Has Indiana ever played in the Rose Bowl? Hoosiers' history in New Year's bowl
- - Has Indiana ever played in the Rose Bowl? Hoosiers' history in New Year's bowl
John Leuzzi, USA TODAYJanuary 1, 2026 at 6:01 AM
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Has Indiana ever played in the Rose Bowl? Hoosiers' history in New Year's bowl
College football's postseason is filled with bowl games, and the headliners are the New Year's Six bowls that are now comprised as part of the College Football Playoff format.
It's a part of the postseason that Indiana does not have much history with, just like the program also does not have much of a history with the CFP when the Hoosiers' head coach isn't named Curt Cignetti.
However, that changes on Thursday, Jan. 1 at 4 p.m. ET when the top-seeded Hoosiers make their long-awaited return to The Granddaddy of Them All — the Rose Bowl — against No. 9 Alabama.
Here's what to know on Indiana's history at the Rose Bowl:
1 / 30Best of bowl season: Mascots, trophies, celebrations, Gatorade bathsDefensive back Tony-Louis Nkuba #21 of the Arizona State Sun Devils celebrates by jumping into an inflatable bowl of Kellogg's Frosted Flakes after intercepting a pass against the Duke Blue Devils during the first half of the Tony The Tiger Sun Bowl game at Sun Bowl Stadium on December 31, 2025 in El Paso, TexasHas Indiana football ever played in the Rose Bowl?
Yes, Indiana's trip to the 2025 Rose Bowl will mark the program's second appearance in the Granddaddy of Them All.
“Obviously, it’s the Granddaddy of Them All, with a lot of great tradition involving the Big Ten, so we’re excited about that," Cignetti said on Sunday, Dec. 7 during an availability. "But at the end of the day, it’s a football game, and we’ll approach it like every other game, including last night’s game. We’ll be looking forward to getting out there."
The Hoosiers' trip back to Pasadena is their first since 1968. ... The same season that the program won its last Big Ten championship before the win over Ohio State at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Dec. 6. In that 1968 Rose Bowl, the Hoosiers fell to USC.
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Why is Indiana playing in the Rose Bowl?
As the winner of the Big Ten Conference, the Hoosiers were sent to the Rose Bowl for their New Year's Six bowl designation.
Who does Indiana football play in the Rose Bowl?
Indiana will face No. 9 Alabama in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1. The Crimson Tide defeated No. 8 Oklahoma in the CFP first round on Friday, Dec. 19.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Has Indiana football ever played in the Rose Bowl?
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