If every championship run is a story, each game of the regular season is its own chapter. For Indiana, the Big Ten championship win over Ohio State was a major part of the plot as the Hoosiers claimed their first Big Ten title and went onto an undefeated season and the program’s first national championship last season.
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In a tightly contested 13-10 game on Dec. 6, it was Charlie Becker’s catch on a back-shoulder fade late in the fourth quarter to seal the game that was arguably the climax of that particular chapter. It put a cap on a career night for him — six catches for 126 yards — and the win propelled Indiana to a top seed in the College Football Playoff and, eventually, a national championship win over Miami.
After barely seeing the field and not catching a single pass as freshman, Becker started eight of Indiana’s 16 games in 2025, catching 34 passes for 679 yards and four touchdowns. His 20.0 yards per catch led the Big Ten, and he recorded three 100-yard games, including that Big Ten title game.
That particular game, and perhaps that catch, made him somewhat of a household name. And he used the platform in his postgame interview with Fox Sports to share about his faith.
“We’re so blessed to be able to come out here,” Becker told FOX Sports. “All glory to God. Without Him, none of this would be possible, so all glory to Him.”
Indiana lost a lot of talent from last year’s championship team, including Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback and No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza. That means Becker is a key returning piece of a Hoosiers team that’s ranked No. 5 in the nation and looking to defend its Big Ten and national championship titles. Several NFL Draft projections even have him being selected in the top 10 of the 2027 draft.
A state-champion hurdler at Father Ryan High School in Nashville, Becker runs a 4.3-second 40-yard dash. His 6-foot-4-inch frame also makes him a big target as a wide receiver. The Hoosiers added highly touted transfer Nick Marsh from Michigan State in the offseason, but Becker is still expected to be the top target for quarterback Josh Hoover, who transferred from TCU.
Becker led the Hoosiers in their Week 1 win over North Texas with four catches for 64 yards and two touchdowns. Those two scores already make up half of his total from last season. But this year they also mean far more to him — and others — than just points on a scoreboard. In honor of his aunt, who he’s said was diagnosed with ALS five years ago, every touchdown he scores this season will come with a $1000 donation a foundation he founded called Huddle for Hope, which is aimed at helping those with ALS.
Becker shared about this plan while appearing as a guest on ESPN’s “Pat McAfee Show,” and McAfee immediately said he would match each donation. McAfee also called on celebrities and Indiana alumni like Mark Cuban, ESPN’s Joe Buck and Mendoza to join them.
Furthermore, Bloomington restaurant BuffaLouie’s has joined as commercial partner for Huddle for Hope and launched a Becker Double Decker burger in honor of him, and the sales for those will go to Huddle for Hope. Becker is also a 2026 AFCA Good Works Team nominee, which is a community-service recognition.
Becker is vocal about how much his faith in God propels everything he does. He has 1 Corinthians 16:13 in his Instagram bio, and he shared about his faith ahead of the national championship game last season.
“God is everything for me and my family,” Becker told CBN Sports. “The amazing things that He’s done, the gifts that He’s given me, it’s a blessing to be on this stage and promoting Him.”
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Indiana returns to the field on Saturday at home against Howard, with kickoff set for 12 p.m. ET.
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