ATLANTA — 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 in the Peach Bowl 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-6. 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. 

By the numbers Indiana

Advanced to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game for the first time in program history.

Will face No. 10 Miami in the 2026 CFP National Championship Game on Jan. 19 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida (Miami’s home stadium).

The title game will mark the first meeting between Indiana and Miami since 1966.

Seeking the first national championship in school history.

Captured the Peach Bowl for the first time in program history.

Won the first CFP semifinal matchup between teams from the same conference.

Became the first Big Ten program outside of Ohio State or Michigan to reach the CFP National Championship Game.

Recorded its 15th win of the season, tying the single-season FBS record (fifth team all-time).

Posted back-to-back bowl victories in an eight-day span after never previously winning consecutive bowl games in program history.

Defeated the same opponent twice in a season for the second time in school history and the first since 1897, when Indiana beat DePauw University twice.

Extended its winning streak to 15 games, the longest active streak in the FBS.

Seeking to become the lowest-ranked team in the AP preseason poll (No. 20) to win a national title since Auburn (No. 22) in 2010.

Fernando Mendoza

Seeking to become the fifth quarterback in the BCS/CFP era to win both the Heisman Trophy and a national championship in the same season.

Previous: Matt Leinart, Cam Newton, Jameis Winston, Joe Burrow.

Could help Indiana become just the third team in NCAA history to finish a season 16-0.

Big Ten Conference

The Big Ten is seeking its third consecutive national championship.

Would mark the fourth national title streak in conference history, and the first since 1940–42.

Would be the third instance in NCAA history of a conference winning three straight national titles with three different schools.