Indiana left no doubt Friday night, rolling No. 5 Oregon 56–22 in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Peach Bowl to move within one win of a national title.
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The Hoosiers struck immediately when D’Angelo Ponds returned an interception for a touchdown on Oregon’s first offensive snap. Indiana scored touchdowns on five straight possessions, four before halftime, to build a 35–7 lead.
Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza threw five touchdown passes, while Oregon quarterback Dante Moore struggled under pressure, committing three first-half turnovers despite passing for 285 yards and two scores. Indiana repeatedly turned short fields into points.
The 56 points were the most Oregon has allowed in 41 postseason games and the most since Washington scored 70 in 2016. As soon as the final whistle blew on the Hoosiers’ 56–22 College Football Playoff semifinal win, fans turned their attention to the next target: Miami.
With Hall of Famer Michael Irvin, one of the Hurricanes’ most iconic legends, looming as symbolic motivation, Indiana fans made it clear they believe the belt is coming north.
Irvin has used the phrase “belt to a*s” and the accompanying motion as a declaration of dominance, particularly when speaking about Miami’s swagger and physicality. But after watching Indiana dismantle Oregon on a national stage, Hoosier fans warned Miami that the belt is changing hands.
“Indiana gonna whoop Miami. They gonna take the belt from Michael Irvin,” one fan commented. “The Philly Special,” one said while referring to a video of a Hoosier fan absolutely demolishing a toy duck. “MIAMI IS NEXT,” another warned.
Indiana didn’t just beat Oregon in the Peach Bowl; they humiliated a program that entered the College Football Playoff riding momentum and confidence. By the time the fourth quarter arrived, the outcome was long decided, and the Ducks were simply trying to survive the night.
Indiana (15–0) advances to the College Football Playoff Championship Game, where it will face Miami (13–2) on Jan. 19 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Oregon (13–2), meanwhile, heads into the offseason following another lopsided postseason loss. A year after a 41–21 Rose Bowl defeat to Ohio State, the Ducks saw their title hopes end again in emphatic fashion. Both of Oregon’s losses this season came against Indiana, each by double-digit margins, despite the Ducks recording the third 13-win season in program history.
