No. 9 Alabama is set to face No. 1 Indiana in the Rose Bowl with a College Football Playoff semifinal berth at stake. The game is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on ESPN. Pregame festivities have been impacted by inclement weather, with both Alabama and Indiana bands performing from the stands rather than the field, and a potential delay for the B-2 Stealth Bomber flyover until halftime. Persistent rain in the morning has left the Rose Bowl field soaked and muddy, though it is expected to clear up by game time, with Indiana's head coach not anticipating the weather to significantly affect the game.
Alabama, with an 11-3 record, advanced to this quarterfinal game by overcoming a 17-0 deficit against No. 8 Oklahoma in their previous College Football Playoff match, ultimately winning 34-7. Indiana enters the game undefeated at 13-0, having secured the No. 1 overall seed in the College Football Playoff by defeating Ohio State 13-10 in the Big Ten Championship Game. That championship game featured Indiana's star quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, who went on to win the Heisman Trophy. This marks the first meeting between Alabama and Indiana.