Indiana dominates Oregon in Peach Bowl, earns date with Miami in CFP National Championship Game

What Curt Cignetti has built at Indiana -- quite possibly the most dominant college football team we've seen in years -- is nothing short of remarkable. It's not just that he's winning, but how he's doing so. Indiana crushed Alabama in the Rose Bowl. It crushed Oregon in the Peach Bowl.

Everyone who thought Indiana's playoff run a year ago was a fluke has been proven painfully wrong. In fact, that criticism and the characterization of that Notre Dame loss has seemed to fuel this team's fire.

When I visited Bloomington this spring, I asked Cignetti and defensive coordinator Bryant Haines about last season's losses to Ohio State and Notre Dame. The confidence in which both coaches explained that rewatching those games showed Indiana was closer to beating those teams than the final score indicated made me a believer that the Hoosiers would be back in a big way this season.

"I still feel like I left both of those games thinking, 'Man, we weren't that far off,'" defensive coordinator Bryant Haines told me this offseason. "I felt like the margin of error was just so small. I think we can compete with those teams and I thought we did compete well in moments. I think if anything, it validated us. We can beat Ohio State. I still think we can."

Indiana, of course, did go on to beat Ohio State in the Big Ten championship. It solidified its No. 1 overall seed and kept its undefeated season alive. Indiana is now one win away from hoisting the national championship trophy.

The scary part for the rest of college football is as long as Cignetti is running things in Bloomington, this Indiana program isn't going anywhere. They are too well-coached, too obsessed with chasing perfection and too good at finding the right players to make it all happen.

Dante Moore is not going to enjoy ever rewatching his Peach Bowl first half. You know things aren't going well when the narrative shifts from wondering how a projected top draft pick will do to suggestions he should come back for another year at Oregon.

It was a disaster from the very beginning when Moore threw an interception on his first pass that D'Angelo Ponds returned for a touchdown. He steadied himself on the next drive, resulting in a touchdown, but he'd add two more turnovers before the first half was over. The first fumble, which gave Indiana the ball on Oregon's 5-yard line, wasn't exclusively Moore's fault -- his running back seemed to slightly bump into him and mess up his timing -- but you still expect better awareness from your star quarterback.

From there, Moore looked overwhelmed as Indiana's defense became more and more confident. Indiana sacked Moore three times in the half as Oregon's offensive line was no match for the Hoosiers. Moore finished with 285 yards and two touchdowns, but the game was already lost. 

Even at the moment, I didn't think Indiana adding Fernando Mendoza got enough attention. He wasn't as well known as Carson Beck or Nico Iamaleava or John Mateer. I get all that.

But when you watched him at Cal, you could see that he had real talent. I remember coming away very impressed with what he did against Auburn in a road win over the Tigers.

If Cignetti and Co. could turn Kurtis Rourke into a star, why couldn't they do the same for Mendoza?

Admittedly I didn't see a Heisman Trophy-winning season coming, but it's a great example of how great coaching can unlock another level in players. Mendoza just seems to keep getting better and better at Indiana especially in the College Football Playoff. He was elite against Alabama and somehow even better against Oregon. He's so good at limiting mistakes and putting the ball exactly where it needs to be, especially on those back shoulder sideline throws.

Mendoza will almost certainly be the No. 1 overall pick now. But first, he'll get a chance to win a national championship in his native Miami. With the way he's been playing, I wouldn't bet against him. And if Fernando Mendoza can deliver a national championship to Indiana, of all places, he has a real argument as the greatest transfer portal addition in college football history.

Final: Indiana 56, Oregon 22

No. 1 Indiana finished off one of the most dominant performances in the history of the College Football Playoff with a 56-22 victory over No. 5 Oregon to advance to the CFP National Championship. With the win, Indiana becomes the first team ever with multiple 28+ point victories in the CFP. 

Indiana set the tone on the first play of the game. Cornerback D'Angelo Ponds jumped a passing lane and picked off Oregon quarterback Dante Moore for a pick-six. The Ducks managed to put together a 14-play touchdown drive on the next sequence, but the floodgates opened from there. 

The Hoosiers scored touchdowns on five of their first six drives, marching down the field with ease. Moore's turnover issues cost them twice more as he lost the ball on a strip-sack and had an unfortunate contact with a running back to lose another in the shadow of his own goal line. The Hoosiers pushed the lead to 42-7 one drive into the third quarter. 

While Indiana did not need a Heisman-worthy performance from quarterback Fernando Mendoza, he delivered a ruthlessly efficient game. Mendoza completed 17-of-20 passes for 177 yards and five touchdowns, throwing more touchdowns than incompletions. He added another 28 yards on the ground to keep the chains rolling. Four different receivers caught touchdown passes. Running backs Kaelon Black and Roman Hemby combined for 116 yards and two touchdowns. Defensive lineman Daniel Ndukwe also had two sacks in a breakout effort. 

Moore responded with 245 yards and a touchdown pass. With several starters sidelined, Dierre Hill ran for 86 yards, but 71 came on one play. 

Now, Indiana heads to the program's first national title game with a chance to win their first ever crown. Before Cignetti took over the program, the Hoosiers were the losingest program in the history of college football. He moved to 26-2 in two seasons; the Hoosiers had not even won a bowl game since 1991. 

4Q: Indiana 56, Oregon 15

Even late in the fourth quarter, Indiana's starting offense is still in the game. Running back Kaelon Black exploded for a 23-yard touchdown and the lead is up to 41 points with five minutes remaining. 

Fourth quarter: Indiana 49, Oregon 15

Fernando Mendoza's night should be done now, but he had one more touchdown left in him evidently. Mendoza added a ridiculous fifth touchdown against the Ducks on a 3-yard pass to Elijah Sarratt. It was Sarratt's second touchdown of the night. Mendoza may only have 177 total passing yards, but he's been nearly perfect tonight. 

Fourth quarter: Indiana 42, Oregon 15

A botched punt attempt that was blocked gave Indiana the ball on Oregon's 10-yard line. It's another brutal miscue for the Ducks that gave Indiana unbelievable field position, the biggest reason why Oregon had no chance of beating the Hoosiers tonight. 

End of third quarter: Indiana 42, Oregon 15

Oregon was at least able to get on the board in the second half. Set up by a Dierre Hill 74-yard run to Indiana's 4-yard line, Jay Harris punched it in two plays later. 

That was the only real third quarter highlight for the Ducks who entered the fourth quarter down multiple scores. They did limit Indiana to only one touchdown, an improvement over the splattering in the first half, but it needed to score multiple touchdowns in the third to even have the slightest chance of coming back in this game.

Fernando Mendoza added his fourth touchdown of the game on a 13-yard touchdown pass to E.J. Williams Jr. 

Third quarter: Indiana 42, Oregon 7

Curt Cignetti isn't calling off the dogs quite yet. It's not the way he coaches and it's not the way his team plays. It's relentless effort always. 

While other teams might ease up after a 35-7 halftime lead, Indiana is doing no such thing. The Hoosiers extended their lead on Fernando Mendoza's fourth touchdown of the night, this one a 13-yard pass to E.J. Williams Jr. 

Even coming out of halftime, Oregon has no answers on how to stop this dominant Indiana team. 

Halftime: Indiana 35, Oregon 7

The Hoosiers are dominating, and the tens of thousands of Indiana fans inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium are having the time of their lives. 

Indiana looks unstoppable right now. The offense is seamless and efficient in everything it does. The defense is making Oregon quarterback Dante Moore's life miserable. There doesn't appear to be a miracle fix available to the Ducks, either. Moore had three back-breaking turnovers in the first half, including a pick-6 interception on Oregon's very first play of the game. 

As everything went poorly for Oregon, it was the inverse for Indiana. Fernando Mendoza was terrific yet again, finishing the half 10 of 11 for 110 yards and three touchdowns. His second touchdown of the night, a 36-yard dart to Charlie Becker, was a thing of beauty. 

The run game was effective, too. Roman Hemby and Kaleon Black combined for 62 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries. 

Moore, who had three turnovers, did have a touchdown on a 19-yard pass to tight end Jamari Johnson. 

Second quarter: Indiana 35, Oregon 7

Indiana is just at another level right now. They are entering best teams of college football territory if they can keep this up and win a national championship over Miami.

Second quarter: Indiana 28, Oregon 7

This one is all but over. Oregon can't block Indiana's defense, it can't stop Fernando Mendoza and it has no hope of coming back in this game. All that's left is figuring out what the final score will be. This has been a truly dominant performance from Indiana in a way you rarely see with teams this good. 

The dagger came on a Mendoza to Charlie Becker 36-yard touchdown pass that was right on the money.

Second quarter: Indiana 21, Oregon 7

Dante Moore is not going to enjoy rewatching this first half. Moore fumbled the ball after getting slightly bumped by his running back and gave Indiana the ball on the Ducks' 5-yard line. Three plays later, Indiana capitalized on a Kaelon Black touchdown. 

Oregon handing Indiana two free touchdowns isn't ideal for the Ducks. Major, major pressure on Moore now after his two turnovers led to 14 points. 

Second quarter: Indiana 14, Oregon 7

Oregon came oh so close to coming up with a turnover after Fernando Mendoza lost the ball and then somehow corralled it back after it ricocheted off an offensive lineman while in the air. Though Indiana barely escaped from disaster, it did still lead to a 20-yard loss that put the Hoosiers out of field goal range and led to Indiana's first punt of the night. 

Second quarter: Indiana 14, Oregon 7

Fernando Mendoza's passing AND running is on point tonight. Mendoza just showed off some serious wheels as he scrambled for a 21-yard gain on a third-and-8 to give the Hoosiers a big first down. He's more athletic than people think and he proved that as he raced down the sideline. 

End of 1st quarter: Indiana 14, Oregon 7

We are rolling early here at the Peach Bowl. Each team has a 75-yard drive that resulted in a touchdown, but the difference is Dante Moore throwing a pick-6 interception on his first throw of the game. Indiana star cornerback D'Angelo Ponds gave Indiana that early lead after jumping a route and taking it to the house.

Moore bounced back well on his second drive, however. He finished the quarter 5 of 8 for 50 yards, one touchdown and one interception. His touchdown throw to Jamari Johnson was special.

In Indiana's first offensive drive, Fernando Mendoza showed why he won the Heisman. He made multiple big-time throws, the offensive line gave him plenty of time and the Hoosiers' offense looked pretty close to unstoppable. Mendoza went a perfect 4 for 4 for 41 yards and a touchdown. 

First quarter: Indiana 14, Oregon 7

Gosh, Fernando Mendoza is so good. You know that already -- he won the Heisman Trophy, after all -- but he shows you why he should be the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. He had two beauties on this drive that ended with a perfect 8-yard touchdown pass to Omar Cooper Jr. Earlier in the drive, he put a ball right where it needed to and Elijah Sarratt made a terrific catch for a 23-yard gain. 

When this Indiana team gets rolling like this, it is so much fun to watch. It is so efficient and so smart. 

First quarter: Indiana 7, Oregon 7

Give Dante Moore credit for how he bounced back there. After that disastrous pick-6 on his first throw, Moore and Oregon efficiently worked the ball down the field, eating up more than seven minutes of game clock before resulting in a Moore to Jamari Johnson 19-yard touchdown. 

The run game was better than expected, too. Jay Harris ran pretty well on that drive -- five carries for 15 yards -- as Oregon rotated multiple running backs. The offensive line did its job creating holes and holding up in pass protection, too. 

First quarter: Indiana 7, Oregon 0

On Dante Moore's very first throw of the game, he throws a pick-6 interception to star defensive back D'Angelo Ponds. This place is going insane with Indiana fans after that one. For as good a start as that was for Indiana, it's a disastrous one for Oregon.

It is a decidedly Indiana-heavy crowd tonight inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Would guess it is 75/25 or maybe even 80/20 in favor of Indiana fans. LOT of red here just a few minutes before we kick off. 

Oregon leading rusher Noah Whittington, who showed up on the injury report as questionable with an undisclosed ailment, is giving it a go during pregame warmups and is expected to play even if he does not start. The Ducks are already without fellow running back Jordon Davison, who will miss the Peach Bowl with an upper body injury. Expect a healthy dose of Dierre Hill Jr., who has 570 rushing yards on the season. 

Yes, Curt Cignetti is capable of smiling.

He is, in fact, capable of having fun.

"There's a lot of times I am happy," Cignetti protested this week, "I just don't show I'm happy." 

And the internet loves him for it. 

The 64-year-old Indiana football coach has become a viral social media sensation for a sideline demeanor that is delightfully grumpy. The people don't want to see him smiling; they want to see him shooting another death-stare.

The intensity that turned Curt Cignetti into an internet sensation

John Talty

One of the first things Curt Cignetti said after Indiana's 38-3 blowout of Alabama in the Rose Bowl was how much harder it is to beat a good team twice. He knew why he was saying it. Indiana's next opponent would be the same Oregon team it beat 30-20 at Autzen Stadium earlier this season.

Cignetti has repeated the line every chance he's gotten since, and that's no accident. He learned far more than Xs and Os under Nick Saban. He understands messaging. He knows what his players need to hear and how often they need to hear it. Indiana players will be reminded again and again that "they say you can't beat a great team twice," with a heavy subtext of nobody believes in us as they prepare for the rematch.

Oregon must make one key adjustment in Peach Bowl rematch with Indiana -- solve the Hoosiers' pass rush puzzle

Tom Fornelli

When Curt Cignetti took the Indiana job after the 2023 season, he didn't come alone. As part of his first signing class, Cignetti brought 13 members of his stacked James Madison roster. 

The Dukes went 11-1 in Cignetti's second season while transitioning up from the FCS level, and many of the additions have set the foundation of Indiana's rise. Linebacker Aiden Fisher and cornerback D'Angelo Ponds earned All-America honors. Receiver Elijah Sarratt and defensive lineman Mikail Kamara are key contributors as the Hoosiers reached No. 1 in the nation. 

On paper, the Hoosiers rank No. 72 in the 247Sports Talent Composite. But according to sources in the industry, the next iteration of Indiana's build is coming. And unlike the first wave, the Hoosiers aren't taking a backseat to anyone in the recruiting market. 

Indiana's strong transfer portal haul proves Hoosiers have carved out a long-term spot among the sport's elite

Shehan Jeyarajah

Even with the above caveat about it being hard to beat a team twice, I have to stick with Indiana in this game. It's going to be difficult, and I would expect the margin to be closer than the first time around, but Indiana just does so many things so well. I completely trust Curt Cignetti and his coaching staff, I believe in Fernando Mendoza to deliver in the big moments and, ultimately, I think Indiana's defense will give Oregon quarterback Dante Moore problems again. Pick: Indiana -3.5

Indiana has never been anywhere close to this stratosphere of college football before. A Peach Bowl win over Oregon to send Indiana to its first national championship appearance would be remarkable. There will be books and movies made about Cignetti if he can get two more wins. Oregon has had much more success over the last two decades than Indiana, but still has never won a national championship. Nike co-founder Phil Knight desperately wants to see one. Oregon has played in two national championship games in the 21st century, a 22-19 loss to Auburn in 2011 and a 42-20 loss to Ohio State in 2015. The Ducks have been oh-so-close in the past, and another bite at the apple would be well appreciated in Eugene. 

There is some variance across all the NFL mock drafts you can find out on the internet, but Indiana's Fernando Mendoza and Oregon's Dante Moore are pretty consistently atop the projections. At CBS Sports, for instance, both Mike Renner and Josh Edwards both have Mendoza and Moore projected to go in the first two picks of the 2026 NFL Draft. We are still a long way from April's draft, but if you're a fan of say the Las Vegas Raiders, New York Jets or Arizona Cardinals, you'll want to tune into the Peach Bowl to watch your potential next franchise quarterback. This is the kind of game that can play big in the minds of NFL executives and scouts when it comes time for the draft. Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy winner, has flown up the draft boards with a terrific season in Bloomington. He hasn't officially declared for the draft but with the Hoosiers taking TCU quarterback transfer Josh Hoover, the signs are there. It's a bit more up in the air with Moore who could still return to Eugene despite the possibility of being a top draft pick. One factor, too: Moore is still just 20-years old and this is his first season as the full-time starter after previously starting five games as a freshman at UCLA. 

Oregon was dealt a significant blow Tuesday when running back Jordan Davison was officially ruled out for Friday's Peach Bowl. Davison, who led the Ducks with 15 rushing touchdowns, suffered a broken clavicle in Oregon's quarterfinal win over Texas Tech. Making the situation even more precarious is that Oregon is now down to only three healthy running backs with Jayden Limar and Makhi Hughes hitting the transfer portal. Fortunately for Oregon it still has Noah Whittington, who led the way with rushing attempts, but it'll be interesting to see how Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein adjusts his gameplan without a significant piece like Davison. Whittington's carries high this season was 17 -- against Iowa and Washington -- but that number will almost certainly have to go up against Indiana if Oregon wants to stay balanced. 

Who will move on to face No. 10 Miami in the College Football Playoff National Championship? That will be decided in a monumental rematch on Friday night in the Peach Bowl as Indiana battles with Oregon. These two Big Ten titans gave us a good one earlier this year, and now the stakes are even higher. 

Indiana vs. Oregon prediction, pick, spread, odds: Hoosiers, Ducks set for rematch in Peach Bowl CFP semifinal

John Talty