Who is Adewale Ogunleye? What to know on Indiana football honorary captain
NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos...
Twenty-five years after Adewale Ogunleye made his NFL debut with the Miami Dolphins, the former Indiana defensive end is back at Hard Rock Stadium but in a different capacity.
The former Dolphin will take the field at Hard Rock Stadium as Indiana football’s honorary captain for the program’s first-ever appearance in the College Football Playoff national championship game.
No. 1 Indiana and No. 10 Miami are set for a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff on Monday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
To make the national championship, Indiana steamrolled through both No. 8 Alabama and No. 5 Oregon in the Orange Bowl and Peach Bowl, respectively. The Hoosiers’ 35-point win over the Crimson Tide is tied for the fourth biggest win in CFP history, while the Hoosiers’ 34-point win over the Ducks is sixth on the list.
A win for Ogunleye’s alma mater would be their 27th overall win under Curt Cignetti, and make the Hoosiers the first team in the 12-team CFP era to finish 16-0 and win the national championship.
Here’s what to know on Ogunleye:
Who is Adewale Ogunleye?
Ogunleye is a former Indiana defensive end who is serving as the Hoosiers’ honor captain for Monday’s CFP national championship game. The program announced the news on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, Jan. 17.
Indiana Athletics Hall of Famer Adewale Ogunleye will be our Honorary Captain for Monday’s Championship Game! pic.twitter.com/bjcZH3BBzg
— Indiana Football (@IndianaFootball) January 17, 2026
A three-time Big Ten honoree at Indiana, VVV racked up 167 total tackles, eight forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries over the course of his four-year career in Bloomington with the Hoosiers. He also recorded 34.5 career sacks and 64 career tackles for a loss, with the former still ranking as a program record.
Following his career with the Hoosiers, the Dolphins signed the defensive end as an undrafted free agent. He’d spend 10 years in the NFL with the Dolphins, Chicago Bears and the Houston Texans. In those 10 seasons, Ogunleye recorded 393 career total tackles (95 for a loss), 67 career sacks, 17 career forced fumbles and 14 career fumble recoveries.
His best season from a sacks standpoint came during his Pro Bowl season in 2003 with the Dolphins, when he finished with a career-high 15 sacks in a single season. He also posted a double-digit sack season in 2005 with the Bears when he finished with 10 sacks.
Interestingly enough, Ogunleye comes from royal Nigerian bloodlines and is a Nigerian prince, according to the Chicago Tribune. He was in attendance at a welcome party in Miami for Hoosiers fans at the local Hard Rock Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 18, as well.
When, where is CFP national championship Indiana vs Miami time?
- Date: Monday, Jan. 19
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
The 2026 CFP national championship game between No. 1 Indiana and No. 10 Miami is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff on Monday, Jan. 19.
- Location: Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)
The 2026 CFP national title game will be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, which is coincidentally the home stadium for the Hurricanes. The venue is also home to the NFL’s Miami Dolphins.
How to watch CFP national championship game Miami vs Indiana:
- TV channel: ESPN
- Streaming: ESPN app | Fubo (free trial)
The CFP national championship game will air live on ESPN. Streaming options for the game include the ESPN app or Fubo, which offers a free trial. ESPN2 will have an alternative viewing with “Field Pass with ‘The Pat McAfee Show,'” while ESPNU will have a “Film Room” telecast.
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Adewale Ogunleye? What to know on Indiana honorary captain
More at NCAAF College Football News, Photos, Stats, Scores, Schedule & Videos