SCORE BY QUARTERS
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
FINAL
7
0
8
7
22
14
21
7
14
56
Attendance:
75,604
Kickoff Time:
7:46 p.m. ET
End of Game:
11:08 p.m. ET
Game Duration:
3:21
ATLANTA (AP) — Undefeated Indiana’s already impressive march through the College Football Playoff gained momentum as its dominant defense created three first-half touchdowns with turnovers, Fernando Mendoza threw five scoring passes and the Hoosiers overwhelmed No. 5 Oregon 56-22 in the Peach Bowl semifinal on Friday night.
No. 1 Indiana (15-0, No. 1 CFP) will face No. 10 Miami on Jan. 19 in the national championship game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. Miami beat Mississippi 31-27 in the Fiesta Bowl semifinal on Thursday night.
Indiana will try to give the Big Ten its third straight national title, following Ohio State and Michigan the last two seasons. Few teams from any conference can compare with the Hoosiers’ season-long demonstration of balanced strong play.
Led by Mendoza and the defense, Indiana is making a case to be considered among the top teams in history.
Though Miami will be home for the national championship game, Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy winner and Miami native, will enjoy a homecoming following an almost perfect game against Oregon. Mendoza completed 17 of 20 passes and the five touchdowns, including two to Elijah Sarratt and a 36-yarder to Charlie Becker.
“I thought he was incredible,” Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said of Mendoza. “He was great. I also thought our receivers made some great contested catches. He was on top of the game and his performance was a huge difference in this football game.”
Oregon coach Dan Lanning said Mendoza “makes the right decisions. If he sees the coverage, he takes the ball where it needs to go.”
Kaelon Black ran for two touchdowns to lead the Indiana running game.
Oregon (13-2, No. 5 CFP) was doomed by the three first-half turnovers while also being short-handed by the absence of two of their top running backs.
The Hoosiers led 35-7 at halftime as the Ducks were held to nine rushing yards on 17 carries. Noah Whittington, who leads Oregon with 829 rushing yards, was held out with an undisclosed injury after Jordon Davison, who had rushed for 667 yards and 15 touchdowns, already was listed as out with a collarbone injury.
Backup running backs, including Jay Harris and Dierre Hill Jr, provided too little help for quarterback Dante Moore. Moore’s task against Indiana’s stifling defense would have been daunting even with all his weapons.
Indiana’s defense didn’t wait long to make an impact. On Oregon’s first snap, cornerback D’Angelo Ponds intercepted Moore’s pass intended for Malik Benson and returned the pick 25 yards for a touchdown. Only 11 seconds into the game, the Hoosiers and their defense already had made a statement this would be a long night for Moore and the Oregon offense.
“It all started with Ponds’ pick-6,” Cignetti said. “We created some turnovers on defense and capitalized on offense and that was the story of the first half.”
Moore’s 19-yard scoring pass to tight end Jamari Johnson tied the game. The remainder of the half belonged to Indiana and its big-play defense.
After Mendoza’s 8-yard touchdown pass to Omar Cooper Jr. gave the Hoosiers the lead for good at 14-7, Indiana’s defense forced a turnover when Moore fumbled and Indiana recovered at the Oregon 3, setting up Black’s scoring run.
Moore lost a second fumble later in the second quarter when hit by Daniel Ndukwe and Mario Landino recovered at the Oregon 21. Mendoza’s first scoring pass to Sarratt gave the Hoosiers’ the 35-7 lead.
“The quarterback has to protect the football,” Moore said. “Oregon has a great defense and does a great job of disguising looks but the quarterback has to protect the football.”
Indiana extended its lead to 42-7 on Mendoza’s 13-yard scoring pass to E.J. Williams Jr.
Oregon finally answered. A 70-yard run by Hill set up a 2-yard scoring run by Harris.
Indiana’s special teams added a big play in the fourth quarter when Ndukwe’s blocked punt set up Mendoza’s second scoring pass to Sarratt.
Following their undefeated regular season, the Hoosiers have only gained momentum in the CFP. Indiana overwhelmed Alabama 38-3 in the Rose Bowl quarterfinal as Mendoza passed for 192 yards and three touchdowns.
SCORING SUMMARY
QTR
TIME
SCORE
(V-H)
TEAM
SCORING PLAY
DRIVE
1st
14:49
0-7
Indiana
D’Angelo Ponds 0 yd interception return (Nico Radicic kick)
00:08
1st
07:11
7-7
Oregon
Jamari Johnson 19 yd pass from Dante Moore (Atticus Sappington kick)
14-75
(07:38)
1st
00:40
7-14
Indiana
Omar Cooper Jr. 8 yd pass from Fernando Mendoza (Nico Radicic kick)
11-75
(06:31)
2nd
08:17
7-21
Indiana
Kaelon Black 1 yd rush (Nico Radicic kick)
3-3
(01:12)
2nd
03:13
7-28
Indiana
Charlie Becker 36 yd pass from Fernando Mendoza (Nico Radicic kick)
4-61
(01:44)
2nd
00:59
7-35
Indiana
Elijah Sarratt 2 yd pass from Fernando Mendoza (Nico Radicic kick)
6-21
(01:37)
3rd
08:52
7-42
Indiana
E.J. Williams Jr. 13 yd pass from Fernando Mendoza (Nico Radicic kick)
11-75
(06:08)
3rd
07:50
15-42
Oregon
Jay Harris 2 yd rush (Jamari Johnson pass from Dante Moore)
2-75
(01:02)
4th
11:36
15-49
Indiana
Elijah Sarratt 3 yd pass from Fernando Mendoza (Nico Radicic kick)
3-7
(01:28)
4th
05:13
15-56
Indiana
Kaelon Black 23 yd rush (Nico Radicic kick)
5-65
(03:07)
4th
00:22
22-56
Oregon
Roger Saleapaga 1 yd pass from Dante Moore (Atticus Sappington kick)
12-75
(04:51)
OREGON STARTERS
POS.
NO.
OFFENSE
WR
11
Jeremiah McClellan
TE
18
Kenyon Sadiq
RB
23
Dierre Hill Jr.
WR
4
Malik Benson
QB
5
Dante Moore
OL
71
Alex Harkey
OL
72
Iapani Laloulu
OL
74
Dave Iuli
OL
75
Emmanuel Pregnon
OL
76
Isaiah World
TE
9
Jamari Johnson
POS.
NO.
DEFENSE
DL
1
Bear Alexander
LB
10
Matayo Uiagalelei
DB
21
Aaron Flowers
DB
22
Jadon Canady
LB
28
Bryce Boettcher
DB
31
Dillon Thieneman
DB
4
Brandon Finney
LB
44
Teitum Tuioti
DL
52
A’Mauri Washington
LB
54
Jerry Mixon
DB
7
Ify Obidegwu
OREGON RESERVES
1 – Dakorien Moore, 12 – Peyton Woodyard, 13 – Gavin Nix, 14 – Na’eem Offord, 17 – Cooper Perry, 2 – Gary Bryant Jr., 20 – Dylan Williams, 22 – Jay Harris, 24 – Zach Grisham, 25 – Kilohana Haasenritter, 26 – Devon Jackson, 29 – Ashton Porter, 3 – Brayden Platt, 32 – Nasir Wyatt, 36 – Atticus Sappington, 38 – Will Straton,
43 – Luke Basso, 44 – Zach Grace, 46 – James Ferguson-Reynolds, 47 – Elijah Rushing, 5 – Theran Johnson, 50 – Tionne Gray, 5 – Matthew Johnson, 56 – Trent Ferguson, 59 – Fox Crader, 6 – Noah Whittington, 70 – Charlie Pickard, 73 – Kawika Rogers, 77 – Jericho Johnson, 83 – Roger Saleapaga, 89 – Brady Bidwell, 9 – Blake Purchase, 99 – Terrance Green.
INDIANA STARTERS
POS.
NO.
OFFENSE
RB
1
Roman Hemby
WR
13
Elijah Sarratt
QB
15
Fernando Mendoza
TE
37
Riley Nowakowski
OL
62
Drew Evans
OL
65
Carter Smith
OL
67
Kahlil Benson
OL
74
Bray Lynch
OL
75
Zen Michalski
OL
78
Pat Coogan
WR
80
Charlie Becker
POS.
NO.
DEFENSE
DB
12
Devan Boykin
LB
21
Rolijah Hardy
DB
22
Jamari Sharpe
LB
4
Aiden Fisher
LB
46
Isaiah Jones
DB
5
D’Angelo Ponds
DL
6
Mikail Kamara
DB
7
Louis Moore
DL
91
Dominique Ratcliff
DL
95
Tyrique Tucker
DL
97
Mario Landino
INDIANA RESERVES
0 – Hosea Wheeler, 0 – Jonathan Brady, 1 – Amare Ferrell, 10 – Ryland Gandy, 14 – Kaiden Turner, 15 – Nicolas Radicic, 16 – Jah Jah Boyd, 17 – Daniel Ndukwe, 18 – Solomon Vanhorse, 18 – Andrew Turvy, 19 – Holden Staes, 2 – Byron Baldwin Jr., 28 – Khobie Martin, 3 – Omar Cooper Jr., 3 – Jaylen Bell, 31 – Anthony Chung, 33 – Garrett Reese, 34 – Jeff Utzinger, 36 – Clay Conner, 40 – Quentin Clark, 44 – Mitch McCarthy, 47 – Mark Langston, 48 – James Bomba, 6 – LeBron Bond, 7 – E.J. Williams Jr., 72 – Adedamola Ajani, 8 – Kaelon Black, 90 – J’mari Monnette, 93 – Quinn Warren, 99 – Tyrone Burrus Jr.
