ATLANTA (AP) — Undefeated Indiana’s already impressive march through the College Football Playoff gained momentum as its dominant defense created three first-half touchdowns with turnovers, Fernando Mendoza threw five scoring passes and the Hoosiers overwhelmed No. 5 Oregon 56-22 in the Peach Bowl semifinal on Friday night.

No. 1 Indiana (15-0, No. 1 CFP) will face No. 10 Miami on Jan. 19 in the national championship game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. Miami beat Mississippi 31-27 in the Fiesta Bowl semifinal on Thursday night.

ATLANTA, GEORGIA – JANUARY 09: Grant Wilson #5 of the Indiana Hoosiers is tackled by Jadon Canady #22 of the Oregon Ducks during the second quarter in the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 09, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Indiana will try to give the Big Ten its third straight national title, following Ohio State and Michigan the last two seasons. Few teams from any conference can compare with the Hoosiers’ season-long demonstration of balanced strong play.

Led by Mendoza and the defense, Indiana is making a case to be considered among the top teams in history.

Though Miami will be home for the national championship game, Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy winner and Miami native, will enjoy a homecoming following an almost perfect game against Oregon. Mendoza completed 17 of 20 passes and the five touchdowns, including two to Elijah Sarratt and a 36-yarder to Charlie Becker.

Kaelon Black ran for two touchdowns to lead the Indiana running game.

Oregon (13-2, No. 5 CFP) was doomed by the three first-half turnovers while also being short-handed by the absence of two of their top running backs.

The Hoosiers led 35-7 at halftime as the Ducks were held to nine rushing yards on 17 carries. Noah Whittington, who leads Oregon with 829 rushing yards, was held out with an undisclosed injury after Jordon Davison, who had rushed for 667 yards and 15 touchdowns, already was listed as out with a collarbone injury.

Backup running backs, including Jay Harris and Dierre Hill Jr, provided too little help for quarterback Dante Moore. Moore’s task against Indiana’s stifling defense would have been daunting even with all his weapons.

Indiana’s defense didn’t wait long to make an impact. On Oregon’s first snap, cornerback D’Angelo Ponds intercepted Moore’s pass intended for Malik Benson and returned the pick 25 yards for a touchdown. Only 11 seconds into the game, the Hoosiers and their defense already had made a statement this would be a long night for Moore and the Oregon offense.

Moore’s 19-yard scoring pass to tight end Jamari Johnson tied the game. The remainder of the half belonged to Indiana and its big-play defense.

After Mendoza’s 8-yard touchdown pass to Omar Cooper Jr. gave the Hoosiers the lead for good at 14-7, Indiana’s defense forced a turnover when Moore fumbled and Indiana recovered at the Oregon 3, setting up Black’s scoring run.

Oregon wide receiver Dakorien Moore (1) carries against Indiana defensive back Amare Ferrell (1) during the second half of the Peach Bowl NCAA college football playoff semifinal, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Moore lost a second fumble later in the second quarter when hit by Daniel Ndukwe and Mario Landino recovered at the Oregon 21. Mendoza’s first scoring pass to Sarratt gave the Hoosiers’ the 35-7 lead.

Indiana extended its lead to 42-7 on Mendoza’s 13-yard scoring pass to E.J. Williams Jr.
Oregon finally answered. A 70-yard run by Hill set up a 2-yard scoring run by Harris.

Indiana’s special teams added a big play in the fourth quarter when Ndukwe’s blocked punt set up Mendoza’s second scoring pass to Sarratt.

Following their undefeated regular season, the Hoosiers have only gained momentum in the CFP. Indiana overwhelmed Alabama 38-3 in the Rose Bowl quarterfinal as Mendoza passed for 192 yards and three touchdowns.

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Gophers coach Niko Medved slammed his clipboard onto the Williams Arena floor during a timeout huddle early in Friday’s second half against Southern Cal.

Minnesota’s lackadaisical play allowed the Trojans to go on a 6-0 spurt and extend its lead 41-30. After only 54 seconds was played, Medved had seen enough.

The Gophers chipped away at the deficit and forced overtime but fell 70-69 to USC at The Barn.

In the extra session, Jaylen Crocker-Johnson made a 3-pointer with 27 seconds left to give Minnesota a 69-68 lead. On the next possession, Chad Baker-Mazara got a foul call when falling to the court and made both free throws to retake the lead at 70-69.

The home fans booed that decisive call, and many others, down the final stretch.

On the last play, Cade Tyson had the ball poked away. He had the ball poked away, recovered it and a late heave was off the mark.

Minnesota (10-6, 3-2 Big Ten) fell to 9-1 at home this season and snapped a five-game winning streak.

In regulation, Minnesota took the lead at 63-62 with Cade Tyson’s two free throws with 45 seconds remaining. But Gabe Dynes made made one free throw to tie it again at 63-63 with 28 seconds left.

Cade Tyson’s game-winning shot attempt was short with five seconds left and USC’s Ezra Ausar’s last-second attempt was off the mark.

Minnesota forced 16 turnovers, but had only six points off them.

Baker-Mazara, who was averaging 19.3 points per gam, scored 29 points on Friday, but was held scoreless over the last eight minutes and until those final free throws.

Langston Reynolds and Jaylen Crocker-Johnson each picked up two fouls and sat for the the final eight minutes of the first half. Minnesota was up 22-21 when both went to the bench and USC outscored Minnesota 14-8 to take a 35-30 lead at the break.

USC’s 7-foot-5 center Gabe Dynes had eight first half points on 4-of-4 shooting and even with Crocker-Johnson in foul trouble, Medved didn’t turn to backup center Nemo Turner.

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Minnesota might have been carrying a little anger into a rematch series at Minnesota State this weekend.

The Mavericks swept the Gophers at Ridder Arena Nov. 21-22. It appears that Minnesota is keen to flip the script this time around as the visiting Gophers scored nine goals in the first two periods before calling off the dogs in an 11-3 victory in Mankato Friday night.

Third-ranked Minnesota, which hasn’t lost since being swept by the Mavericks, won its fifth in a row and improved to 17-4 on the season with a 10-3 win at MSU Friday night.

The host Mavericks actually drew first blood in the contest, scoring less than two minutes into the game. However, the Gophers scored the next five, including two from Abbey Murphy en route to a hat trick in the game, to take a 5-1 advantage at the first intermission.

MSU opened the second period in similar fashion, scoring 3:30 into the frame. But once again, Minnesota scored the next five — four in the second period, including Murphy’s third goal, and one final tally to open the final stanza.

Kendra Distad’s second goal of the evening, came at 2:10 of the third period before the Mavericks, who fell to 11-9-1, scored one final tally of their own while short handed at 3:58. Minnesota’s Molly Jordan netted the game’s final goal with her team on the power play at 18:39.

Anabella Fanale, Avery Hovland, Jamie Nelson, Nelli Laitinen, Tereza Plosova and Molly Jordan all scored for Minnesota on the night. Josefin Bouveng had three assists in the contest, with Fanale, Emma Kreisz, Chloe Primerano and Ava Lindsay all logging two assists apiece. Goaltender Hannah Clark made 22 saves.

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A lackluster season Minnesota men’s hockey team continued Friday night as the Gophers returned to Big Ten Conference play with a 3-0 loss at No. 9 Penn State.

The Nittany Lions scored the only goal they needed at 5:13 of the first period, but added another just over seven minutes later to take a 2-0 lead into the opening intermission. Just five seconds into the second period, the hosts scored again with what proved to be the final goal of the game.

Minnesota goaltender Luca Di Pasquo did what he could to keep the visitors in the game by making 37 saves, but it was not enough as none of the Gophers’ 27 shots got past Penn State netminder Joshua Fleming.

Minnesota has not won in three straight games, including an overtime loss at Ohio State on Dec. 5 and a 3-3 tie at Bemidji State on Jan. 2.

Penn State hosts the Gophers in their final regular-season matchup at 5 p.m. Saturday. The two teams split at Nov. 21-22 series at 3M Arena at Mariucci.

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