Pat Coogan began his CFB career coming in as a 3-star recruit. Now, he is the anchor who helped Indiana torch Alabama in the Rose Bowl. His performance earned him Kirk Herbstreit’s pick for Rose Bowl Offensive MVP, which is a rare feat for a lineman. However, it turns out he was never even supposed to get it.

“Wanted to give it originally to the ENTIRE IU OL, but when told that couldn’t happen, I thought Pat really embodied the OL dominance for 60 minutes and should be the player of the game,” Herbstreit wrote on X.

Moments before announcing the winner of the award, Elijah Sarratt pointed towards Fernando Mendoza. However, the whole team jumped up in joy when Pat Coogan was named. The Hoosier center was recognized for his heroic efforts to help Indiana run amok against a helpless Alabama defense, piling on 215 rushing yards. The Indiana offense ran for 51 times.

An example of Pat Coogan’s skill in the Rose Bowl came at the time Indiana broke through a tough start. At 0-0, the Hoosiers began a whopping 16-play drive that took nearly 9 minutes to complete. During that drive, RB Kaelon Black could not make it past the Bama defense after 4 yards. But Coogan and the OL gathered around Black and pushed themselves ahead for some more yards, earning a 1st down. Indiana kicked a field goal in the next drive, beginning their rampage.

With Coogan in the O-line, Fernando Mendoza only had to pass 17 times for 192 yards and 3 touchdowns. He most definitely was not expecting to win the award. It was the first time since 1944 that an OL got the honor in the Rose Bowl.

“It’s pretty great. It’s probably the first, if I had to guess, offensive lineman MVP, “ Coogan said. “But it’s all a credit to my teammates and my coaching staff for, first of all, just believing in me and the ability to make my calls and diagnose a defense and fully entrusting me and my abilities.”

Pat Coogan came to Indiana as a seasoned lineman from Notre Dame this season. He has played in this level of competition before, which is paying off massively for the Hoosiers in their run for the Natty. Coogan, despite being with Indiana for just one year, has become one of the life forces for the team.

Pat Coogan raised a clarion call for Indiana ahead of the playoffs

Since the beginning of the season, Curt Cignetti’s team was still being doubted as a one-hit wonder. The 2025 Hoosiers seemed like a bunch of nobodies strung together. It was this sentiment of being written off that was echoed by Pat Coogan in a pregame speech, before the Purdue game. That message rang loud enough for IU to charge into the semifinals.

“He’s like, ‘Look at us, a bunch of misfits; guys from FCS, G5, JMU coming up, bunch of transfers, bunch of rejects that got replaced at their old school coming to Indiana. Now we have a chance to go 12-0,” Mendoza relayed from that speech.

Coogan himself was such a misfit, who came to Indiana after being denied a starting role by Notre Dame for this season. Now, he’s where the Irish long to be. He’s emerged as one of the team’s strongest voices, whether on the field or from the sidelines. And with just 2 hurdles remaining between him and the National Championship, Coogan sure will show fans once again why he won that award.

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