Call it a Schwar-photobomb.
Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, a proud alumnus of Indiana University, took some time before Friday night’s Peach Bowl to take a selfie with some Hoosier fans.
The slugger served as Indiana’s honorary captain before IU faced the Oregon Ducks in Atlanta. Wearing his 2016 World Series championship ring, Schwarber and his Oregon counterpart, former running back Jonathan Stewart, joined the team captains at midfield for the pregame coin toss.
A catcher for the Hoosiers from 2012-14, Schwarber was a freshman All-American and led the club to a Big Ten title his junior year. He hit 40 home runs in 180 career games before the Cubs made him the fourth overall pick in the 2014 Draft, the highest an IU player has ever been drafted.
Schwarber’s love for his alma mater has been on display throughout his pro career. He went back to campus in 2016 after the Cubs’ World Series win. In October 2024, he donned shoulder pads, an Indiana football jersey and an IU baseball helmet and served as the guest picker on ESPN’s “College Gameday” when the pregame show broadcast live from Bloomington, Ind.
Back in December, Schwarber narrated a hype reel the school put out ahead of the Big Ten championship game. It clearly worked: The Hoosiers defeated Ohio State to earn the No. 1 seed in the playoff.
After shutting down powerhouse Alabama on New Year's Day to win the first Rose Bowl in school history, Indiana crushed Oregon on Friday night to advance to the national championship game in Miami. They'll face the No. 10 seed, the University of Miami, on Jan. 19.
Guess we can expect some South Beach selfies next.