The Differences Between Alabama, Indiana's Travel Day Practices

Kalen DeBoer and Curt Cignetti evaluate the Crimson Tide's and Hoosiers' most recent practices leading up to the Rose Bowl.

Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer gestures during a first-round College Football Playoff game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the Alabama Crimson Tide at Gaylord Family – Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. Alabama won 34-24. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

LOS ANGELES — Travel days are almost always stressful. Final things to pack, paranoia of whether or not things are in your suitcase, and reaching the flight gate can complicate the mind a bit.

Alabama and Indiana each traveled about 2,000 miles from their respective campuses to Los Angeles for the Rose Bowl on Monday. Each team held a final practice that morning before their roughly five-hour flights.

That said, the stresses of travel day may have gotten to one of the teams in the days leading up to the flight, and it seemed to impact their typical practice schedule.

"Well, so Monday was our travel day, which was a Wednesday practice," Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti said on Wednesday. "So as soon as we found out who our opponent was, after Alabama and Oklahoma played, the next day was a Sunday. So, in my mind, every day then was Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, in terms of our routine. So our travel day really was a Wednesday. 

"Up until that day, I really liked where we were. I didn't think we had a great practice the travel day because, you know, we had to move everything up. And the players, on a travel day, they're used to having a walk-through. And then we got here and -- all the bowls; I'm going to call this a bowl, since we changed locations early -- we've never had a great practice first day on site, ever. And it wasn't a horrible practice, but it didn't meet the standard."

Alabama held its first practice in Los Angeles on Tuesday, a couple hours after Rose Bowl Media Day. So, what did Crimson Tide head coach Kalen DeBoer think of his team's practice at El Camino College after the travel day.

"I thought it was good energy, that's what I really look for," Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer said on Wedneday. "There was a stress in communication and all that. I thought they came with the right intention. Doesn't mean it was perfectly crisp. That's why you practice and just always trying to get better

"So we continue to refine the game plan and pay attention to the details. I had guys in this morning already asking about certain things. They're just trying to make sure they're completely on the same page with what we're trying to do. So I have an appreciation for our players and the intentions they have.

"So we've got to take the next step today. You know, we talk about the hours leading up to kickoff, and yesterday would have been about 48 hours out. And we knew how important those 48 hours, whether it's preparation on the football field or the nutrition, the sleep and all of that. So just all these guys doing the best they can to make sure that they're ready to go tomorrow."

The Crimson Tide, after its win last Friday at Oklahoma in the opening round of the College Football Playoff, locked up a spot in Pasadena against No. 1 Indiana in the national quarterfinals. The two schools have never played one another on the gridiron before.

The game, as is tradition, is set to take place on New Year's Day. The winner will move on to the Peach Bowl in Atlanta, one step away from the national title game. Alabama lost the 2024 Rose Bowl in overtime to Michigan in Nick Saban's final game as a head coach.

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