The End of the Underdog in College Football

January 17, 2026

By Keith O'Brien

The Atlantic

We need to be honest about what we’re witnessing: The Hoosiers aren’t true underdogs. They’re a reflection of our wild and moneyed times, in which college athletes earn millions and barely stay on campus long enough to learn the fight song; wealthy benefactors pay player salaries (how much, exactly? No one knows!); loyalty doesn’t exist; and games are won and lost in the transfer portal—a mystical place where college athletes gather at the end of the season, hoping to join new teams, ideally for more cash.

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