‘Honestly, it’s euphoria, man’— Indiana basks in its first national championship
Some of the Hoosiers hopped about their Hard Rock Stadium locker room late Monday night, clumps of them doing knee-wobbling dances amidst an air thick with cigar smoke, joy and relief.
Bathing as deeply in the good feeling after Indiana’s 27-21 College Football Playoff national championship was wide receiver Omar Cooper, Jr., who had a team-high five catches for 71 yards in the game.
“Honestly, it’s euphoria, man,” Cooper said. “I never thought I was going to be here. I always dreamed of playing in it and winning it is just a dream come true.”
Cooper’s also a four-year Indiana man with a past that includes 4-8 in 2022 and 3-9 in 2023. He’s a Hoosier by raising, not just school — growing up in Indianapolis, a graduate of Lawrence North High School, very familiar with the piles of losing associated with Indiana University football. No national championships. No Big Ten titles since 1967. No outright Big Ten title since 1945. The biggest loser in major college-affiliated football.
Now, Cooper’s not only a T-shirt model — about five seconds after Cooper’s skyscraping, toe-tapping grab that beat Penn State, Indiana was selling T-shirts depicting it — he’s a starter on a national championship team.
“Growing up in Indiana, you’re not much of an Indiana college football fan, really,” Cooper said. “So, that I decided to come here, and we were able to turn the history around with this group, it’s a special feeling. I’m grateful to be a part of that.”
Center Pat Coogan bounced as his voice boomed, still seeming to have a quarter or a half in him. He recalled how gung ho he felt when Indiana coach Curt Cignetti told the field goal unit “get off the field!” and called a quarterback draw on a fourth-and-4 from the Hurricanes 12.
Coogan helped open the hole quarterback Fernando Mendoza slithered through before he dodged two defenders, bowled over another and hurled himself over the goal line to give Indiana a 24-14 lead with 9:18 left.
A year ago, after Notre Dame lost the national championship game to Ohio State and before Coogan transferred to Indiana, Coogan felt the pain of losing. That’s why, even as he wanted to exult with his teammates on the field, Coogan took time to talk to University of Miami defensive end Reuben Bain, destroyer of many an Indiana play Monday.
“I’ve been there,” Coogan said. “Last year at Notre Dame, sitting down on the field. It was a really sad moment. I didn’t have anybody come up to me, but I was in the same boat. He was sitting there on the field and.... he deserved his props. He’s one of the best players in the country, no doubt about it. He had an amazing night tonight.”
Sprawled in a chair in front of his locker, sophomore defensive lineman Mario Landino said, “It’s a relief. This season has been very long and hard. We had ups and downs. To be in this moment, to have the relief off your shoulders to know we did it the right way with the right teammates and coaches, it’s a blessing.”
As for the pressure, Landino said, “Maybe it’s the [school] logo, but we’re changing that in people’s minds. I just think every week we were doubted. It just pushes us forward. We’re always going to play to a different standard, we’re always going to be the underdog in our eyes.”
How long did Cooper want the night to last?
“It’s going to last forever,” he said. “It’s going to last the rest of my life.”
This story was originally published January 20, 2026 at 1:50 AM.
