When Alabama football faces Indiana on Thursday in the Rose Bowl, it will be battling the No. 1 team in the country. The IU roster was built up over the past two seasons by head coach Curt Cignetti, who has taken the Hoosiers to heights the program hasn’t reached in decades.

From the career arcs of Curt Cignetti and Kalen DeBoer, to Alabama's historic success and Indiana's newfound winning, the Rose Bowl represents so much.

One of those eight teams remaining is the Alabama Crimson Tide, which won its first CFP game since 2022, and first under second-year Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer. DeBoer took over for the legendary Nick Saban after he retired in Jan. 2024.

Heisman Trophy finalist Julian Sayin with Ohio State and Miami's Carson Beck have both been part of national championship teams.