Indiana and Oregon produced one of the defining college football matchups of the 2025 season when the Hoosiers overwhelmed the Ducks 56-22 in the College Football Playoff semifinal. It was their second meeting of the season—and Indiana won both, turning what had once been an infrequent intersection between two programs into a memorable new Big Ten rivalry.
Quick answer: The latest indiana vs oregon football game ended with Indiana defeating Oregon 56-22 on January 9, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, a College Football Playoff semifinal. Fernando Mendoza threw five touchdown passes as the Hoosiers advanced to the national championship game.
indiana vs oregon Latest Result: Indiana Wins 56-22
The latest meeting between the Indiana Hoosiers and Oregon Ducks was far less competitive than many expected.
Indiana entered the January 9 semifinal at 15-0, while Oregon arrived at 13-2. The neutral-site game was played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta before an announced crowd of 75,604.
| Game detail | Indiana | Oregon |
|---|---|---|
| Final score | 56 | 22 |
| First quarter | 14 | 7 |
| Second quarter | 21 | 0 |
| Third quarter | 7 | 8 |
| Fourth quarter | 14 | 7 |
| Record entering/resulting from game | 15-0 | 13-2 |
| Leading passer | Fernando Mendoza, 177 yards | Dante Moore, 285 yards |
| Leading rusher | Kaelon Black, 63 yards | Dierre Hill Jr., 86 yards |
| Leading receiver | Elijah Sarratt, 75 yards | Jamari Johnson, 83 yards |
Indiana’s 56 points tell only part of the story. The Hoosiers controlled the game’s high-leverage moments and repeatedly converted Oregon mistakes into points.
The result sent Indiana to the College Football Playoff National Championship and gave the Hoosiers a second victory over Oregon during the same season.
How Indiana Took Control So Quickly
The tone was established almost immediately.
On Oregon’s first possession, quarterback Dante Moore threw an interception to Indiana defensive back D’Angelo Ponds. Ponds returned it 25 yards for a touchdown just 11 seconds into game action.
Oregon responded impressively. Moore led a 14-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a 19-yard touchdown pass to Jamari Johnson, tying the game 7-7.
That was about as close as the Ducks would get.
Indiana answered with an 11-play, 75-yard drive of its own. Fernando Mendoza found Omar Cooper Jr. for an eight-yard touchdown, giving the Hoosiers a 14-7 advantage before the first quarter ended.
From there, Indiana accelerated.
Why Indiana Beat Oregon in the CFP Semifinal
The 56-22 score might suggest Indiana simply generated far more offense. The underlying story was more interesting.
Oregon actually finished with the higher individual passing and rushing leaders. Dante Moore threw for 285 yards, while Dierre Hill Jr. rushed for 86. Indiana’s Mendoza threw for only 177 yards, and Kaelon Black led the Hoosiers with 63 rushing yards.
Indiana won because it combined efficiency, turnovers, short fields and ruthless red-zone execution.
1. D’Angelo Ponds Changed the Game Immediately
A pick-six on the first offensive snap is about as damaging a start as a team can experience in a playoff semifinal.
Ponds read Moore’s opening pass, intercepted it at the Oregon 25 and returned it for the game’s first touchdown. Instead of Oregon settling into its offense, the Ducks immediately had to chase the score.
That play mattered beyond seven points. It reinforced Indiana’s ability to make Oregon pay for mistakes—a theme that continued throughout the game.
2. Fernando Mendoza Was Exceptionally Efficient
Mendoza didn’t need a 300-yard passing performance.
He completed 17 of 20 passes for 177 yards and five touchdowns without an interception. That is an 85% completion rate, and his five touchdown passes came while Indiana consistently capitalized on scoring opportunities.
His touchdown targets included:
- Omar Cooper Jr.
- Charlie Becker
- Elijah Sarratt twice
- E.J. Williams Jr.
Mendoza’s performance illustrates why raw yardage can be misleading. Oregon accumulated more passing yards, but Indiana’s quarterback generated touchdowns with remarkable efficiency.
3. Indiana’s Second Quarter Broke the Game Open
The decisive stretch came before halftime.
Indiana led 14-7 after one quarter and then scored 21 unanswered points in the second.
Kaelon Black scored on a one-yard run with 8:17 remaining. Mendoza then connected with Charlie Becker on a 36-yard touchdown with 3:13 left.
Indiana wasn’t finished.
With 59 seconds remaining, Mendoza found Elijah Sarratt for a two-yard touchdown. Suddenly a seven-point contest had become a 35-7 game.
Quick Takeaway: Oregon moved the football at times, but Indiana turned opportunities into touchdowns. The Hoosiers’ 21-0 second quarter created a four-touchdown halftime margin that Oregon never seriously threatened.
Fernando Mendoza vs Dante Moore
The quarterback matchup was one of the biggest storylines surrounding indiana vs oregon.
Both quarterbacks possessed enough talent to move their offenses, but their performances had dramatically different consequences.
| Quarterback | Comp/Att | Passing yards | Passing TDs | INTs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fernando Mendoza | 17/20 | 177 | 5 | 0 |
| Dante Moore | — | 285 | 2 | — |
Mendoza’s defining number was not his yardage. It was five touchdowns on only 20 attempts.
Moore, meanwhile, demonstrated that Oregon could move the ball. He connected with Jamari Johnson for a first-quarter touchdown and Roger Saleapaga for Oregon’s final score.
But Indiana repeatedly prevented those yards from translating into enough points.
Elijah Sarratt Delivered Again
Elijah Sarratt remained one of Indiana’s most important offensive weapons.
He led Indiana with 75 receiving yards in the semifinal and caught two touchdown passes.
His performance also continued a pattern against Oregon.
In the regular-season meeting at Autzen Stadium, Sarratt caught eight passes for 121 yards and a touchdown. His fourth-quarter eight-yard touchdown reception put Indiana ahead 27-20 in that game.
Across two high-profile meetings, Oregon struggled to keep him from influencing decisive possessions.
indiana vs oregon Regular-Season Game: 30-20
The CFP semifinal was actually a rematch.
Indiana and Oregon had already met on October 11, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. Indiana entered that matchup 5-0 and left with a statement-making 30-20 road victory.
That game looked very different from the playoff blowout.
| Category | Indiana | Oregon |
|---|---|---|
| Final score | 30 | 20 |
| Passing leader | Fernando Mendoza, 215 | Dante Moore, 186 |
| Rushing leader | Roman Hemby, 70 | Jordon Davison, 59 |
| Receiving leader | Elijah Sarratt, 121 | Malik Benson, 44 |
Oregon tied the game 20-20 in the fourth quarter when Brandon Finney returned a Mendoza interception 35 yards for a touchdown.
Indiana’s response revealed plenty about the team it would become.
Rather than allowing the turnover to swing the game permanently, Mendoza guided a 12-play, 75-yard drive. He finished it with an eight-yard touchdown pass to Sarratt, restoring Indiana’s lead at 27-20.
Nicolas Radicic later added a 22-yard field goal to complete the 30-20 victory.
Indiana’s Defense Won the First Meeting Differently
The regular-season game was much more about defensive pressure.
Oregon quarterback Dante Moore completed 21 of 34 passes for 186 yards and was intercepted twice. Indiana also sacked him six times.
Roman Hemby provided balance for Indiana with 70 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries, while Sarratt’s 121 receiving yards gave Mendoza a reliable target against Oregon’s secondary.
Indiana therefore showed two different ways to beat Oregon during the same season.
At Autzen Stadium, it survived a tight defensive contest and executed late.
In Atlanta, it created early mistakes, scored relentlessly and turned the rematch into a rout.
Indiana vs Oregon Head-to-Head History
Despite their modern Big Ten connection, Indiana and Oregon do not have a long football history.
They have met five times, with Indiana holding a 3-2 all-time advantage.
| Date | Site | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Nov. 16, 1963 | Oregon | Oregon 28, Indiana 22 |
| Nov. 14, 1964 | Indiana | Oregon 29, Indiana 21 |
| Sept. 11, 2004 | Oregon | Indiana 30, Oregon 24 |
| Oct. 11, 2025 | Oregon | Indiana 30, Oregon 20 |
| Jan. 9, 2026 | Neutral | Indiana 56, Oregon 22 |
The series has effectively had two eras.
Oregon won the first two meetings in 1963 and 1964. Indiana then ended the Ducks’ run with a 30-24 road victory in 2004.
More than two decades passed before the teams met again.
Indiana won at Oregon in October 2025 and then defeated the Ducks again in the CFP semifinal in January 2026. Those results extended Indiana’s winning streak in the series to three games.
What Is the Biggest Indiana vs Oregon Win?
Indiana’s 56-22 CFP semifinal victory is the largest margin in series history.
The 34-point difference comfortably surpassed the margins from their previous meetings.
It also carried far greater stakes than any earlier game between the programs: the winner advanced to the national championship.
Why the 56-22 Game Mattered Beyond the Score
The semifinal wasn’t simply another Big Ten matchup.
It was a College Football Playoff elimination game between programs that had already established themselves among the strongest teams of the 2025 season.
Oregon entered at 13-2. Indiana entered unbeaten at 15-0.
For the Hoosiers, the victory meant a trip to the national championship. Indiana subsequently defeated Miami 27-21 in the title game, completing a 16-0 season.
That makes the Oregon semifinal an essential chapter in Indiana’s championship run rather than an isolated postseason result.
Curt Cignetti’s Indiana Transformation
The context around head coach Curt Cignetti made the matchup even more significant.
Indiana had already demonstrated major progress under Cignetti before traveling to Eugene. The 30-20 victory at Autzen Stadium then provided a high-profile confirmation that the Hoosiers could beat an elite opponent on the road.
The playoff rematch went further.
Instead of merely competing with Oregon, Indiana controlled the semifinal from beginning to end. The difference between the two games—10 points in Eugene and 34 points in Atlanta—showed how decisively Indiana handled the second matchup.
How Oregon Still Generated 378 Yards in a Blowout
One of the strangest statistics from the CFP semifinal is that Oregon wasn’t completely shut down offensively.
Historical game data records Oregon with 378 total offensive yards compared with Indiana’s 362. Yet Indiana won by 34 points.
That apparent contradiction is a useful lesson in reading football statistics.
Total yards do not account for:
- defensive touchdowns;
- turnovers and resulting field position;
- red-zone efficiency;
- short scoring drives;
- drive-ending mistakes;
- when those yards were accumulated.
Indiana began the game with Ponds’ defensive touchdown. The Hoosiers later converted scoring chances at an extraordinary rate, while Oregon spent much of the second half trying to overcome a huge deficit.
The box score therefore demonstrates why efficiency and situational football often matter more than raw yardage.
The Key Scoring Sequence
For readers looking for a concise Indiana vs Oregon game recap, the scoring progression tells the story clearly.
Indiana opened with the Ponds pick-six. Oregon responded through Jamari Johnson, but Mendoza’s touchdown pass to Omar Cooper Jr. restored Indiana’s seven-point lead.
Then came the decisive second-quarter burst:
- Kaelon Black scored from one yard.
- Charlie Becker caught a 36-yard touchdown pass.
- Elijah Sarratt caught a two-yard touchdown.
Indiana led 35-7 at halftime.
E.J. Williams Jr. caught a 13-yard touchdown early in the third quarter to make it 42-7.
Oregon answered when Jay Harris scored on a two-yard run, followed by a successful two-point conversion involving Jamari Johnson.
But Indiana wasn’t finished.
Sarratt scored his second touchdown early in the fourth, and Black later broke a 23-yard touchdown run to push Indiana to 56 points. Roger Saleapaga’s late touchdown for Oregon produced the final 56-22 score.
What Changed Between the Two 2025 Season Meetings?
The two Indiana-Oregon games provide an unusual opportunity to compare how the same teams matched up only a few months apart.
First Meeting: Patience and Defense
At Autzen Stadium, neither offense dominated.
Indiana led just 13-10 at halftime, and the game was tied 20-20 in the fourth quarter. The Hoosiers needed a composed late drive from Mendoza, a major receiving performance from Sarratt and sustained defensive pressure against Moore.
The 30-20 result was earned gradually.
Second Meeting: Immediate Pressure and Ruthless Finishing
The playoff game was fundamentally different.
Indiana scored defensively before its offense even took the field. After Oregon tied the game, the Hoosiers scored 35 of the next 35 points.
Mendoza’s five touchdown passes meant Oregon received virtually no relief when Indiana reached scoring territory.
By halftime, the competitive structure of the game had changed completely.
Quick Takeaway: Indiana proved it didn’t need one specific formula to beat Oregon. The Hoosiers won a close, physical road game in October and then dominated the January rematch through turnovers and offensive efficiency.
What the Matchup Says About Indiana and Oregon
For Oregon, the 56-22 defeat shouldn’t erase an otherwise strong season. The Ducks reached the CFP semifinal with a 13-2 record and possessed enough offensive talent to produce 378 yards against Indiana.
But the matchup exposed the cost of mistakes against an opponent capable of converting them immediately.
For Indiana, the two victories over Oregon represented something larger.
The first proved the Hoosiers could enter Autzen Stadium, withstand Oregon’s home-field advantage and win a fourth-quarter game. The second proved they could dominate the same opponent on a neutral postseason stage with a national championship berth at stake.
Fernando Mendoza’s efficiency, Elijah Sarratt’s consistency, Kaelon Black’s rushing contributions, D’Angelo Ponds’ game-changing interception return and Indiana’s ability to capitalize on short fields combined to create the decisive semifinal result.
Final Takeaway on indiana vs oregon
The modern indiana vs oregon football story is defined by Indiana’s remarkable 2025 season.
The Hoosiers first defeated the Ducks 30-20 at Autzen Stadium on October 11, 2025. They then delivered an even stronger performance in the rematch, winning 56-22 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 9, 2026, to advance from the College Football Playoff semifinal.
Indiana now leads the all-time football series 3-2 after losing the first two meetings and winning the next three.
The numbers that best explain the latest matchup are simple: a defensive touchdown almost immediately, 35 first-half points, five touchdown passes from Fernando Mendoza and a 34-point final margin.
For anyone revisiting indiana vs oregon, those two 2025-season meetings show the full picture. The first was a tense road statement. The second was a playoff rout—and the victory that sent Indiana to the national championship game.