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The Indiana Hoosiers enter their College Football Playoff Semifinal game against the Oregon Ducks as a -3.5 favorite on January 9 after routing Alabama 38-3.
Just two years into one of the most incredible team turnarounds in recent sports history, Indiana was simply tougher, meaner and more precise on both sides of the ball than blue-blooded Bama — and now the Hoosiers (14-0, No. 1 CFP seed) are headed to the Peach Bowl on Jan. 9 for a CFP semifinal rematch with fifth-seeded Oregon.
Fernando Mendoza passed for 192 yards and three touchdowns in his first game since winning his school’s first Heisman, but the Hoosiers won the Rose Bowl for the first time in school history by dominating the Crimson Tide (11-4, No. 9 CFP seed) at the line of scrimmage.
Indiana scored the game’s first 24 points before pouring it on with fourth-quarter rushing TDs from Kaelon Black and Roman Hemby, wrapping up a jubilant afternoon in the 112th edition of the Granddaddy of Them All.
“I thought our mindset was really good,” Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said. “It was a hard-fought game early. Alabama made some plays. They had us off balance offensively. But we were able to make the plays when we needed to and take over in the second half. It’s a big win against a team that’s got a lot of tradition like that.”
The Ducks, meanwhile, shut out Texas Tech 23-0.
Matayo Uiagalelei caused a fumble to set up an Oregon touchdown, freshman Brandon Finney Jr. had three takeaways — two interceptions and a fumble recovery — and the fifth-seeded Ducks silenced No. 4 Texas Tech’s offense for a 23-0 win in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Orange Bowl on Thursday.
“They’ve earned this opportunity,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. “I told them go get their pound of flesh today. They did that today.”
Jordon Davison rushed for two scores, Moore threw for 234 yards and Atticus Sappington kicked three field goals for Oregon (13-1), which will play No. 1 Indiana (14-0) in the Peach Bowl — a CFP semifinal — on Jan. 9. It’s a rematch of a game from Oct. 11, when the Hoosiers beat Oregon 30-20.
- Don Shapiro, Gambling911.com
