Charlie Becker has done just about everything Indiana could ask of him through two games, and somehow his Heisman number still looks miles too low.
That mismatch is the story right now. Indiana is 2-0 after a pair of emphatic wins, the program under Curt Cignetti still lives by its team-first edge, and individual awards are not the point of the whole operation.
But even in that setup, players are going to force their way into the spotlight. Fernando Mendoza did it last season when he won the Heisman Trophy, and Becker is making a strong early case to at least get mentioned.
On DraftKings Sportsbook, Becker is sitting at +16000 to win the Heisman Trophy, which leaves him 45th on the odds board. That feels buried for a player who has been Indiana’s best performer so far.
The production is already there. Against North Texas in Week 1, Becker caught 4 passes for 64 yards and scored twice.
In Week 2 against Howard, he had only 3 receptions, but every one of them went for a touchdown in the first quarter and a half. Through two games, he has 145 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns on 7 catches.
And that’s before you even get to the part that makes the start even more eye-catching: he hasn’t been on the field long enough to pile up much more.
After scoring 3 touchdowns in a little more than 20 minutes of game time against Howard, Becker spent most of the rest of the day watching from the sideline. The Hoosiers were well in control, so there was no reason to keep the first-team offense out there.
The same basic script played out in Week 1 against North Texas. If he had played another quarter, or even just another series, those numbers might look even louder.
Still, the Heisman race doesn’t get built on early blowouts against North Texas and Howard alone. Big-time awards need big-game moments, and that’s where Becker’s next step has to come once Big Ten play begins. Mendoza’s Heisman run last season is the example here: the eye-popping numbers matter, but the signature performances matter too.
Even so, Becker has already built a foundation that demands attention. The Nashville native burst onto the scene last season and was arguably the best wide receiver in the country over the second half of the year. He was a major piece of Indiana’s National Championship run, and now he belongs in the same national conversation as Jeremiah Smith, Malachi Toney, and Cam Coleman.
If Indiana keeps leaning into its current trajectory, Becker should keep getting chances to stack production once the conference schedule starts. He already has the connection with Josh Hoover, and if the snaps rise in Big Ten play, the Heisman buzz should rise with them.
In Other News...
Indianas Rise Just Added Real Juice To The Big Ten Race
Indianas latest rout did more than pad the scoreboard, it nudged the Hoosiers another step up the national ladder and into a more prominent spot in the Big Ten conversation. After a 55-0 win over Howard, Indiana climbed one place in the US LBM Coaches Poll, a move that comes at a moment when the conference picture suddenly looks a lot different after Ohio States loss to Texas.
The ranking surge gives the Hoosiers a new kind of visibility, especially with the season still taking shape and the top 25 starting to settle around a fresh pecking order. The coaches poll panel continues to serve as one of the clearest weekly snapshots of how the sport views Indiana, and the next few polls will show whether this rise is just a strong early push or the start of something bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Freshmen Are Already Pushing For Bigger Hoosiers Roles
Indianas second win over Howard brought more than another check in the standings for the Hoosiers. It also offered a first look at several true freshmen on offense, with Jayreon Campbell, Parker Elmore, Lavar Keys and Kenton Mondeau all getting their first college game snaps as the staff kept widening the circle early in the season.
Campbell showed enough in his limited work to hint at a bigger role down the road, while Mondeau and Sam Simpson led first-year players in snaps as Indiana continued sorting out who can help fastest. On the other side of the ball, linebacker Jacob Savage keeps making a case of his own, following up his earlier showing with a disruptive day that included 1.5 tackles for loss and his first sack. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Just Showed Hoosier Fans What A Cleaner Team Looks Like
Indiana didnt just beat Howard, it looked more organized doing it, jumping to a 41-0 lead by halftime and giving Curt Cignetti the chance to empty the bench after the break. The Hoosiers had answers everywhere, with Lee Beebe Jr. and Turbo Richard both topping 100 rushing yards and a team performance that looked noticeably cleaner than what Indiana showed in its previous game.
Charlie Becker was one of the nights brightest pieces, turning his touches into a major impact in the passing game, while Tyler Cherry also got back on the field in a meaningful moment after last years season-ending injury. For a team still trying to establish rhythm and confidence, those are the kinds of signs that matter beyond the final score, even if there is still more to learn about how this group holds up against a stronger test. [Read more 🡒]