Overview
- ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit described meeting Indiana fans in their 80s who were in tears at finally seeing the team at the Rose Bowl.
- Members of IU’s 1968 Rose Bowl team recalled their Pasadena experience, including injuries and the loss to USC, while expressing pride in the program’s return.
- Sportsbooks and predictive models have Indiana favored by about a touchdown over Alabama, with one projection calling a 33–17 Hoosiers win.
- Indiana’s profile features a 41.9-point scoring average and a defense allowing 10.8 points per game, plus a strong turnover margin that compares favorably to Alabama’s numbers.
- Quarterback Fernando Mendoza posted 2,980 passing yards with a 71.5% completion rate and a 33-to-6 TD-to-INT ratio, with receivers Omar Cooper Jr. and Elijah Sarratt combining for 109 catches, 1,491 yards, and 23 touchdowns.