ATLANTA — I had never really been to Atlanta before. Until yesterday, my time spent in Georgia’s state capital was limited to the few excruciating hours I spent looking for an outlet in a cramped airport terminal during a layover. But I hadn’t been able to see Atlanta for what it's known for.
The city’s a hotspot for the rap music scene, the host of the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games and most importantly — for soft drink connoisseurs like myself — the home of Coca-Cola.
When I knew I’d be headed to Atlanta to cover Indiana football’s matchup with Oregon in the College Football Playoff semifinals, I knew where I needed to go. On Wednesday, I made my way to the World of Coca-Cola, or in simpler terms, the Coca-Cola Museum.
Unsurprisingly, I learned about Coke while I was there. But I also came to some conclusions about the Hoosiers’ rematch with the Ducks. It sounds crazy, I know, but it's true. So, in an effort to write off my admission ticket purchase as a business expense, here’s everything I learned about the Peach Bowl from my visit to the Coca-Cola Museum.
One quick note, Coca-Cola’s marketing team didn’t pay me to write this. I’ll openly admit that I’m partial to Dr. Pepper or even Pepsi from time to time. But as a wise man once said, “Things Go Better with Coke.”
New Coke is actually pretty good
In 1985, the Coca-Cola Company introduced “New Coke,” a reformulation of the beloved soft drink meant to revitalize the classic taste with a sweeter touch for the modern pallet. In blind taste tests, it excelled. But when it eventually hit shelves, disaster struck.
People hated it, and the public resented the decision to change such a classic flavor. Letters were sent, calls were made and within three months of New Coke’s release, the original formula was back on the shelves.
It reminded me of something.
Oregon’s redshirt sophomore quarterback Dante Moore entered week seven of the college football season as the Heisman Trophy favorite. He had passed his early tests with flying colors, but his success quickly came to a screeching halt. On Oct. 11, Moore crumbled on the Ducks’ biggest stage of the season in a 30-20 loss to Indiana.
He completed just 21 of his 34 passes for 186 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. Moore admitted he was “seeing ghosts” while reflecting on the performance during his media availability Tuesday, an understandable confession considering he was sacked a season-high six times by the Hoosiers.
Just like New Coke, Moore was swiftly removed from the limelight. But here’s the thing — I’ve had New Coke. And it’s honestly pretty good.
That’s right, you can try the now-extinct soft drink at the Coca-Cola Museum and it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. I did so and — contrary to the public in 1985 — enjoyed it. The sweeter taste was rather pleasant. I firmly believe it just needed more time and could’ve eventually caught on.
New Coke didn’t get enough time, but I think Moore did. Since the first meeting, he’s grown in confidence. While it wasn’t always pretty, Moore led the Ducks to wins over Iowa and Texas Tech University — teams with elite defenses. He’s won close games and become more poised in pressure situations.
I fully expect Moore will be better equipped to handle Indiana’s defense this go-around.
Introducing, “Spice 5”
My next stop at the museum was the flavor station where I got to create and taste my very own Coca-Cola flavor. Faced with the gauntlet of options that were citrus, spice and fruity, I opted for the most interesting — spice. I first selected “cinnamon,” then chose “orange” from the short list of fruit options before topping off my Frankenstein soda creation with a splash of honey.
After I finished, I received the code “Spice 5” and was told to use it at a nearby drink station to taste the abomination I had just manufactured. To my bewilderment, it wasn’t bad. It was a delectable balanced flavor, and I had unknowingly created the greatest thing since New Coke.
But after all, it only worked because of its base — some good old-fashioned Coca-Cola.
It’s an analogy for the Hoosiers’ offense. Their passing attack is my half of the equation. If senior receiver Elijah Sarratt is the cinnamon, it's only right that Florida native redshirt junior quarterback Fernando Mendoza is the orange. I suppose sophomore receiver Charlie Becker can be the honey. The specifics are interchangeable, but Indiana’s flashy air raid only works in conjunction with its base.
The base in question is a rushing offense that averages 220.7 yards per game on the ground. Redshirt senior backs Kaelon Black and Roman Hemby are among the nation's premiere backfield tandems and most recently averaged 5.7 yards per carry against the University of Alabama in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.
The Hoosiers’ closest calls this season were against Iowa, Penn State and Ohio State. It's no surprise all three of those matchups were among their five worst rushing performances of the season. For the Ducks to have a chance at slowing down Indiana’s elite offense, they’ll need to water down the Hoosiers’ base and stop the run. If not, they’ll quickly learn why “Spice 5” tastes so good.
The secret formula
Do you know the recipe for Coca-Cola? Neither do I. According to the museum, only two people do, a pair of anonymous high-up employees who are sworn to secrecy. I did, however, see the vault where the only known copy of the secret formula was moved to back in 2011.
The Hoosiers have their own secret formula — Bryant Haines’ defense.
Indiana’s defensive coordinator has stumped one opposing offense after another with his smorgasbord of disguised blitzes. The Hoosiers hold opponents to just 10.3 points per game, the second-best scoring defense in the nation. So far, no one has been able to open the vault.
The Nittany Lions came the closest. Indiana allowed a season-high 24 points in a narrow win in Happy Valley on Nov. 8. While Penn State didn’t necessarily move the ball downfield with ease, it did something few teams have been able to do against Haines’ unit this season — win in the trenches.
Indiana failed to record a sack in the second half of that game. As a result, the Nittany Lions outscored the Hoosiers 17-10 after halftime — the best margin in any half against the Cream and Crimson this season.
For Oregon to break into the impenetrable vault that is Haines’ defense, winning at the line of scrimmage is non-negotiable. If the Ducks can flip the script from their first matchup and do so, Indiana will be in danger. After all, there’s a reason Coca-Cola keeps their secret formula in a vault. If everyone knew how to make it, Coke wouldn’t be anything special.
Cucumber Sprite
The last stop in my journey was a fitting end for my World of Coca-Cola adventure. I entered a room that would send any soda-loving soul into cardiac arrest, where you could try over 60 flavors of Coca-Cola products from around the world. So, I got my cup and began sampling.
There were highs — Tanzania’s ginger ale and a Watermelon Fanta from Thailand were exquisite additions to my pallet — and a fair share of lows — I wouldn’t make my worst enemy have a sip of the eternally bitter Italian drink called “Beverly.” But none of the dozens of flavors could top my personal favorite, Romania’s Cucumber Sprite.
It sounds absurd, but I will openly admit it was one of the most refreshing sips of soda I’ve ever tasted. It just goes to show that sometimes unlikely combinations work. Cucumber and Sprite? It works, believe me, I tasted it. Indiana football and the College Football Playoff? It works, believe me, I’ve witnessed it.
Oregon has a path to beat the Hoosiers in the Peach Bowl. Moore will have to play his best, the Ducks will have to stop the run and they’ll need to put up a dogfight in the trenches. But when push comes to shove, give me Cucumber Sprite. Give me Indiana.
Follow reporters Conor Banks (@Conorbanks06 and conbanks@iu.edu) and Dalton James (@DaltonMJames and jamesdm@iu.edu) and columnist Quinn Richards (@Quinn_richa and qmrichar@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana football season.
