CARMEL — As Indiana University football pushes for home-field advantage and a chance to play for a national championship, the program’s success is bringing out more fans than ever before. For some, the excitement has been years in the making.
Chris Hawkins of Carmel is one of those fans. As IU prepares for the Peach Bowl, Hawkins is still trying to process just how far the team has come.
“It’s been surreal," Hawkins said. “I’m not sure if I actually really even believe it myself.”
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Hawkins is far from a casual supporter. Over the past decade, he has attended 119 consecutive IU football games, a streak that spans more than 10 years. It includes every home and away game, as well as bowl games and College Football Playoff appearances.
His passion is on full display in his basement, which is filled with IU memorabilia collected over the years. Among the items are a jersey from Anthony Thompson, IU’s Heisman Trophy runner-up, and a signed pylon from Michael Penix Jr. marking his memorable, last-second reach against Penn State.
Hawkins says his love for IU football began in 1998 at his first game against Ball State.
“We won, and I thought we were the best team on earth,” he said. “Turns out Ball State wasn’t very good."
Much of his collection honors Randle El, including the quarterback’s senior jerseys, still bearing mud from a game at Kentucky when he was carried off the field. Hawkins even appears in one of the photos from that day, standing on the field as a devoted fan.
One detail that surprises many people is that Hawkins actually attended Purdue. Despite the rivalry, his loyalty to IU football has never faded.
By his side through every mile and every kickoff is his wife, who has shared in the highs and lows of the journey. After IU’s Rose Bowl victory, the couple is once again packing up for the Peach Bowl.
IU Associate Athletic Director Jeremy Gray says moments like these reflect years of patience and perseverance across the program and its supporters.
“It’s been really joyous for everyone involved from IU and the state of Indiana,” Gray said.
