PASADENA, Calif. — The Rose Bowl, often called the "Grandaddy of Them All," delivered a historic moment for Indiana football on January 1, 2026. The Hoosiers, entering as the nation’s top-ranked team at 14-0, faced off against the storied Alabama Crimson Tide in a College Football Playoff semifinal that was anything but predictable. By the final whistle, Indiana had not only notched its first Rose Bowl victory but also secured a commanding 38-3 win over No. 9 Alabama, sending shockwaves through the college football world and propelling the Hoosiers into the Peach Bowl semifinal.
Indiana’s journey to Pasadena was already remarkable, but their performance under the bright lights of the Rose Bowl was the stuff of legend. The Hoosiers, led by head coach Curt Cignetti, displayed the single-minded focus that has defined their season. Their victory bucked the trend of higher-seeded teams faltering after lengthy layoffs—before this game, teams with first-round byes were 0-6. For Indiana, this win marked their first bowl triumph since the 1991 Copper Bowl and their first-ever win in a New Year’s Day bowl game. The stakes were high, and the Hoosiers rose to the occasion.
The game didn’t start smoothly for Indiana. The opening drive saw the offensive line surrender a pair of sacks, forcing a quick three-and-out. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who has dazzled all season, found himself scrambling to avoid a relentless Alabama pass rush. But adversity has a way of bringing out the best in great teams. On their second possession, the Hoosiers orchestrated a methodical 15-play, 84-yard drive that chewed up nearly nine minutes of clock. Offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan dialed up some creative looks, including putting left tackle Carter Smith in motion to convert a crucial third-and-1. The highlight? A 30-yard strike from Mendoza to Charlie Becker on a deep post, a play that brought Indiana’s sideline—and their fans—to life.
Yet, just as the Hoosiers seemed poised to punch it in for six, disaster struck. On third-and-9 from Alabama’s 12-yard line, Mendoza’s in-helmet communication system malfunctioned. ESPN’s Holly Rowe reported from the sideline, “They’ve got all hands on deck trying to work on it. Right now, from what I can see, they’ve got the helmet working, they can hear all the commands, but they don’t think something is working in the booth upstairs (where Indiana offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan calls plays). They’ve sent some technicians up there to find out what’s happening.”
The breakdown left Indiana scrambling as the play clock wound down. Rather than risk a delay of game or burn a timeout, Mendoza handed off to Roman Hemby, who was stopped for a one-yard loss. The Hoosiers settled for a 31-yard field goal from Nicolas Radicic, taking a 3-0 lead on the opening play of the second quarter. Alabama’s defense deserved credit for the stop, but the technical hiccup clearly threw Indiana out of rhythm. Interestingly, the issue didn’t impact Alabama’s own communication system. As Rowe explained, “This is not like the rule where if the coach’s headsets go out, the other side has to turn off theirs, so Ty Simpson still has his helmet communication right now.”
Alabama, coached by Kalen DeBoer, tried to respond with aggression. DeBoer’s decision to go for it on fourth-and-1 from his own 34-yard line backfired spectacularly. After both teams burned a timeout and Alabama lined up three times for the conversion, the Tide ran out of the wildcat formation. Indiana linebackers Isaiah Jones and Rolijah Hardy stuffed Germie Bernand cold, handing the Hoosiers prime field position. Mendoza wasted no time, firing a 21-yard touchdown pass to Becker, who made a leaping grab in man coverage to put Indiana up 10-0 with 10:49 left in the second quarter.
That sequence proved pivotal. The Hoosiers’ technical woes were soon resolved, and the offense clicked back into high gear. Alabama’s own offense, meanwhile, sputtered. Ty Simpson, once a Heisman contender, managed just 193 total yards before being knocked out of the game early in the third quarter. Simpson was seen wincing on the opening possession after halftime and did not return, with Austin Mack stepping in as his replacement. The Tide never found their footing, and Indiana’s defense swarmed at every turn.
Cignetti’s halftime message was clear: break the will of the opposing defense in the third quarter. Indiana did exactly that, unleashing a bruising ground attack. The Hoosiers ran the ball 50 times for 215 yards, with Kaelon Black leading the way at 99 yards. Shanahan continued to deploy jumbo packages, bringing in Zen Michalski as a sixth offensive lineman and letting Roman Hemby and Black take turns grinding out first downs. Mendoza chipped in with timely scrambles, and when the moment called for it, he delivered a dagger—a touchdown pass to Elijah Sarratt that stretched the lead to 24-0 with 7:52 left in the third. At that point, the Crimson Tide looked shell-shocked.
Indiana’s offense was remarkably efficient. Mendoza attempted just 16 passes, his second-fewest in a game this season, but made them count—finishing with 192 yards and three touchdowns. The Hoosiers’ ability to control the clock and impose their will at the line of scrimmage was a testament to both their physical preparation and tactical flexibility. The defense, meanwhile, never let up, holding Alabama to just three points and preventing any momentum swings.
With this win, Indiana improved to a perfect 14-0 and advanced to the College Football Playoff semifinals in the Peach Bowl, where they’ll face No. 5 Oregon. The Hoosiers have already beaten the Ducks once this season, a 30-20 victory in October that snapped Oregon’s 18-game home winning streak. Now, with history on their side and momentum at their backs, Indiana is just one win away from a shot at the national championship.
As the sun set over Pasadena, the Hoosiers finally had a moment to stop and savor their achievement. The long wait for a bowl win is over, and the Rose Bowl trophy is heading back to Bloomington. But make no mistake—this Indiana team isn’t finished yet. The road to glory continues, and with the grit and resilience they’ve shown, who’s to say how far these Hoosiers can go?