Indiana Peach Bowl defeats Oregon State to secure national championship
Indiana earned a spot in the national championship with an impressive victory over Oregon State in the Peach Bowl.
ATLANTA — Top-seeded Indiana took control with an interception return for a touchdown on the first play from scrimmage and never relinquished, defeating fifth-seeded Oregon State 56-22 in the College Football Playoff semifinals at the Peach Bowl.
D’Angelo Pons’ pick-six led to the latest stunning victory for a team that is one win away from the most unexpected national championship in Bowl Subdivision history. Indiana will face No. 10 Miami in the title game on Monday, January 19th at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
The Peach Bowl was a rematch of the Hoosiers’ 30-20 victory at Autzen Stadium in October. Indiana became the second team since the format debuted in 2014 to beat an opponent in the regular season and then beat their opponent again in the playoffs.
Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza had a near-perfect performance, completing 17 of 20 throws for 177 yards and five touchdowns. Wide receiver Elijah Surratt had 75 yards receiving and two touchdowns. Kaylon Black led the running game with a team-high 63 yards on 12 carries and two scores.
Donte Moore completed 24 of 38 passes for Oregon State for 285 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. Dale Hill Jr. led the Ducks with 85 yards rushing and 71 yards on one long run, and Jay Harris added 35 yards on 16 carries.
Coming into Friday night, Harris, a junior with just 26 carries on the year, was given a bigger role due to injuries to leading rusher Noah Whittington and top backup Jordon Davison.
It took just 11 seconds for the Hoosiers to get on the board. After a short kickoff return brought Oregon to its own 20-yard line, Moore hit an out route down the left sideline, and Pons jumped and ran 25 yards for a 7-0 lead, much to the delight of a Mercedes-Benz Stadium crowd that was leaning heavily toward Indiana.
Oregon’s offense tied the score on its next possession, with Moore completing a 19-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jamari Johnson with 7:11 left in the first quarter and three third downs as part of a 14-play, nearly eight-minute drive.
Indiana’s offense responded on its first drive. Mendoza completed all four of his attempts for 41 yards, including an 8-yard score to receiver Omar Cooper Jr., as part of a 75-yard drive that put the Hoosiers back up 14-7 with 40 seconds left in the opening frame.
After punting on their next possession, the Ducks thwarted a promising Indiana drive with a strip and sack of Mendoza on third down and took over at their own 13-yard line.
However, Moore fumbled on the next play, resulting in his second costly turnover. As he tried to wind up and deliver a screen to his left, the sophomore’s hand hit Hill’s shoulder and ricocheted before IU recovered it at the 3-yard line.
Black then punched it from a yard out to put Indiana up 21-7 with 8:17 left in the first half.
By the end of the first half, the lead had ballooned, putting the Ducks in an insurmountable hole.
First, another Oregon punt completed a 61-yard touchdown drive, and Mendoza found receiver Charlie Becker with a perfect 36-yard throw to put IU up 28-7 with 3:13 left.
Moore was then sacked and fumbled again, setting up the Hoosiers at the rim of the red zone. Six plays later, Mendoza hit Surratt from 2 yards to make it 35-7 with 59 seconds left before intermission.
Coming out of the locker rooms, both teams traded scores, with the Ducks scoring a two-point try after a short touchdown run by Harris, making it 42-15 midway through the third quarter. Oregon State tried to make it a three-touchdown game late in the quarter, but was stopped by fourth-and-short at the Indiana 31-yard line.
The Hoosiers’ exclamation point came after Oregon State’s punt near its own goal line was blocked with 13:04 remaining. Less than two minutes later, Mendoza made a third-and-goal from three yards in front of Surratt to make it 49-15.
But the Hoosiers weren’t done yet. After forcing a turnover on downs, IU ran five times for 65 yards, finishing with Black’s 23-yard score to take a 52-15 lead with 5:13 left.
Moore’s touchdown pass to Roger Saleapaga with 22 seconds to play helped the Ducks avoid the biggest loss in Peach Bowl history.
A victory over Miami would make the Hoosiers the first national champion since Yale in 1894 to go 16-0. Before hiring coach Curt Cignetti, Indiana had won 16 games in two years for the only time in program history (1987-88).
