Finn Hogan isn’t just a business student. He is the business.

The wide receiver, whose online content has been viewed by millions, became a model NIL-era student athlete at BGSU

During a business class at Bowling Green State University, Finn Hogan raised his hand.

When the topic shifted to major marketing campaigns, Hogan, a wide receiver on the Falcons’ football team, had pertinent knowledge to share with the group.

In the past three years, the BGSU senior has learned an awful lot about how major brands market their products.

Oftentimes, he's the one doing the marketing.

During his time at the University, Hogan has become a model college athlete in the Name, Image and Likeness era through the creation of popular social media videos, which has opened hundreds of doors, necessitated signing with an agency and made Hogan’s personal brand into a thriving business venture.

So when a class turned its attention to a successful Coca-Cola marketing initiative, Hogan had something to contribute: He had quite literally been compensated to be part of it.

“In one of my marketing classes, we were talking about big campaigns, and Coca-Cola’s 'Share a Coke' came up,” Hogan said. “It was funny because I raised my hand and said, ‘Oh yeah, I did that. I was part of the campaign.’”

Although Hogan’s personal brand certainly is tied to football, his success away from the gridiron has continued to blossom.

Hogan has signed brand deals with giants like Taco Bell, PacSun, Buckle, DoveMen+Care, JBL and Dick’s Sporting Goods. He played a real estate agent in a BGSU marketing video that spoofed "Selling Sunset," an award-winning campaign that drew hundreds of thousands of views and helped increase campus visits.

His profile also now includes modeling work, which he said he never expected when he began posting videos to his TikTok and Instagram accounts.

Hogan's content often explores the life of a Division I football player with a degree of authenticity and a sense of humor that has resonated with others. While he highlights the banner moments of playing major college football – like holding the Battle of I-75 Trophy after the Falcons’ stunning comeback victory against Toledo – he also pokes fun at football culture, the demanding nature of college athletics and the joys of mandatory weightlifting at 6 a.m.

This year, Hogan's social media accounts also were a key driver in making Pudge The Cat a viral sensation.

At first, when NIL legislation went into effect – allowing student-athletes to be compensated for things like advertisements, appearances, autographs and merchandise – Hogan said he remembered joking with teammates about starting YouTube channels to show what it was really like to be a college football player.

It soon was no laughing matter: some college athletes started using social media to great financial effect, turning personal branding into legitimate opportunities for revenue.

Marketing and entrepreneurship, which Hogan chose to study as a BGSU student, suddenly were right in front of him.

“You started to actually see people have success with that idea,” Hogan said. “Right there, I took a step back and started thinking about taking videos a little more seriously. From there, it’s just continued to evolve to where it’s an actual business now. There’s a lot involved in it.”

Beyond simply turning content into a revenue source while at BGSU, Hogan said his success is connected to his choice to enroll at the University.

Originally a walk-on at Central Michigan University, Hogan transferred to BGSU and found value in all facets of his college career, which included molding an additional career opportunity through playing football.

Now under the guidance of first-year head football coach Eddie George, Hogan said the football program has not only understood his video content, but actively helped him as he turned a side hustle into an actual income stream.

“BGSU has done a really awesome job of supporting me,” Hogan said. “The football coaches and staff have all been really helpful. Coach George, for example, will tell me sometimes he saw a video and thought it was funny. They have an understanding that my content isn’t taking away anything from football.”

Like most college football players, he hopes to give his best shot at the NFL and will attempt to make a pro roster in 2026.

But like any great entrepreneur, he also has created his own pathway into a business career that already is paying dividends.  

Now signed with an agency to help him manage what he called the “learning curve” of business, like dealing with contracts, taxes, and how to structure an S-Corp, Hogan said he can focus on the core parts of making content, which is what drove his personal brand from the beginning.

“I love the content piece and love making the videos, but I don’t necessarily love sitting there and negotiating a contract. I realized what I liked was the freedom to create, so asking for help was one of the best things I ever did,” he said. “Hopefully football works out, but if not, great – we’ve grown the brand to a substantial enough point that it’s realistic to do that full time.”

As he prepares to graduate, Hogan said he’s thankful he took a leap of faith and decided to transfer to BGSU, which became a critical part of his journey.

“Looking back, coming to BGSU has been a really awesome decision,” Hogan said. “I can say 100% that I wouldn’t be where I am right now without a lot of the people at BGSU who helped me.”