Game preview: IU football faces Oregon in CFP Semifinal at the Peach Bowl

Fernando Mendoza rushes the ball against Oregon.

No. 1 Indiana football travels south to Atlanta for a Friday evening affair with No. 5 Oregon in the Peach Bowl in the quarterfinal of the College Football Playoff.

The Hoosiers trounced No. 9 Alabama 38-3 in the Rose Bowl Game on New Year’s Day. Earlier in the day, the Ducks blanked No. 4 Texas Tech 23-0 in the Orange Bowl.

Indiana makes its third-ever appearance in the Peach Bowl game and its first since the 1990 season. The Hoosiers lost to Auburn 27-23 on December 29, 1990.

Ahead of Friday evening, here is Inside the Hall’s preview of the Rose Bowl game between the Ducks and Hoosiers.

Game information

Who: No. 1 Indiana (14-0, 10-0 in Big Ten) vs. No. 5 Oregon (13-1, 8-1 in Big Ten)
Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia
When: Friday, January 9, 2026. 7:30 p.m. EST
TV: ESPN, Sean McDonough (play-by-play), Greg McElroy (analyst), Molly McGrath (sideline)
Radio: Don Fischer (Play-By-Play), Buck Suhr (Analyst)
The line: Indiana -3.5, Over/Under 48.5 (DraftKings)
SP+ prediction: Indiana 27, Oregon 24 (70 percent chance of an IU win)

Meet the opponent

Oregon makes its second appearance in the CFP semifinal and first since the 2014-15 season. The Ducks are in their second-straight trip to the 12-team CFP, bowing out to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl last season.

Star quarterback Dante Moore completed 26-of-33 passes for 234 yards and an interception in a rare off outing. However, it was the stout defense that led the way, holding the Texas Tech offense scoreless.

The Ducks are in the top 10 in points allowed per game (15.3) and yards allowed (269.2).

Under Lanning, Oregon is 4-1 in Bowl Games, with the lone loss coming to the Buckeyes just over a year ago.

Series History: Indiana and Oregon meet for the fifth time, with the first four games split. The teams first met in 1963.

Injury Update

Indiana released its initial injury report on Wednesday afternoon. The lone Hoosier listed as out is kicker Brendan Franke.

The required availability report will be released at 5:30 p.m. EST on Friday, two hours before kickoff.

Storylines

Will Indiana be able to dominate in the trenches?

Similar to most of the team’s wins this season, Indiana’s Rose Bowl victory against Alabama was won at the line of scrimmage.

Offensively, the Hoosiers rushed for 250 yards, averaging five yards per carry and two touchdowns. Pat Coogan and the offensive line won the Rose Bowl Game MVP for the holes they created for running backs Kaelon Black and Roman Hemby.

Defensively, the Indiana defensive line dominated Alabama, holding the Crimson Tide to 23 yards rushing.

At this stage of the season, the more physical team tends to win. In their last meeting with Oregon, Indiana’s defensive line wreaked havoc on Moore, sacking him six times.

If Indiana can pounce on an opportunity to set the physical tone in the first quarter, it significantly increases its chances of advancing.

Will Indiana expose a depleted Oregon secondary?

An already thin Oregon defensive back room took a hit when redshirt sophomore Daylen Austin announced he was entering the transfer portal. He totaled 10 tackles, one interception and four pass breakups in 2025.

With injuries piling on in Eugene ahead of the Peach Bowl, it allows Fernando Mendoza and the Indiana offense an opportunity to take advantage of the holes.

In the October meeting, Mendoza finished 20-for-31 for 215 yards with a touchdown and an interception. It wasn’t the eventual Heisman Trophy winner’s best outing, but he picked apart the Ducks’ secondary in the fourth quarter.

Elijah Sarratt is his top target, but Charlie Becker and Omar Cooper Jr. will be the keys to the offense’s success on Friday.

Outlook

Both Indiana and Oregon have evolved since their October meeting, so it’s unlikely to be a factor beyond motivation.

With its proximity to Atlanta, Indiana will likely play in another home-like environment. The Hoosiers have an opportunity to leverage the crowd’s energy to their advantage.

Unlike the Rose Bowl, Friday’s game is sure to be close until the end. Expect the winner of this game to be the favorite in the January 19th national championship game in Miami.

(Photo credit: IU Athletics)

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