In the midst of the biggest season in recent Indiana Hoosiers football history, wide receiver Elijah Sarratt revealed a interesting fact behind his dog’s name.
His beloved American bully is named “CC”, and yes, he says that’s short for Caitlin Clark.
Sarratt, a senior from Stafford, Virginia, who has been one of the most productive passcatchers for Indiana this season, let the name slip during a January 17 interview ahead of the College Football Playoff National Championship game.
What might have been a routine player question turned into an unexpected cultural crossover between college football and professional women’s basketball.
“CC. They may not like it, [but] she’s named after Caitlin Clark. That’s why I named her [that],” Sarratt said, according to social media posts of the interview. “Indiana fans may not like that. But yeah, that’s my American bully. She’s my daughter right there.”
The comments landed with a mix of amusement, surprise, and even discomfort among parts of Hoosier Nation, not because of the affection for a fellow Indiana athlete, but because Clark‘s legacy was forged partly in rival territory.
During her college career at the University of Iowa, Clark routinely tormented Indiana‘s basketball teams en route to recordsetting performances in the Big Ten.
She helped a 2023 NCAA women’s national championship game become the most-viewed in history, drawing nearly 19 million viewers for the final round of the tournament.
Now in the professional ranks with the Indiana Fever, she continues to be a draw for fans and media alike. The Fever‘s 2025 season saw historic attendance figures and leaguewide engagement spikes, with average home crowds surpassing 17,000 and multiple games setting new WNBA attendance records.
In response to social posts about Sarratt‘s comments, she reposted fan content and weighed in with encouragement:
“Big Indiana fan Monday night,” she wrote on TikTok in response to the video of Sarratt.
She didn’t stop there, also telling fans she hoped Sarratt “scores 3 TDs Monday night.”
More than just a quirky moment
Caitlin Clark‘s ascent in Indiana sports has been meteoric. Since being drafted first overall in the 2024 WNBA draft, she has become not just a franchise centerpiece but a cultural figure in her own right, breaking attendance records and expanding the Fever‘s profile.
Her impact goes beyond the hardwood, turning her into one of the most recognizable athletes in the state.
Meanwhile, Sarratt‘s own football journey has been rooted in consistency and performance. A senior receiver with extensive experience across multiple schools before landing at Indiana, he has been a reliable target all season and a key part of the Hoosiers‘ 13-0 run.
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