Football
For the fourth time in this College Football Playoff, a rematch is on deck. No. 1 Indiana and No. 5 Oregon will meet again Friday night at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta. The previous three rematch results suggests this sequel may favor the Ducks — teams that won the regular-season meeting are 1-2 in this CFP — a reality Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti readily acknowledged.
“Hard to beat a team twice, so edge to Oregon there,” Cignetti said last Friday.
Indiana, still unbeaten, handed Oregon its only loss of the season back on Oct. 11 in Eugene, overcoming a fourth-quarter pick-6 thrown by quarterback Fernando Mendoza to pull away for a 30-20 win.
CFP predictions: Why Indiana will win it all | Why Oregon will win a national title
Friday’s national semifinal marks uncharted territory for Indiana, a program still seeking its first recognized national championship in football. Oregon, meanwhile, is making its second national semifinal appearance of the CFP era, still chasing a title of its own after coming up short in the championship games following the 2010 and 2014 seasons.
Date: Friday, Jan. 9 | Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium — Atlanta, Georgia
TV: ESPN | Stream: Fubo (Try for free)
Football Indiana vs. Oregon: Players to watch in Peach Bowl
Fernando Mendoza, QB, Indiana: The Heisman Trophy winner had more touchdown passes (3) than incompletions (2) in the Hoosiers Rose Bowl win against Alabama. Mendoza already set the single-season program record for most touchdown passes (36) and is currently third in single-season passing yards (3,172).
Rolijah Hardy, LB, Indiana: The Hoosiers’ individual tackle leader this season with 93 total stops, Hardy was key in the win against Oregon during the regular season. He had 13 tackles, including two for loss with a sack. Hardy earned second-team All-Big Ten honors this season.
D’Angelo Ponds, CB, Indiana: Ponds earned Defensive Player of the Game at the Rose Bowl, adding to his list of honors that includes being named second-team All-America by CBS Sports. He has yet to allow a touchdown reception in coverage and just 27 catches on 50 targets, according to Pro Football Focus.
Dante Moore, QB, Oregon: Moore had an overall shaky performance in the Orange Bowl win despite completing 78.8% of his passes. Still, he has blossomed into one of the nation’s premier quarterbacks and could be a top-five pick in the 2026 NFL Draft if he opts to forgo his final year of eligibility. The Ducks’ signal-caller ranks third nationally in completion percentage (72.9%), seventh in passer rating (166.73), eighth in passing touchdowns (28) and 14th in yards per attempt (8.8), showcasing his precision.
Jordon Davison, RB, Oregon: Oregon deploys a balanced, three-man rotation in the backfield, but Davison has emerged as its most dangerous finisher. Despite sharing carries with Noah Whittington and Dierre Hill Jr., the true freshman has piled up 667 yards on 113 rushes and found the end zone 15 times on the ground — a total that ranks among the national leaders.
Brandon Finney Jr., DB, Oregon: The true freshman played a big role in the Ducks’ shutout win in the Orange Bowl, snagging two interceptions and a fumble recovery. Finney became just the second player in CFP history with three takeaways in a game.
Football Indiana vs. Oregon prediction, pick
Curt Cignetti isn’t wrong — beating a team twice in one season is no small task. Still, there’s no reason to doubt the Hoosiers. Oregon’s shutout win in the CFP quarterfinal over Texas Tech looked impressive on paper, but the Ducks’ offense struggled to find rhythm against a respectable Tech defense. This Indiana defense is arguably better overall. The Hoosiers remain the only team to beat Oregon at home in the last 23 games, and getting them on a neutral field, plus factoring in another long trip to Atlanta after South Florida, gives the Hoosiers a real edge. Prediction: Indiana -4.5
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