Who will Indiana play next? Updated schedule, opponent for 2025 College Football Playoffs bracket
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Who will Indiana play next? Updated schedule, opponent for 2025 College Football Playoffs bracket originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Indiana Hoosiers football may be entering a new golden era thanks to Curt Cignetti.
After going 11-2 in 2024, making the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff but falling in the first round, Indiana has leveled up in 2025. The Hoosiers had an undefeated regular season and won the Big Ten for the first time since 1967 with a statement 13-10 victory over Ohio State. The Hoosiers cemented themselves as a top-tier squad in the Big Ten — and in college football as a whole this season.
Now, Indiana is set to embark on another playoff run, seeking to go further than 2024's first-round exit. Who will the Hoosiers play first in the playoff bracket?
Here’s a complete guide to Indiana's first College Football Playoff matchup and the full bracket.
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College Football Playoff bracket
Who will Indiana play next?
Indiana's first opponent for the College Football Playoff was set to be the winner of Oklahoma-Alabama.
Alabama won that one in Norman, overcoming a 17-point deficit in the first half to win 34-24. So No. 1 Indiana is taking on No. 8 Alabama in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1. This will mark the first-ever meeting between the Hoosiers and Tide.
As the No. 1 seed, the Hoosiers automatically advanced to the quarterfinals, set to play in the Rose Bowl game.
BUY NOW:Get tickets to Indiana's College Football Playoff game
When does Indiana play again?
Indiana defeated Ohio State 13-10 on conference championship weekend, thereby clinching the Big Ten and earning a spot in the Rose Bowl. The Hoosiers will face Alabama on Jan. 1. The game will kick off 4 p.m. ET.
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College Football Playoff schedule 2025
| Date | Round | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV Channel |
| Dec. 19 | First Round | No. 9 Alabama vs. No. 8 Oklahoma | 8 p.m. | ABC/ESPN |
| Dec. 20 | First Round | No. 10 Miami vs. No. 7 Texas A&M | Noon | ABC/ESPN |
| Dec. 20 | First Round | No. 11 Tulane vs. No. 6 Ole Miss | 3:30 p.m. | TNT/truTV |
| Dec. 20 | First Round | No. 12 JMU vs. No. 5 Oregon | 7:30 p.m. | TNT/truTV |
| Dec. 31 | Quarterfinals | No. 10 Miami/No. 10 Texas A&M vs. No. 2 Ohio State | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Jan. 1 | Quarterfinals | No. 12 JMU/No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 4 Texas Tech | 12 p.m. | ESPN |
| Jan. 1 | Quarterfinals | No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 9 Alabama | 4 p.m. | ESPN |
| Jan. 1 | Quarterfinals | No. 11 Tulane/No. 6 Ole Miss vs. No. 3 Georgia | 8 p.m. | ESPN |
| Jan. 8 | Semifinals | TBD vs. TBD | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Jan. 9 | Semifinals | TBD vs. TBD | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN |
| Jan. 19 | National Championship | TBD vs. TBD | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN |
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