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Ducks Dominated, Indiana Pummels Ducks 56-22

by: Ted Leroux01/10/26

For the second consecutive season, Oregon was dominated by a Big Ten opponent in a playoff game, this time by Big Ten champion Indiana, which overwhelmed the Ducks both physically and mentally.

Few starts could have gone worse for Oregon in Friday night’s Peach Bowl. On the very first play of the game, Dante Moore threw an interception to D’Angelo Ponds, who returned it for a touchdown, giving the largely Indiana crowd an early reason to celebrate.

Facing immediate adversity, the Ducks’ offense responded emphatically on the ensuing drive. Moore quickly redeemed himself, guiding Oregon on a 14-play, 75-yard march that ended with a 19-yard touchdown pass to Jamari Johnson, tying the game at 7–7.

Coming into the game, a key focus for Oregon’s defense was disrupting Indiana’s offensive rhythm and preventing the balance the Hoosiers had maintained all season. However, the Boys from Bloomington quickly showed just how difficult that task would be. Indiana ran the ball on seven of its 11 plays on the drive, which ultimately ended with a Fernando Mendoza touchdown pass to Omar Cooper Jr., giving the Cream and Crimson a 14–7 lead.

On Indiana’s next offensive possession, it initially looked like more of the same, but a big sack by Nasir Wyatt stalled the drive and forced the Hoosiers to punt. However, the Ducks couldn’t capitalize. On the first play of the ensuing drive, Dante Moore committed another turnover when his pass attempt struck Dierre Hill’s shoulder, forcing a fumble and giving Indiana another prime scoring opportunity. Three plays later, Kaelon Black punched in a 1-yard touchdown run to put the Hoosiers up by two scores.

With the Hoosiers leading 28–7 midway through the second quarter, the turnovers continued to plague Dante Moore. After a hit jarred the ball loose, Moore lost a fumble that Mario Landino recovered, giving Indiana possession deep in Ducks territory. The Hoosiers capitalized immediately, as Fernando Mendoza connected with Sarratt for another touchdown to extend the lead to 35–7. At halftime, thoughts of the Rose Bowl began to creep into the minds of Duck fans nationwide.

The second half picked up right where the first left off, with Indiana continuing its dominance. The Hoosiers marched 75 yards on 11 plays, capped by another Fernando Mendoza touchdown pass—this time to EJ Williams—to push the lead to 42–7.

Oregon managed to inject some life into its offense with a 71-yard run by Dierre Hill, which set up a Jay Harris touchdown run to cut the deficit to 42–15 by the end of the third quarter. Still, the outcome was clear. This day belonged to Indiana, as the Hoosiers rolled to a 56–22 victory to end Oregon’s season in the semifinals.

There will be no shortage of criticism to emerge from this game, but Dante Moore’s three first-half turnovers will undoubtedly be a focal point. Moore finished 23-of-38 passing for 284 yards with a touchdown and an interception. With NFL Draft decisions looming, it’s fair to wonder how this performance could impact not only Moore’s decision but also how NFL general managers evaluate him.

Despite the disappointing finish, the Ducks closed the 2025 season with 13 wins for the second consecutive year, finishing 13–2.

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