SOUTH BEND, Ind. — South Bend resident Chuck Wagner has been an Indiana University (IU) season ticket holder for five years, he hasn’t missed a single home game, and now he’s hitting the road to see the Hoosiers in action for the second time this post season.
Wagner graduated IU in 1979 and was still in school when they won 1976 NCAA Men's Basketball National Championship. He said he’s been waiting nearly 50 years for another championship appearance, and he might be in luck as the Hoosiers head into the College Football Playoff (CFP) semifinals.
The Hoosiers will take on the Oregon Ducks in the Peach Bowl this Friday evening, so Wagner began making his way to Atlanta, Georgia from South Bend Wednesday afternoon.
He made an overnight stop in Indianapolis and plans to wake up early Thursday morning to make the rest of the 8-hour trip, which is similar to the journey he made the first week of January to Pasadena, California when the Hoosiers dominated Alabama Crimson Tide 38-3.
“It was a thrill a minute… definitely there was anticipation beforehand, you know, how are we going to do, are we going to win? And then by the end of the game it was like how bad are we going to beat them?” shared Wagner.
Wagner said with all this newfound attention for the program, the last two years have looked pretty different at IU’s Memorial Stadium.
“It’s a lot easier driving, especially driving in and out of the parking lots when we weren’t such a hot team, but now, you can tell the parking lots are always full, we’re doing sellout crowds and they’re doing a great job of upgrading the stadium,” said Wagner.
As he gets ready to take his seat in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, ABC57 wanted to hear his take on the potential score, but Wagner said he doesn’t take that risk, “Oh I don’t do predictions because I don’t want to jinx them”.
Whoever takes a bite out of a peach this Friday will move on to Miami, Florida for a chance at a national championship trophy and Wagner will not be the one to jinx them, but no matter what, he said he plans to be a season ticket holder again next year.
“Okay well now you’re making me look beyond the current game and you know, Cignetti says last play is over, the next plays in the future, live for now,” expressed Wagner.