Story byDan WolkenSenior writerSat, January 10, 2026 at 5:56 AM UTC·5 min readATLANTA — The air horn at Mercedes-Benz Stadium blasted for the first time Friday night after just 11 seconds. It’s a distinct, piercing sound with a unique local story, ringing through the sky here after every touchdown. This city began to sprout up from the ground nearly two centuries ago because it is where the Western & Atlantic railroad made its last stop. With a stake hammered into the ground, they originally called it Terminus — the end of the line. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSince erecting this modern football palace nine years ago and adding the train horn to commemorate how it all began, nearly every great college football team has come through Atlanta on its way to a national title. But none have embodied that sound quite like Indiana. Sleek and efficient, powerful and unrelenting, the Indiana Hoosiers — yes, the Indiana Hoosiers — are barreling down the tracks like a locomotive running late for a date with destiny, blowing that horn as a warning to any creature in its path. Hey, after 139 years of mostly bad Indiana football, what’s another 10 days to become the most mesmerizing national champion we’ve ever seen?AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementPerhaps the Jan.
