Indiana could not have advanced to the national championship game in a more dominating fashion.
The undefeated No. 1 Hoosiers scored on the first play of the game on the way to a 35-7 halftime lead in their 56-22 destruction of No. 5 Oregon in the Peach Bowl. Indiana will now play No. 10 Miami on Jan. 19 in Miami for the national title.
Advertisement
Indiana (15-0) got that first touchdown despite not receiving the opening kickoff. Cornerback D’Angelo Ponds read Oregon QB Dante Moore’s eyes perfectly and intercepted Moore’s first-down pass for a 25-yard pick-6.
To Oregon’s credit, the Ducks (13-2) responded with a 14-play, 75-yard drive on their next possession to tie the game at 7-7. But the drama ended after that, thanks to two fumbles by Moore.
The first wasn’t his fault. As Indiana led 14-7 and Oregon took over at its own 13-yard line following a Hoosiers punt, running back Dierre Hill Jr. faked taking a handoff from Moore. As Moore went to throw on the run-pass option play, the ball hit Hill’s shoulder as Moore started to throw. The ball popped in the air before Mario Landino recovered it at the Oregon 3-yard line.
Three plays later, Kaelon Black scored to give the Hoosiers a two-TD lead that would only grow from there.
Advertisement
After Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza found Charlie Becker for a 28-7 lead, the lead became 35-7 after Moore’s second fumble of the game. He was sacked by Daniel Ndukwe and Landino was there again to recover the ball with 2:36 to go in the first half.
Six plays later, Mendoza hit Elijah Sarratt for a 2-yard TD and a four-touchdown lead to end any hope Oregon had of winning the game.
Mendoza posts another absurd stat line
Mendoza won the Heisman after leading Indiana to the only undefeated season at the top level of college football and putting up some incredible individual performances. In the 13 games before the Heisman was given out, Mendoza had three games with more passing TDs than incompletions and a fourth with four touchdown passes and four incompletions.
Advertisement
In the Rose Bowl, Mendoza was 14-of-16 for 192 yards and three scores to up his number of games with more TDs than incompletions to four.
Friday night, it rose to five with Mendoza’s performance in the Peach Bowl. He was ruthlessly efficient once again and finished 17-of-20 passing for 177 yards and five touchdowns.
It was yet another reason why Mendoza is the overwhelming favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Though he hasn’t officially declared, it’s a formality that Mendoza will do so given that Indiana already has signed TCU QB Josh Hoover in the transfer portal.
Oregon was short-handed on offense
Both Hill and Jay Harris played significant roles at running back for the Ducks on Friday thanks to sudden attrition at the position. Starting RB Noah Whittington was suddenly listed as questionable on Oregon’s Thursday injury report and hardly saw the field on Friday with his right lower leg heavily wrapped. Five-star freshman Jordon Davison, who scored two touchdowns in the Orange Bowl, fractured his clavicle near the end of that game. And No. 4 RB Jayden Limar was no longer with the team after entering the transfer portal.
Advertisement
Harris, the team’s No. 5 RB at the start of the year, is also in the transfer portal. But he was available on Friday in what basically amounted to a showcase game for any prospective new school.
He broke a 71-yard run in the third quarter. But it was too little, too late for an Oregon team that also lost left tackle Isaiah World and right guard Alex Harkey during the game.
The lack of depth at running back stacked more on Moore’s shoulders and provided a great opportunity for him to show why he should be considered at the top of the NFL Draft along with Mendoza if he declared. Instead, Indiana’s defense held Oregon to fewer than four yards a play in the first half before the Ducks found some yardage after the Hoosiers pushed their lead to five scores early in the second half.
Live coverage is over50 updatesFri, January 9, 2026 at 4:30 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Fri, January 9, 2026 at 8:40 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Fri, January 9, 2026 at 8:26 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Fri, January 9, 2026 at 8:23 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Fri, January 9, 2026 at 8:23 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Fri, January 9, 2026 at 8:09 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Fernando Mendoza throws 5 TD passes to lead the Hoosiers to an utterly dominant win in the Peach Bowl. Indiana will face Miami for the national title on Jan. 19.
Fri, January 9, 2026 at 8:06 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Dante Moore tosses a 1-yard TD to Roger Saleapaga, because why not. It’s a meaningless score with 22 seconds to play.
Indiana 56, Oregon 22
Fri, January 9, 2026 at 7:52 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Kaelon Black breaks free for a 23-yard TD run, and the Hoosiers have put up a 50-burger in a national semifinal game.
Indiana 56, Oregon 15
Fri, January 9, 2026 at 7:38 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Fernando Mendoza tosses his FIFTH touchdown of the game, this one to Elijah Sarratt for 3 yards. A night to remember for the Heisman winner.
Indiana 49, Oregon 15
Fri, January 9, 2026 at 7:32 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
The Hoosiers weren’t rushing a ton of players, but Daniel Ndukwe gets through anyway to get a hand on the kick and recover inside the Oregon 10.
Fri, January 9, 2026 at 7:19 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
A promising drive ends with Jay Harris getting stuffed on a 4th-and-1 at the Indiana 32 late in the 3rd quarter.
Fri, January 9, 2026 at 7:14 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Dante Moore to Jeremiah McClellan for 43 yards. The Ducks aren’t gonna quit.
Fri, January 9, 2026 at 7:07 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Fernando Mendoza throws just his second incomplete pass of the night, and that leads to a defensive stop by the Ducks.
Fri, January 9, 2026 at 6:56 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Jay Harris runs it in from the 2 after he was set up by a 71-yard run by Dierre Hill Jr. Ducks convert the 2-point try.
Indiana 42, Oregon 15
Here was the big run to set up the TD:
Fri, January 9, 2026 at 6:51 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Fri, January 9, 2026 at 6:49 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Fernando Mendoza to E.J. Williams for a 13-yard TD toss. Rinse. Repeat.
Indiana 42, Oregon 7
Fri, January 9, 2026 at 6:48 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Fernando Mendoza loses the ball for the second time today, but the Hoosiers fall on it.
Fri, January 9, 2026 at 6:41 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Indiana receives the 2nd half kickoff. Can it continue to run up the score?
Fri, January 9, 2026 at 6:32 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Oregon lost in a one-sided affair to Ohio State last year in the CFP quarterfinals. Could it be headed for a similar fate against Indiana?
Fri, January 9, 2026 at 6:20 PM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza played a nearly flawless first half.
10 of 11 passing, 110 yards, 3 TDs.
QB rating: 264.9!!!