Last Updated 4:48 PM, January 10, 2026
Jordan Howard

Indiana rolls over Oregon in the CFP semifinals at the Peach Bowl

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The moments after Indiana won the 2025-26 Peach Bowl in the College Football Playoff Semifinals
2:05
3:59 am, January 10, 2026

Final — Indiana 56, Oregon 22

Indiana football

Indiana football is going to the national championship, and it didn't look all that difficult. First, they roll over one of the greatest programs in college football history in Alabama, cruising past the Tide, 38-3. 

Then there was a rematch of one of the best regular season games all year when Indiana took down Oregon 30-20 in Eugene. Surely this one will be close. Right? 

Well, playing in front of what had to be nearly the entire population of Bloomington, Indiana, the Hoosiers put their foot on the gas on the first play from scrimmage, and Cignetti never let off the pedal.  

The defense delivered three turnovers in the first half, capitalizing on all three. And if there were questions about whether Mendoza deserved the Heisman, check this out—over his past two games, Mendoza has five incompletions and eight touchdown passes. He is 31 of 36 for eight touchdowns and 369 yards. 

In the process, Indiana set a new record for margin of victory through two CFP games at 69 points, shattering the previous record held by 2022 Georgia at 59 points. It was the most dominant two-game stretch in CFP history. If the Hoosiers can get it done in Miami, they will become the first 16-0 team in college football history and the first undefeated national champion since 2023 Michigan. 

Mendoza is headed back to his hometown of Miami where he attended Christopher Columbus High School — the same high school as Canes head coach Mario Cristobal. And although this will be a home game for Miami in Hard Rock Stadium, if the Peach Bowl was any indicator, Indiana travels. 

Through 28 games under Curt Cignetti, Indiana is 26-2. It's two losses? Last season's national champion Ohio State and national runner-up Notre Dame. In 30 years B.C.—Before Cignetti—Indiana football had five winning seasons, the same amount of national championships Miami owns. IU had not won a bowl game since 1991. Regardless of what happens in South Beach, what we are witnessing out of Bloomington is a spectacle. Monday, Jan. 19 can't come soon enough. 

3:50 am, January 10, 2026

Another one for the Hoosiers. Sheesh

Indiana is pouring it on after a 23-yard rushing touchdown from running back Kaelon Black. The Hoosiers went 65 yards in just five plays to push its lead to 56-15 with 5:13 to play.

At this point, Indiana can all but smell the beaches of Miami.

3:30 am, January 10, 2026

Have yourself a day Ndukwe

Indiana just won't let up as Daniel Ndukwe gets to the punter, blocking the kick as the Hoosiers took over on Oregon's seven-yard line. Replacing the injured Stephen Daley, playing in his second career start in the CFP semifinals, Ndukwe has two sacks, a forced fumble and a blocked punt to his name. He's Indiana's third-string defensive linemane. Entering today, he had just nine total tackles all season. But the sophomore has stepped up in his hometown, putting up the defensive performance of his career. 

Mendoza and Sarratt capitalized on the turnover as they've done all night, connecting for a three-yard touchdown for Mendoza's fifth on the night. Hoosiers lead 49-15. 

3:19 am, January 10, 2026

Third quarter update — Indiana 42, Oregon 15

We are down to the final 15 minutes of the Peach Bowl with Indiana leading by 27. Mercedes-Benz Stadium is not helping the Ducks either, playing a video of the always-passionate Pat McAfee talking about the Hoosier program on ESPN GameDay earlier this season. The Indiana crowd was immediately ignited, chanting and waving their towels the entirety of the media break. 

The scoring slowed down in the third, with only 15 combined points. The Hoosiers are keeping the ball on the ground, doing their best to chew the clock down in Atlanta, taking off over 10 minutes themselves in the third quarter. 

Indiana football

 

2:54 am, January 10, 2026

The Ducks show life!

On the first play after the Indiana kickoff, Dierre Hill Jr. exploded for a 71-yard run to set up a two-yard touchdown from Jay Harris. Jamari Johnson hauled in the two-point conversion to cut the lead to 42-15 midway through the third quarter. 

2:46 am, January 10, 2026

Put him in a blender

E.J. Williams executes a picture-perfect double-move, shedding the Oregon secondary for a wide-open touchdown grab. The camera man couldn't even keep up. Mendoza is 13 of 14 with four touchdowns. Including his game versus Alabama, he has three incompletions and seven touchdown passes over his past 30 pass attempts. Hoosiers lead 42-7. 

2:17 am, January 10, 2026

Halftime update — Indiana 35, Oregon 7

The first half was full of highlight plays, non-stop action and lots of scoring — by one team. It was all Hoosiers from the first play from scrimmage, and it looks like Cignetti has no plans of slowing down. From the looks of the box score, Indiana only leads 175-121 in total yards. Only a 54 yard difference, but the Hoosiers lead by more than half of the team yard difference.

Dante Moore is getting hunted in the backfield, sacked three times — the second most he's been sacked in a game all season. First? When Indiana sacked him six times back in October. But this is actually the third time Mendoza and Moore have faced off, the first back in 2023 when Mendoza with Cal and Moore was with UCLA. The Golden Bears front seven brought down Moore six times that game as well. While obviously the Heisman winner is not involved whatsoever with Moore's sacks, but Moore tends to go down with Mendoza on the other sideline. 

If this margin of victory holds, Indiana will hold the all-time mark for largest combined margin of victory in back-to-back CFP games, breaking Georgia's record of 59 which was essentially set in its one game against TCU. 

From the looks of it, Bloomington isn't going anywhere inside the Benz, many aren't even sitting down for half. Dan Lanning will have to channel his inner Herb Brooks in the locker room to try and mount this comeback, but the Ducks will have to wait as Indiana receives the second half kickoff. 

See first half stats below. Click or tap here for live stats

Indiana football
2:09 am, January 10, 2026

Hoosiers can't be stopped

It's 35-7. There are still 59 seconds to play in the first half. It was Elijah Sarratt this time who is on an absolute tear, hauling in his 11th touchdown pass, extending his touchdown streak to nine-straight games. For a game that was once 7-7 after Oregon responded perfectly to the opening-drive pick-six, this one has gotten out of hand. The red and white are still on their feet, and I don't know if they will sit down all game. 

1:59 am, January 10, 2026

Another one! Indiana just won't stop

On the second play after the long touchdown pass for Indiana, Daniel Ndukwe hammers Dante Moore in the backfield and Mario Landino recovers his second fumble in the past two possessions. Oregon is allergic to the football right now as the Hoosier squad and crowd keeps their foot planted on the gas. 

Dante Moore had not lost a fumble all season entering this matchup. 

1:55 am, January 10, 2026

Big play Becker

Charlie Becker continues to deliver this postseason for the Hoosiers, climbing the ladder for a 36-yard touchdown from Mendoza. The 6-foot-4 wide receiver is averaging over 22 yards per catch this postseason with two touchdowns as Indiana extends its lead to 28-7 late in the second quarter.

1:39 am, January 10, 2026

Moore turnovers, more points

A simple RPO turned wild when running back Dierre Hill Jr. ran into the throwing arm of quarterback Dante Moore, knocking the ball loose as Indiana's Mario Landino jumped on top of the ball at the Oregon three-yard line. 

Three plays later, Kaelon Black punches it in from the one, giving the Hoosiers a 21-7 lead midway through the second quarter. The Ducks now have two turnovers backed up deep in their own end, and the Hoosiers are making them pay. 

1:35 am, January 10, 2026

Mendoza madness

Sometimes chaos works, other times it doesn't. Mendoza escaped the pocket for a 21-yard gain on 3rd and 8 to push Indiana into Oregon territory.

But Hoosier held its breath three plays later as Indiana played hot potato with the pigskin, somehow avoiding disaster. 

1:23 am, January 10, 2026

First quarter update — Indiana 14, Oregon 7

Indiana leads Oregon 14-7 after the first 15. The game kicked off with a bang as the Hoosiers took Dante Moore's first pass back to the endzone. Each team traded long touchdown drives to end the first quarter of action. 

Oregon only trailed one opponent after the first quarter all season. Guess who? Indiana, who lead 10-7 after the first in Eugene back in September. 

Mendoza is 4-4 going into the second quarter after throwing just two incompletions in the routing of Alabama. 

See first quarter stats below. Click or tap here for live stats

stats
1:16 am, January 10, 2026

Mendoza relies on his sure hands

Mendoza involved his top two options early with Elijah Sarratt hauling in a 23-yard back-shoulder pass on 3rd down in Indiana's own end. 

He then finds Omar Cooper for his 13th touchdown of the season in the left corner of the end zone in front of the Hoosier crowd, taking a 14-7 lead as the first quarter comes to an end. Cooper and Sarratt each have 13 touchdowns on the season now with over 100 combined catches.

1:05 am, January 10, 2026

That's how you quiet down a crowd. Oregon on the board.

One way to quiet down a crowd? A slow, methodical, march down the field. That's exactly what the Ducks did as Dante Moore found Jamari Johnson over the middle to cap off a 14-play, almost eight minute drive to knot the game 7-7. Now will it be enough to fend off this Hoosier crowd? That is yet to be seen, 

Mendoza and company take the field for the first time with the patch of Oregon fans at their backs with 7:11 to play in the first.