(WISH) — No. 1 IU is preparing to face No. 9 Alabama in the Rose Bowl. IU head coach Curt Cignetti coached at Alabama from 2007-2010, where he was the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator. That time he spent in Tuscaloosa with former Alabama head coach Nick Saban was influential in his coaching journey. “I probably think about it every single day, to be quite honest with you, because it had such an impact in my growth and development, and I think philosophically, the program that we run here is probably a lot more the same than different than Alabama,” Cignetti said. “So, there’s probably not a day that goes by where I don’t draw from those experiences.” Those experiences have helped Cignetti lead the Hoosiers to a 13-0 record and IU’s first Big Ten title since 1967. It’s also the first time that IU will play in the Rose Bowl since the 1967 season. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. on January 1, 2026. ...read more read less