Gus Johnson loses his mind over Indiana WR Omar Cooper Jr.’s jaw-dropping game-winning TD catch
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Gus Johnson has called his share of exciting moments throughout his decades-long broadcasting career. Love him or hate him, his exuberant, over-the-top style is his trademark, whether it’s college basketball, the NBA, or in his role as FOX’s lead college football play-by-play announcer.
On Saturday, Johnson was on another level.
No one expected Indiana-Penn State to be close. The Hoosiers came in with the top offense in the country, while the Nittany Lions were on a 5-game losing streak and hoping to at least close out the season strong.
But sometimes in college football, things don’t go as expected. The Nittany Lions were on the verge of a monumental upset that would have shaken up the Big Ten standings and the College Football Playoff race. They led 24-20 with just a shade under 2 minutes left.
That was more than enough time for Fernando Mendoza and the Hoosiers, however. The Heisman Trophy hopeful (and probably the betting favorite now) was sacked on the first play of the drive. He ultimately went 5-of-8 for 87 yards, connecting with Omar Cooper Jr. for the eventual go-ahead score as the redshirt junior made an absolutely absurd catch at the back of the end zone. (Don’t forget Charlie Becker’s catch near the sideline, either.)
Watch and listen as Johnson completely loses it, especially after Cooper’s catch:
Let’s hope Johnson is careful to rest his voice over the coming days. He, along with his broadcast partner, Joel Klatt, will be back at it in Week 12 in Chicago as Northwestern faces Michigan at Wrigley Field.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
