years, the program carried the label of one of the most losing teams in FBS history and often felt like an extra bye week for powerhouses like Ohio State and Michigan. That’s what makes 2025 so unreal for Hoosiers fans. It’s been a season full of firsts for Indiana.

• A clean 13–0 regular season, the program’s first undefeated run since 1945.
• A conference championship win for the first time since 1967.
• Quarterback Fernando Mendoza became the first Hoosier to win the Heisman Trophy.
• And a No. 1 ranking in the AP Poll.

These are things Indiana had never expected before. This Rose Bowl trip is a chance for fans to celebrate together, relive old memories, and connect generations that stuck around through years of disappointment, always hoping a moment like this would come.

Who has the edge at the Rose Bowl?

Indiana heads into the Rose Bowl as a well-earned 7.5-point favorite over Alabama, and both the betting line and the numbers back it up. Most projections point to a Hoosiers win by multiple scores. The Data Skrive model, for example, has Indiana winning 33–17. The score suggests the Hoosiers will control the game on both sides of the ball while still pushing the total past 48.

Indiana’s stats tell the story. The Hoosiers average 41.9 points per game, the third-best in the country, while giving up just 10.8 points, the second-best scoring defense nationally. That massive point differential stands in sharp contrast to Alabama’s. The Tide scores 31.4 points per game and allows 17.9. These are solid numbers, but not quite elite by playoff standards.

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Turnovers also favor the Hoosiers. Indiana has faced it only eight times all season. They rank third nationally in ball security while forcing 25 takeaways, which puts them in the top 10. Alabama hasn’t been messy. But they haven’t been as clean either, with 12 turnovers committed and 20 takeaways.

And then there’s Fernando Mendoza. The 22-year-old threw for 2,980 yards with a 71.5% completion rate and a 33-to-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio, plus six rushing scores. He stretches defenses in every direction. His top partners in crime are Omar Cooper Jr. and Elijah Sarratt. They have been just as deadly, combining for 109 catches, 1,491 yards, and 23 touchdowns. It gives Indiana plenty of options in the red zone and on key third downs.

That said, if Alabama can steal a possession or two and force Indiana into a rare negative game script, the 7.5-point spread could suddenly start to look very generous for the underdog.