Ohio State got a bit of revenge on Saturday, taking down reigning national champion Indiana after a 13-10 loss to the Hoosiers in the Big Ten Championship game last December. It was a loss that stung a great deal after the Buckeyes squandered opportunity after opportunity. The win would give Indiana the No. 1 seed and the inside track in the College Football Playoff.
At the end of that game, during the Hoosier celebration, wide receiver Charlie Becker made eye contact with a camera and flashed an O-H, but then finished with a less-than-kind phrase and a flip of the bird. To the winner go the spoils, I suppose, but it definitely wasn't a good look... especially considering that Becker's father, Dave, played football in Scarlet and Gray in the early
90s.
Well, apparently, Charlie has been thinking about his actions for nearly a year. At the conclusion of the Buckeye win in Bloomington, Becker sought out head coach Ryan Day and offered an apology for his actions. To do so after a loss is even more impressive.
Charlie Becker found Ryan Day right after the game to apologize for his O-H-F-U last year on stage at the Big Ten Championship game.
— Joe Nugent (@joenuge) October 17, 2026
Charlie's dad Dave played for Ohio State in the 90's @nbc4i pic.twitter.com/rFRrIbWSsJ
It was a classy move and one that really looked like more of a private moment. However, there is little privacy in a game of this magnitude, and after the interaction was caught on film, reporters decided to ask him about the apology. Becker spoke with elegance and a sense of sincere remorse.
Charlie Becker explains when he decided to apologize to Ryan Day for his gesture after #iufb beat Ohio State last season.
— Colin McMahon (@ColinMcMahon31) October 20, 2026
“Since the day after the Big Ten Championship, I’ve been thinking about that one.”
Says that it’s personal because of his dad playing there and he doesn’t… pic.twitter.com/q8t6eks20e
Charlie Becker made a lot of enemies that night with the obscene gesture aimed at his father's alma mater. Maybe it was just the emotion of the game. Maybe it was a perceived slight over not receiving a scholarship offer from Ohio State. Whatever the reason, it was unbecoming.
However, it takes a lot of maturity to realize one's mistake and not only realize it, but also make it right. That's a player anyone can respect. Becker certainly earned back the respect of Buckeye Nation by doing the right thing.
Maybe it's something we all can learn from.
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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: Indiana's Charlie Becker apologizes to Ryan Day for obscene gesture
