Indiana being a college football powerhouse is difficult to accept for those who have watched the sport for a long period of time. Frequently a Big Ten cellar dweller, the Hoosiers put together a dominant 16-0 season that was capped off on Monday night with a much-deserved National Championship.
That 16-0 run included a blowout win over Alabama in the Rose Bowl. The once-afterthought Hoosiers are now standing alone at the top of the college football mountain. And that will have ripple effects across the landscape of the sport. Most notably, it could have a sizable impact on the Crimson Tide's ability to land a coveted 2027 prospect.
For quite some time, Alabama has looked like the leader for 5-star WR Monshun Sales, the No. 1 player in the state of Indiana in the 2027 recruiting class. Sales, nicknamed "Bama", is an Alabama native, but plays high school football in Indianapolis.
Indiana's national title could be a huge selling point for 5-star WR Monshun Sales
Alabama, Ohio State, and Indiana are viewed as his top three schools. His recruitment will extend through the summer, and he'll take his official visits then. Sales is scheduled to take some unofficial visits this month, however, including a trip to Indiana on January 24th, followed by a trip to Alabama on January 31st.
Sales is one of the top prizes of the 2027 recruiting class. Standing at 6-foot-5, he's the big-bodied, athletic receiver that Kalen DeBoer and Ryan Grubb have shown to covet. He's ranked as the No. 2 WR and No. 9 overall recruit in his class, per the 247 composite.
There's a long way to go in his recruitment, and even if he commits over the summer as expected, it will be a fight until he signs his letter of intent with whichever school he chooses.
Alabama and Ohio State can sell a history of NFL development at his position that Indiana can't, but the Hoosiers' National Championship win on Monday night could resonate even more for Sales.
Indiana's no longer a punching bag. That point was loudly made on Monday night. And it could get driven home even further on the recruiting trail.