How Much Will Rain, Weather Impact Indiana Football in Rose Bowl vs Alabama?

LOS ANGELES — The Rose Bowl is one of college football's most historic games, and No. 1 Indiana and No. 9 Alabama appear poised to add a rare rain-soaked chapter to the Rose Bowl's iconic record book at 4 p.m. ET Thursday in Pasadena.

There's a 93% chance of rain Thursday in Pasadena, according to The Weather Channel, which gives the Hoosiers and Crimson Tide a strong possibility to play the first rain-impacted Rose Bowl game in two decades.

After a morning full of rain, probabilities decline around kickoff. There's a 46% chance of rain at 1 p.m. PT, when kickoff is set, and a 54% chance of rain at 2 p.m. Odds continue dropping at 3 p.m., when there's a 38% chance of rain, though it rises slightly to 41% at 4 p.m. From 5 p.m. onwards, there's a 24% or lower chance of rain.

Indiana and Alabama have heard conversations about rain, but Indiana coach Curt Cignetti doesn't anticipate the weather impacting the Hoosiers' strategy.

"Adjust, adapt, improvise," Cignetti said. "If it's a deluge, that's one thing. I don't expect that tomorrow, and I don't expect it to be a real critical factor in the game. I don't see it changing our game plan very much."

Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said both sides will have to see the extent of the rain in the moment. It could be heavy at times, DeBoer acknowledged, but light in others.

Indiana has experienced wet-weather environments this season, perhaps most notably in a strong downpour to end a 38-13 win over Michigan State on Oct. 18. Alabama, DeBoer says, has not.

"We haven't played a lot in those elements this season," DeBoer said. "You try to prepare and practice with a wet ball and things like that, whether it's snapping the football, catching the football, throwing it, whatever it is. But in the end, we've just got to adapt.

"We talk about those things on the staff, whether it's offense or defense, it kind of affects how you go about. But obviously ball security and turnovers are something that, I think, everyone would acknowledge would be critical when the factors could be rain like it looks to be."

DeBoer acknowledged, historically, he has "been part of a lot of rain and games where there's bad weather," and it's on Alabama's coaching staff to help its players find success amid the conditions.

The Crimson Tide's players, however, are unconcerned about the weather. Senior safety Bray Hubbard said the team won't extensively watch the weather. Sophomore receiver Ryan Williams told Indiana Hoosiers On SI that conditions won't change much.

"It's football," Williams said Tuesday. "We love football. Regardless of if it rains, sleets, snows, it don't matter. We're going to play ball."

On paper, a run game benefits Indiana. Alabama junior offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor acknowledged in rain games, quarterbacks often can't throw too well, prompting offenses to try to run the ball.

Indiana has the nation's third-best run defense, holding opponents to 77.6 rushing yards per game. Alabama, meanwhile, ranks No. 120 nationally in rushing offense, collecting 109.9 yards per game on the ground.

Proctor embraces the challenges — and physicality — a rain game presents.

"That's fun," Proctor told Indiana Hoosiers On SI. "I mean, it just adds to the excitement and just getting down, getting dirty. That's all football is. Just be mean bruisers. So, I feel like that's how you do it."