SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- While most South Bend bars are usually more focused on Notre Dame games, they are opening their doors and welcoming the Cream and Crimson wearing Indiana fans today for their own watch parties.
Notre Dame fans are of course dejected their team isn't playing today, but they say it's still great to have the Hoosier State represented on such a big stage.
"I'm a Dolphins fan and they have a pretty high pick in the draft, so I want to see how some of the prospects do in a high-pressure situation. It's nice to see a team from Indiana, but it's definitely not the same as if Notre Dame was in it,” said Chad Sallaberry, Notre Dame fan and South Bend resident.
Staff at Brothers have been anticipating a good-sized crowd for today's game, and while it's not on the same level as a Notre Dame home game, or if the Irish were playing in the Rose Bowl, it's anticipated that the bar will see significant business. Indiana is playing in its second Rose Bowl in team history, and for the first time since 1968. Bartenders tell me they are fully staffed, and ready for Hoosiers fans!
"I think people are still going to come in and camp for the tables just so they have a good view of the TVs and stuff that they would like, I think they'll be excited and wanting faster service so they'll come in quicker, so that they're not waiting on us but I think it'll be a pretty big blowout today,” said Maya Marosz, server at Brothers.
Sallaberry tells Abc57, that part of the reason he is rooting for Indiana is out of spite, and attributes his dislike for Alabama.