MIAMI, Fla. (WDRB) — Zen Michalski didn’t grow up dreaming of winning a national championship at Indiana. Because, let’s be honest, nobody did.
In fact, Michalski — the lone southern Indiana native on the Hoosiers’ roster as they prepare for Monday night’s College Football Playoff National Championship Game against Miami — didn’t grow up dreaming of playing football at all.
He was a soccer kid in Floyds Knobs until his mom and stepdad nudged him toward football his freshman year at Floyd Central High School.
Louisville | Kentucky | Indiana | Eric Crawford
He’d only played one full season on the offensive line — 6-foot-5 and 215 pounds soaking wet — when Indiana made him a scholarship offer. He wanted to go.
But then the big schools started calling. National powers. Ohio State among them. He started doing his homework. And eventually, he chose the Buckeyes.
Last season, Michalski celebrated a national championship in Columbus. But then he came home, spoke to new Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti, and asked if there was a place for him in what the Hoosiers were building.
Now, in one of those strange but sweet turns life sometimes provides, he’s back, playing for another national championship. This time, for Indiana.
“This was not even fathomable to that 2019 Zen, when I first got that opportunity,” he said Saturday at CFP media day. “It’s just amazing, because being so close back to home is awesome for me.”
He’s always had people rooting for him — friends, family, teachers, coaches. Even when he was winning at Ohio State. But this season has been different. This time, he isn’t just succeeding in front of them. He’s doing it for them.
“When I was at Ohio State, I had a community supporting me, but my friends were IU fans,” he said. “They wanted me to win, but they also wanted Ohio State to lose.”
“Being here, with my family and everybody watching the games and being so invested — it’s so special for me to play on a team that’s impacting so many people that I love and care about. When we win, they’re happy. And we just want to keep doing it.”
Michalski’s story is one made possible by the modern transfer portal, but the opportunity he's carved out is one that almost never happens. Back-to-back trips to national title games. Two programs. Two uniforms. Two completely different universes.
“It’s just two very different worlds,” he said. “At Ohio State, you’re expected to win a national championship every year. There’s a lot of pressure. I feel like here we’re very confident in our ability, but there’s less pressure to win and more pressure to play to our ability. And that pressure is a privilege.”
He didn’t begin the year as a starter. But in some of the season’s biggest moments he was called upon and delivered. He made his first start in Week 10 at Maryland in place of the injured Drew Evans. He also got the start at right tackle at Purdue and against Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship game, and in a tight end spot to open the Peach Bowl against Oregon.
“I just came here wanting to contribute any way I could,” he said. “Tight end. Right tackle. Left guard. Whatever they needed, I was happy to do it. Whatever it takes to win this last game.”
That’s as far as his plans go at the moment. Ask him what’s next for him and he said, “Right now, the timeline in my head really does not begin until, like, maybe Tuesday. I mean, this is it. This is right now. This is the end of my universe.”
Still in his rare moments of free time this season, he’s been more intentional about reaching back to people in southern Indiana. Former teammates. Supporters. He knows what it means to be the region’s only representative on this historic team.
“I really try to stay connected to everybody I can from the area,” he said. “Anybody that reaches out, I always say thank you. I want them to know I appreciate the support.”
But beyond gratitude, there’s something more. A quiet hope that his journey opens a door.
“Our area isn’t really a highly recruited area,” he said. “That can be kind of discouraging for some guys. I just hope that seeing this, and seeing Indiana where we are right now, can give some people hope. And motivation.”
Maybe kids from the Knobs – or anywhere across the region – will see Indiana out there on the biggest stage in college football, and think: Why not me?
And Michalski will have been a big part of it.
“That would be great,” he said.
More IU Football Coverage:
CRAWFORD | Lights. Camera. Cignetti. Indiana arrives in Miami for national championship
WATCH | IU arrives in Miami ahead of CFP national championship
CRAWFORD | From everywhere to Indiana: How 52 transfers built a national finalist
Indiana vs. Miami | How to watch, betting info, pick and more for the CFP national championship
Copyright 2026 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.
