2026 Rose Bowl: No. 9 Alabama vs No. 1 Indiana Odds, Spread, and Total
One program chases something entirely new. The other knows this stage by heart. Indiana and Alabama meet in Thursday’s Rose Bowl with a College Football Playoff semifinal spot on the…
One program chases something entirely new. The other knows this stage by heart. Indiana and Alabama meet in Thursday's Rose Bowl with a College Football Playoff semifinal spot on the line. Kickoff in Pasadena is set for 4 p.m. EST Thursday on ESPN.
The Hoosiers (13-0, 9-0 Big Ten) enter as the nation's lone undefeated team and the top seed in the playoff, fresh off a Big Ten title run that included wins over Ohio State and Penn State.
Quarterback Fernando Mendoza has driven that surge, throwing for 2,980 yards and 33 touchdowns while guiding an offense that thrives on efficiency and control. Indiana's defense has matched that consistency, ranking among the nation's best on third down behind linebackers Rolijah Hardy and Aiden Fisher.
Alabama (11-3, 7-1 SEC) arrives in Pasadena for its ninth Rose Bowl appearance overall and first under head coach Kalen DeBoer. The Crimson Tide advanced after rallying from a 17-point deficit to beat Oklahoma, with quarterback Ty Simpson throwing for 232 yards and two scores. Simpson leads the SEC with 3,500 passing yards and has leaned heavily on wide receiver Germie Bernard, while Alabama continues to search for balance in the run game behind Jam Miller.
Spread
- Alabama +7 (-102)
- Indiana -7 (-109)
Money line
- Alabama +223
- Indiana -237
Total
- Over 48.5 (-103)
- Under 48.5 (-107)
Note: The above data was collected on Jan. 1, 2026, and may have changed since writing.
Alabama vs Indiana Betting Trends
- Alabama is 9-4-1 against the spread and scores 31.43 points per game.
- Indiana is 8-5 against the spread and averages 41.92 points scored per game.
- The total has gone under in five of Alabama's past six matchups.
- The total has gone over in five of Indiana's last seven games.
- Alabama is 7-3 against the spread in its last 10 games playing as the underdog.
- Indiana has lost 11 of its previous 14 meetings with SEC teams.
Alabama vs Indiana Injury Reports
Alabama
- Jah-Marien Latham, LB — Out.
- Dre Kirkpatrick Jr., DB — Out.
- Jeremiah Beaman, DL — Out.
Indiana
- Stephen Daley, DL — Out.
- Kellan Wyatt, DL — Out.
- Bryson Bonds, DB — Out.
- Lee Beebe Jr., RB — Out.
- Brendan Franke, K — Probable.
Alabama vs Indiana Predictions and Picks
"Indiana continues to be somehow be underrated, despite being undefeated and the Big Ten champions .... Alabama's offense is simply not effective, getting just a single first down in the first half against Oklahoma in the first round of the playoff. They're 76th in yards per play, averaging just 5.4 yards per snap, while ranking 48th in net adjusted EPA per play. Indiana is in a different class than Alabama and will prove it on Thursday." — Iain MacMillan, Sports Illustrated
"Bama's weakness lines up directly with Indiana's strength. The Tide wants balance but doesn't have it, which forces the offense to live through Simpson. That's risky against a defense that doesn't need help to create pressure. Alabama also faced weaker pass rushes for most of the season, which inflates how comfortable this offense has looked at times .... Bama's coverage is solid, but the pass rush being nonexistent gives Mendoza time, the Hoosiers offense clean drives, and more red zone looks. Over a full game, that gap turns into points." — Pamela Maldonado, ESPN
"If Alabama can genuinely pass protect, it can beat anyone in the country. The problem is, even the Tide's pass protection is flawed. That should be a fatal flaw against Indiana. The Hoosiers rank No. 12 in the country in damage done via sacks. They notched five sacks in the Big Ten championship against Ohio State, six at Oregon, and seven in their coming-out party against Illinois. Do not bet on Alabama shutting down Indiana's pass rush. And thus, do not bet on Alabama to win." — Douglas Farmer, Covers
