BLOOMINGTON — The Indiana Hoosiers decisively won their first Rose Bowl in more than 60 years since their first appearance, with a crowd full of fans and alumni watching. Those fans came back to Indiana from Pasadena with souvenirs and unforgettable memories.
The first wave of Hoosier fans arrived at Indianapolis International Airport late Friday morning, less than 24 hours after the Hoosiers' 38-3 victory over Alabama.
"We've been awake since 4 o'clock yesterday," said Chris Seymour, who flew to Southern California the same day as the Rose Bowl. " We were just sleeping and napping on planes."
Alumni who arrived at IND said they could not afford to miss the Hoosiers' first Rose Bowl appearance in several generations.
"Not in our lifetime could we even imagine this," said Brady Clements, a Hoosier alumnus with three children who attended IU. "We couldn't even say it out loud. Rose Bowl? No."
"This is an opportunity that we want to experience," said Levy Cunin, who is director of Indiana University's Chabad. "This is an opportunity we need to experience having Hoosier blood."
The fans who spoke with WRTV said they will remember most how Hoosier fans took over the Rose Bowl stands.
"I felt like it was 80% IU fans and 20% Alabama fans," said Fred Starks, who made the trip alongside Seymour.
"I felt like it was a home game," Cunin said. "That's how exciting it was."
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Taj Simmons the In Your Community reporter for Monroe and Morgan counties. He joined WRTV in August of 2023. The Oakland, CA native is not a Hoosier by birth, but is excited to learn all about the area and tell the stories of the people who make this state feel like home. Share your story ideas and important issues with Taj by emailing him at taj.simmons@wrtv.com.
