Indiana routs Oregon in Peach Bowl to advance to national title game vs. Miami

Indiana couldn’t have superior to the national championship game in a extra dominating trend.

The undefeated No. 1 Hoosiers scored on the primary play of the game on the way in which 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.

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Indiana (15-0) bought that first landing regardless of not receiving the opening kickoff. Cornerback D’Angelo Ponds learn Oregon QB Dante Moore’s eyes completely and intercepted Moore’s first-down cross for a 25-yard pick-6.

To Oregon’s credit score, the Ducks (13-2) responded with a 14-play, 75-yard drive on their subsequent 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 personal 13-yard line following a Hoosiers punt, working again Dierre Hill Jr. faked taking a handoff from Moore. As Moore went to throw on the run-pass possibility play, the ball hit Hill’s shoulder as Moore began to throw. The ball popped in the air earlier than Mario Landino recovered it on the Oregon 3-yard line.

Three performs later, Kaelon Black scored to give the Hoosiers a two-TD lead that may solely develop from there.

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After Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza discovered Charlie Becker for a 28-7 lead, the lead grew to become 35-7 after Moore’s second fumble of the game. He was sacked by Daniel Ndukwe and Landino was there once more to get well the ball with 2:36 to go in the primary half.

Six performs later, Mendoza hit Elijah Sarratt for a 2-yard TD and a four-touchdown lead to finish any hope Oregon had of profitable the game.

Mendoza posts one other absurd stat line

Mendoza received the Heisman after main Indiana to the one undefeated season on the prime stage of faculty soccer and placing up some unbelievable particular person performances. In the 13 video games earlier than the Heisman was given out, Mendoza had three video games with extra passing TDs than incompletions and a fourth with 4 landing passes and 4 incompletions.

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In the Rose Bowl, Mendoza was 14-of-16 for 192 yards and three scores to up his variety of video games with extra TDs than incompletions to 4.

Friday evening, it rose to 5 with Mendoza’s efficiency in the Peach Bowl. He was ruthlessly environment friendly as soon as once more and completed 17-of-20 passing for 177 yards and 5 touchdowns.

It was but another excuse why Mendoza is the overwhelming favourite to be the No. 1 general choose in the 2026 NFL Draft. Though he hasn’t formally declared, it’s a formality that Mendoza will accomplish that provided that Indiana already has signed TCU QB Josh Hoover in the switch portal.

Oregon was short-handed on offense

Both Hill and Jay Harris performed important roles at working again for the Ducks on Friday thanks to sudden attrition on the place. Starting RB Noah Whittington was abruptly listed as questionable on Oregon’s Thursday harm report and hardly noticed the sphere on Friday together with his proper decrease leg closely wrapped. Five-star freshman Jordon Davison, who scored two touchdowns in the Orange Bowl, fractured his clavicle close to the tip of that game. And No. 4 RB Jayden Limar was not with the group after coming into the switch portal.

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Harris, the group’s No. 5 RB firstly of the 12 months, can be in the switch portal. But he was accessible on Friday in what mainly amounted to a showcase game for any potential new college.

He broke a 71-yard run in the third quarter. But it was too little, too late for an Oregon group that additionally misplaced left deal with Isaiah World and proper guard Alex Harkey through the game.

The lack of depth at working again stacked extra on Moore’s shoulders and supplied an excellent alternative for him to present why he must be thought-about on the prime of the NFL Draft together with Mendoza if he declared. Instead, Indiana’s protection held Oregon to fewer than 4 yards a play in the primary half earlier than the Ducks discovered some yardage after the Hoosiers pushed their lead to 5 scores early in the second half.