ATLANTA — No. 1 Indiana completed one of the most dominant performances in College Football Playoff history with a 56-22 victory over No. 5 Oregon in the Peach Bowl to advance to the CFP National Championship. With this victory, Indiana becomes the first team to achieve multiple victories by more than 28 points in the CFP.
Indiana set the tone on the first play of the game. Cornerback D’Angelo Ponds jumped a pass route 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 drive, 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 problems cost them twice as much as he lost the ball on a strip-sack and made unfortunate contact with a ball carrier only to lose another in the shadow of his own goal line. The Hoosiers pushed the lead to 42-7 early in the third quarter.
Although Indiana didn’t 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 into the program’s first national title game with a chance to win its first-ever crown. Before Cignetti took over the program, the Hoosiers were the losingest program in college football history. He went 26-2 in two seasons; the Hoosiers hadn’t even won a bowl game since 1991.
By the numbers
Indiana
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Advanced to the College Football Playoff national championship game for the first time in program history.
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He will face No. 10 Miami in the 2026 CFP National Championship Game on January 19 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida (Miami’s stadium).
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The title game will mark the first meeting between Indiana and Miami since 1966.
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Seeking the first national championship in school history.
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Captured the Peach Bowl for the first time in program history.
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Won the first CFP semifinal between teams from the same conference.
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Became the first Big Ten program outside of Ohio State or Michigan to reach the CFP national championship game.
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Recorded his 15th win of the season, tying the FBS single-season record (fifth team all-time).
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Earned consecutive bowl victories in an eight-day span after never winning consecutive bowl games in program history.
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Defeated the same opponent twice in one season for the second time in school history and first since 1897, when Indiana defeated DePauw University twice.
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Extended his winning streak to 15 games, the longest active streak in the FBS.
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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
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Looking to become the fifth quarterback in the BCS/CFP era to win both the Heisman Trophy and a national championship in the same season.
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Previous: Matt Leinart, Cam Newton, Jameis Winston, Joe Burrow.
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Could help Indiana become the third team in NCAA history to finish a season 16-0.
Big Ten Conference
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The Big Ten is seeking its third consecutive national championship.
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Would mark fourth national title streak in conference history, and first since 1940-42.
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This would be the third example in NCAA history of a conference winning three consecutive national titles with three different schools.
