Game preview: IU football travels to Eugene for top 10 tilt with Oregon

Photos of IU football vs. Illinois football at Memorial Stadium on September 20, 2025.

After a bye week, No. 7 Indiana football travels Saturday to face No. 3 Oregon in Eugene on Saturday afternoon.

This will be IU’s second matchup against a top-10 opponent this season and the fourth overall under head coach Curt Cignetti’s tenure.

Last time out, the Hoosiers prevailed late with a 20-15 victory against Iowa at Kinnick Stadium. The Ducks are also coming off a bye week after a big road win, defeating Penn State 30-24 in overtime at Beaver Stadium.

Ahead of Saturday’s matinee, here is Inside the Hall’s preview of the heavyweight matchup between the Ducks and Hoosiers.

Game information

Who: No. 7 Indiana (5-0, 2-0 in Big Ten) at No. 3 Oregon (5-0, 2-0 in Big Ten)
Where: Autzen Stadium, Eugene, Oregon
When: Saturday, October 11th, 2025. 3:30 p.m. EST
TV: CBS, Brad Nessler (Play-By-Play), Gary Danielson (Analyst), Jenny Dell (Sideline)
Radio: Don Fischer (Play-By-Play), Buck Suhr (Analyst)
The line: Indiana +7, Over/Under 53.5 (DraftKings)
SP+ prediction: Oregon 28, Indiana 22 (35 percent chance of an IU win)

Meet the opponent

A steady power for more than a decade, the reigning Big Ten champion Oregon Ducks are reaching new heights under head coach Dan Lanning.

The Ducks are 40-6 in the Lanning era and made the College Football Playoff last season for the first time since 2014.

With a high-powered offense and smothering defense, Oregon remains undefeated after its week off.

Under first-year starter Dante Moore, the Ducks lead the nation in red zone efficiency, scoring on 100 percent of their trips inside the 20 this season.

An intimidating defense, Oregon has allowed just 12.0 points per game, ranking them third among FBS teams.

Oregon is 22-1 at Autzen Stadium with Lanning and has won 15 consecutive home games since falling to Washington in 2022.

Injury Update

Curt Cignetti announced this week that he expects All-American defensive back D’Angelo Ponds to be available to play on Saturday. Ponds missed the Iowa game due to an injury suffered late in the week.

The required Big Ten availability report will be released two hours before kickoff, at 1:30 p.m. EST on Saturday.

Storylines

Can Indiana win in the trenches?

Success in Big Ten football has always meant winning up front.

Both the offensive and defensive lines of Oregon are among the largest and most powerful fronts in the Big Ten.

The size of the Ducks on both sides of the football will be the most challenging task for Indiana this season. However, Iowa held the same advantage over Indiana a few weeks ago. Despite that, the Hoosiers matched them offensively and created their usual defensive chaos.

Unlike in years past, Indiana will undoubtedly be able to compete with Oregon in terms of size and strength. That said, it will take four quarters of winning in the trenches if IU wishes to emerge victorious.

Will Indiana open the offensive playbook?

Curt Cignetti and offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan have one of the best offenses in the country. However, the play calling in big road games has been uninspiring.

In week five’s win at Iowa, offensive creativity was lacking, limiting quarterback Fernando Mendoza’s impact and keeping the Hawkeyes within striking distance throughout the game.

It was no outlier. In the two losses last year, Indiana’s offense was limited.

In front of a raucous Autzen Stadium crowd, Indiana will rely on its silent count for the second straight game. However, it should not affect play calling.

Whether it’s a deep shot to Sarratt on the first play or a trick play mixed in, Shanahan needs to be creative. He must trust his future NFL quarterback to execute and take chances.

If not, it may feel like Groundhog Day for the Hoosiers.

Can the defense contain Dante Moore?

Right up at the top with Mendoza, Moore has proven his worth in his first five starts at Oregon.

The former UCLA Bruin has completed 74.6 percent of his passes for 1,210 yards, 14 touchdowns and just one interception this season.

Indiana dropped back into zone coverage without Ponds at Iowa and a mediocre Mark Gronowski made the Hoosiers pay for it.

With Ponds returning, expect defensive coordinator Bryant Haines to return his defense to more man coverage.

Moore hasn’t faced much pressure this season, taking just one sack so far. That’s a credit to the size and strength of Oregon’s offensive line.

Indiana has been the best team at disrupting offensive lines this season — that must continue on Saturday. The Hoosiers must pressure Dante Moore, force hurried throws and let their secondary capitalize on mistakes to gain the edge.

Outlook

When the Big Ten schedule was released in the spring, Indiana circled this game as a litmus test.

The Hoosiers passed their first test against Illinois with flying colors, but the unsatisfied feeling from big-game losses a season ago remains in the locker room.

Of all IU’s games, facing Oregon offers the program a chance to earn its first signature road win under Cignetti.

For some, enjoying the ride and hoping the team stays competitive is enough. But as linebacker Aiden Fisher said Tuesday, playing in games like Saturday is now the expectation for Indiana football. Now, it’s about leaving Eugene with a win.

Indiana will need to play a near-flawless game Saturday afternoon to have a chance at earning its first road win over a top-five opponent in 47 tries.

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