Mike Niziolek and Zach Osterman check in from Los Angeles, where the Hoosiers will soon arrive ahead of Thursday's Rose Bowl. Indiana faces Alabama in the CFP quarterfinal. Zach and Mike break down the matchup, offer predictions and more.

Read: https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2025/12/23/indiana-football-coach-curt-cignetti-alabama-kalen-deboer-career-connections-kane-wommack-nick-saban/87887446007/

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Mike Niziolek and Zach Osterman check in from Los Angeles, where the Hoosiers will soon arrive ahead of Thursday's Rose Bowl. Indiana faces Alabama in the CFP quarterfinal. Zach and Mike break down the matchup, offer predictions and more.
Read: <a href="https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.indystar.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2Fcollege%2Findiana%2F2025%2F12%2F23%2Findiana-football-coach-curt-cignetti-alabama-kalen-deboer-career-connections-kane-wommack-nick-saban%2F87887446007%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7CAFerguson%40usatodayco.com%7Cf52c46b9d7f24ec3226508de473ba543%7Cbc924c8d3e164e88bf26d7fcfb14f2d5%7C0%7C0%7C639026518668127861%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=4sJCQ%2F%2FKWh1lFnR%2FdgIqIMEf3Z5gdUb0CHDyzb8y3ro%3D&amp;reserved=0" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0">https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2025/12/23/indiana-football-coach-curt-cignetti-alabama-kalen-deboer-career-connections-kane-wommack-nick-saban/87887446007/</a>
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Indiana Hoosiers coverage from the IndyStar and Bloomington Herald-Times.

Indiana Hoosiers coverage from the IndyStar and Bloomington Herald-Times.

Mind Your Banners

What to make of Indiana football vs Alabama in the Rose Bowl, predictions, more

Zach Osterman and Mike Niziolek offer takeaways and debate the most interesting threads to emerge from Indiana's first spring practice of the 2026 calendar.

Chapters:

0:00 -- Intro

1:14 -- Cignetti's first comments of spring

5:31 -- Handling IU's roster

9:30 -- Depth chart talk

20:21 -- Mike's first-practice thoughts

25:21 -- Breakout players?

Read: https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2026/03/26/indiana-football-roster-breakout-players-curt-cignetti-byron-baldwin-davion-chandler-adedamola-ajani/89315684007/

Get IndyStar's IU coverage sent directly to your inbox with our IU Insider newsletter: https://profile.indystar.com/newsletters/iu-insider/?ipid=NLsignupIU

Zach Osterman and Mike Niziolek offer takeaways and debate the most interesting threads to emerge from Indiana's first spring practice of the 2026 calendar.
Chapters:
0:00 -- Intro
1:14 -- Cignetti's first comments of spring
5:31 -- Handling IU's roster
9:30 -- Depth chart talk
20:21 -- Mike's first-practice thoughts
25:21 -- Breakout players?
Read: <a href="https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.indystar.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2Fcollege%2Findiana%2F2026%2F03%2F26%2Findiana-football-roster-breakout-players-curt-cignetti-byron-baldwin-davion-chandler-adedamola-ajani%2F89315684007%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7CClark.Wade%40indystar.com%7Cc836e967cf3d41f97fb908de8b712126%7Cbc924c8d3e164e88bf26d7fcfb14f2d5%7C0%7C0%7C639101515158911898%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=1kEQs9%2FCiI30xy8KlvL%2FG4GyCVDno3SUqiZGz1QvwFc%3D&amp;reserved=0" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0" data-ogsc="">https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2026/03/26/indiana-football-roster-breakout-players-curt-cignetti-byron-baldwin-davion-chandler-adedamola-ajani/89315684007/</a>
Get IndyStar's IU coverage sent directly to your inbox with our IU Insider newsletter: https://profile.indystar.com/newsletters/iu-insider/?ipid=NLsignupIU

Mind Your Banners: Spring football opens in Bloomington

Mike Niziolek and Zach Osterman discuss the fallout from IU's failure to be selected to the NCAA tournament, why the Hoosiers would decline further postseason opportunities and where Darian DeVries' program goes from here.

Chapters:

0:00 -- Intro

0:29 -- Where IU landed in committee's eyes

6:39 -- Turning down other postseason options

15:18 -- How '25-'26 roster decisions affect IU's future

24:55 -- Ryan Carr's impact going forward

29:30 -- So ... what's next?

Read: https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2026/03/12/indiana-basketball-past-success-complicates-future-coach-darian-devries-roster-building/89112427007/

Mike Niziolek and Zach Osterman discuss the fallout from IU's failure to be selected to the NCAA tournament, why the Hoosiers would decline further postseason opportunities and where Darian DeVries' program goes from here.
Chapters:
0:00 -- Intro
0:29 -- Where IU landed in committee's eyes
6:39 -- Turning down other postseason options
15:18 -- How '25-'26 roster decisions affect IU's future
24:55 -- Ryan Carr's impact going forward
29:30 -- So ... what's next?
Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.indystar.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2Fcollege%2Findiana%2F2026%2F03%2F12%2Findiana-basketball-past-success-complicates-future-coach-darian-devries-roster-building%2F89112427007%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7CClark.Wade%40indystar.com%7C890663cd327644c8d3ef08de82ff7b23%7Cbc924c8d3e164e88bf26d7fcfb14f2d5%7C0%7C0%7C639092230881945155%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=92V3eoDOdufu1m5jsN341cKCQxxYt4m0qi%2B5Tf0Zxy4%3D&amp;reserved=0" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0" data-ogsc="">https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2026/03/12/indiana-basketball-past-success-complicates-future-coach-darian-devries-roster-building/89112427007/</a>

Mind Your Banners: Indiana misses the NCAA Tournament. What's next?

Mike Niziolek and Zach Osterman discuss Indiana's pivotal looming regular-season finale at Ohio State, where the Hoosiers' NCAA tournament resume stands as the calendar winds toward Selection Sunday and what a reasonable path from here might be for Darian DeVries' team.

Mike Niziolek and Zach Osterman discuss Indiana's pivotal looming regular-season finale at Ohio State, where the Hoosiers' NCAA tournament resume stands as the calendar winds toward Selection Sunday and what a reasonable path from here might be for Darian DeVries' team.

What to make of Indiana football vs Alabama in the Rose Bowl, predictions, more

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