2025 was a stressful year for many college football teams. With coach changes and player injuries, many wondered who would end up in the championship game.
Jan. 9 2026, was the College Football Playoff Semifinal, where Indiana took on Oregon in a game called the Peach Bowl. Indiana has had a lot of success this season, staying undefeated even against teams like Michigan State, Penn State and Ohio State. They also beat Oregon in their regular season game back in October 2025. The team advanced to the semifinals by beating Alabama with an impressive score of 38-3.
Going into this game, Oregon fans were confident, as the Ducks had a good 2025 season. Oregon had successful wins against schools like Penn State and Washington, with their only loss being the October game against Indiana. Oregon made the semifinals by winning their first round game against James Madison and the quarterfinal game against Texas Tech.
Kicking off around 7:45 p.m., Indiana wasted no time scoring. 11 seconds into the first quarter, D’Angelo Ponds intercepted a pass intended for Malik Benson, allowing them to score a touchdown. Oregon’s Quarterback Dante Moore gave the Ducks a chance to tie the game up when he made a scoring pass. However, one of Indiana’s most popular players, quarterback Fernando Mendoza, set them up to end the first quarter with a 14-7 lead.
Heading into the second quarter, Indiana’s Elijah Sarratt and E.J. Williams Jr. stood out. Scoring three touchdowns and good PATs, Indiana went into halftime leading 35-7.
Returning from halftime, Indiana continued their score streak, gaining an additional touchdown. Oregon would need 28 points to tie up the game. In hopes of catching up, the Ducks were able to complete a touchdown with a two-point conversion, tightening the score to 42-15.
To end the game, Indiana put in one last impressive play, assisted by Fernando Mendoza. Before the end of the quarter, Oregon scored one final touchdown, but couldn’t quite catch up to the Hoosiers, ending the game 56-22.
The 2026 Big Ten College Football Playoff Semifinal was one to watch. Impressive plays from both teams, and their hard work showed. This game placed Indiana at No.1 with a record of 15-0, and Oregon at No.5 with an end record of 13-2.
The 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship will take place Jan. 19 at Hard Rock Stadium in Florida.
