Top 10 Indiana Football Fan Traditions

As an avid fan of The Masters, I’m no stranger to traditions unlike any other. Well, today I’ve got a list of some of the top traditions in Indiana Football lore. Take a look, and let me know what I missed!

10. Hurts So Good

Sometimes you have to call your shot before the tradition is even established. But let me tell you, I was at the Rose Bowl when it felt like this was “born.” And I know, even with an upgraded fan experience over the past few years, the Hoosier fans are desperate for a tradition as play transitions to the fourth quarter. Well, enter John Cougar Mellencamp. It will be hard to ever beat that feeling in Southern California as the Hoosiers were stomping the former powerhouse program of the SEC and college football, but we’ll give it a try in Bloomington. I’m looking forward to belting it out once again.

9. Singing Indiana, Our Indiana

We saw it throughout the postseason run, from the Big Ten championship all the way to the national championship game; the post-win locker room singing of the fight song was brought to the on-field celebration, as players (often Aiden Fisher) led the team in a stadium-wide singing of Indiana, Our Indiana. Of course, ending in a loud IU to cap it off.

8. Google Me

It seems every era of Indiana football has had its signature phrase, whether it be “Play 13”, “LEO”, etc. But few have resonated quite like the confident “well, it’s pretty simple, I win. Google me,” delivered by Curt Cignetti before ever having coached a game for the Hoosiers. T-shirts have been made, national television segments have been produced, and even a talking bobblehead that is now in the Bobblehead Hall of Fame delivers the iconic line. Talk to any Indiana fan on the street, and they’ll know ‘Google me.’

7. The Marching Hundred

The sounds of college football are arguably one of the best parts. Whether watching on television at home or from inside the stadium, the band signals that it is college football you are watching. For many fans, The Marching Hundred kicking things off with a performance on the field pregame is what truly signals it is gameday.

6. Taking Over Stadiums as the Visitor

The largest living alumni base sure can travel well! Once the giant was awakened, there was no stopping taking over visiting stadiums and making sure the team could feel our presence. The national championship playoff run stands out as the most impactful example of this, obviously, but don’t forget the times it has happened previously, either. I very specifically remember hearing a ‘Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoosiers’ chant at Nebraska through the television as Indiana became bowl eligible in October, beating the Cornhuskers in their black jerseys 38-31.

5. Towels 

I remember being in the stadium the first time towels were handed out two years ago. Suddenly, Memorial Stadium had a pulse and a real home-field advantage. Since then, it has become a staple of every Indiana home game to have a tailored towel to wave and display a message for that week’s game. A Pokémon-like collect them all attitude has emerged from fans, having to come back each week for the next edition.

4. Thunderstruck

There were debates as to whether the song the team runs onto the field should change, but after last season, it’s surely here to stay. Nothing signifies ‘it’s go time’ quite like hearing Thunderstruck, watching a pump up video, and seeing the team sprint onto the field through the block I.

3. Raise the Flag

For two straight years now, Curt Cignetti and his staff have led the team to victory at games played at Memorial Stadium. Indiana has the largest in-stadium flagpole in college football, and after each win, a massive 30-foot by 50-foot flag is flown proudly over the stadium. It has been great seeing this flag fly for the last two seasons, and Cignetti has no intention of not raising it.

2. The Tailgating Fields

I’m old enough to remember the days when there was more action in these fields than there was inside the stadium. Luckily, those days have passed. However, a mark of any great college football town is a great tailgating scene, and Indiana surely has that on gamedays. Nowadays, they just have a more rigid ending time, before restarting to celebrate a victory.

1. Touching Hep’s Rock

For a while, this tradition was reserved for only those who were able to be on the field. However, as part of recent stadium enhancements, Hep’s Rock was relocated to the stadium’s east concourse, where it can now be enjoyed by all fans. Hep holds a special place in my heart; I thought so highly of him as a kid I thought ‘whether you think you can, or can’t, you’re right’ was a quote he had come up with (sorry, Henry Ford).