4 Takeaways from Indiana's Emphatic CFP Semifinal Victory vs. Oregon

[ad_1] Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta) — Indiana freshman huge receiver Davion Chandler stopped simply contained in the tunnel to signal autographs for a boy following a very powerful win in class historical past.

As he did, an Oregon participant watched whereas absentmindedly choosing purple and white confetti out of his head. The look on his face was certainly one of bemusement and awe. On this, he most likely shared that feeling with Oregon followers throughout the nation who watched as Indiana followers basked in what appeared unbelievable to many in August.

The nation’s largest dwelling alumni base made itself heard, and, extra importantly, felt contained in the stadium. Greater than 75,600 followers — 4,000 greater than listed capability contained in the stadium — discovered their strategy to the Faculty Soccer Playoff semifinal recreation on the Peach Bowl to witness No. 1 Indiana's 56-22 victory towards No. 5 Oregon on Friday.

The Hoosiers rocked the Geese to maintain their undefeated season and nationwide championship hopes alive, and Indiana's fan base traveled to do its half. Hoosiers followers have been loud from the beginning — so loud that I questioned, may Oregon's offensive gamers hear the snap depend?

"There's nothing like having a house semifinal recreation," Cignetti stated on stage after the dominant win.

Geese quarterback Dante Moore was startled by simply what number of Indiana followers there have been contained in the dome.

"I assumed it was simply the purple seats," Moore stated in his post-game press convention. "However it was Indiana followers. That they had a ton of followers right here."

Listed below are my takeaways from Indiana's blowout semifinal win towards Oregon:

1. Indiana's protection stays virtually unstoppable ATLANTA, GEORGIA: Indiana DB D'Angelo Ponds scores a landing off an interception towards Oregon QB Dante Moore through the 2025 Faculty Soccer Playoff semifinal on the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 09, 2026. (Photograph by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Photographs)

In contrast to the Hoosiers' 38-3 demolition of No. 9 Alabama within the CFP quarterfinal on the Rose Bowl, this recreation obtained out of hand a lot quicker.

Oregon opened with the ball, and the primary play from scrimmage was a pick-six from Indiana All-America cornerback D’Angelo Ponds, who completed with six complete tackles.

"It was simply [an] wonderful feeling simply to get in the long run zone and see the followers all right here," Ponds, the Peach Bowl Defensive MVP, stated on stage after the sport. "I really feel prefer it's a house recreation, man."

Moore had thrown simply 9 interceptions earlier than that one. However he threw three complete picks towards the Hoosiers in 5 quarters this season.

When Oregon's 20-year-old passer led a 14-play, 75-yard drive that resulted in a passing landing, he left little question that he was up for the fistfight to return. However after three turnovers from his palms and 14 first-half factors scored off them, it was clear that the Indiana protection was going to outplay the Geese.

By the tip of the primary half, Indiana led 35-7 towards the nation's No. 5 staff, which had crushed each opponent it performed besides this Hoosiers squad that has now thrown the Geese into an oven and cooked them. Twice.

At halftime, Oregon coach Dan Lanning was requested simply what wanted to occur to chop into the 28-point deficit his staff confronted when it got here out to play the second half in the identical venue the place Georgia destroyed Oregon, 49-3, in Lanning's first recreation because the Geese head coach in 2022.

"It begins with defending the quarterback and caring for the ball — two issues we've not finished within the first half," Lanning advised the printed. "We have gotta go on the market and get a cease on protection. We begin stacking these issues collectively, and we create some momentum for ourselves."

Within the CFP thus far, Indiana crushed the No. 5 staff and No. 9 Alabama with a mixed rating of 94-25.

"I feel each man can be taught from adversity, proper?" Lanning stated after a consecutive lopsided loss within the CFP to finish his staff's season. "I simply advised that complete locker room, proper? That is going to be about, how do you reply in life? That is going to be a life lesson that lots of people by no means get. We simply obtained our butt kicked. That is gonna occur in life."

2. Fernando Mendoza continues beautiful with unprecedented CFP performances ATLANTA, GEORGIA: Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza celebrates a landing go towards the Oregon Geese through the 2025 Faculty Soccer Playoff semifinal on the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 09, 2026. (Photograph by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Photographs)

Friday towards the Geese, Mendoza completed 17 of 20 for 177 yards with 5 touchdowns and no turnovers, and towards Alabama on New Yr's Day, he was 14 of 16 for 192 yards and three touchdowns. That is three extra landing passes than incompletions by two playoff video games.

That makes the Indiana quarterback the primary participant ever to have a number of video games within the CFP with three or extra landing passes whereas finishing no less than 85% of his makes an attempt, per FOX Sports activities Analysis. Mendoza has a 72.3 completion share on the season.

"I assumed he was unbelievable. He was nice," Cignetti stated in his post-game press convention. "I additionally thought our receivers made some good contested catches. I assumed [wide receiver Elijah] Surratt was on hearth. [Receiver] Charlie Becker made some massive performs. [Receiver Omar] Cooper obtained within the act as effectively. And when it wasn't there, Fernando used his legs. I imply he was on high of the sport."

Mendoza is now the fourth participant to throw 5 or extra landing passes in a CFP recreation, becoming a member of LSU's Joe Burrow, Alabama's Mac Jones and Ohio State's Justin Fields.

[2025 CFP Title Odds: Indiana Favored Over Miami in National Championship]

3. Indiana performs like Curt Cignetti talks ATLANTA, GEORGIA: Indiana coach Curt Cignetti after defeating the Oregon Geese within the 2025 Faculty Soccer Playoff semifinal on the Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 09, 2026. (Photograph by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Photographs)

Indiana dominated within the CFP semifinals within the stadium that performs dwelling to the reigning SEC champion. As Cignetti strikes one step nearer to successful the nationwide title, it’s changing into clearer he may be the true successor to former Alabama coach Nick Saban — many already imagine it is Georgia coach Kirby Good — as he engineered top-of-the-line turnarounds in 157 years of the game. A lot of what you see in Indiana was attribute of the Crimson Tide underneath Saban, for whom Cignetti was an assistant coach from 2007-2011.

And Cignetti did it not simply his means, but additionally after ready a quarter-century to guide his personal program, first at Indiana College Pennsylvania, then Elon and James Madison. When he lastly earned his probability to teach on the Energy 4 degree at Indiana, he knew precisely what to do and precisely how he wanted to do it.

"Whenever you go right into a shedding program," Cignetti advised reporters Wednesday, "you gotta change the best way individuals suppose. You gotta have a blueprint, a plan, requirements, expectations."

He’d additionally let you know it’s in regards to the individuals he employed and the individuals he recruited to play for him. His expertise in addition to character analysis should be — and is — elite.

[Let's Debate: Most Impactful, Most Perplexing Transfer Portal Additions]

"We’re all on the identical web page, and I feel that is crucial," Cignetti stated. "Getting everyone to suppose alike, and creating these intangibles as a unit in-season. However we're process-driven with requirements, expectations and accountability."

Cignetti sugar-coats little. He smiles much less. He's glad solely when his staff is kicking one other staff’s ass — however seldom reveals it.

"I am fairly direct in my messaging with the staff," he stated. "I attempt to make each phrase depend. I do not put up with BS.

"I am somewhat old-school. You gotta meet the bar. I imply if you cannot persistently meet the bar, you are within the unsuitable place. So my coaches do an amazing job, and we've got good guys which might be good gamers. When you could have veterans, good guys that may do so much, you are able to do so much."

4. The switch portal hustle takes its toll on lame Duck coordinator(s) Oregon Geese defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi (Photograph by Brian Murphy/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Photographs)

When Indiana scored its forty second level with 8:52 within the third quarter, Duck followers should've questioned if Lanning asking his defensive coordinator to stay at Oregon for the postseason was the correct determination.

When Oregon's offense took the sphere after a half stuffed with three sacks, three turnovers, simply 121 yards of offense and 9 speeding yards, the Geese should have requested the identical query of Lanning when permitting that unit to be run by a person who would not be round by January 21 anyway.

It is eerie now to have filed my pocket book with this sight: Oregon defensive coordinator (and Cal head coach) Tosh Lupoi descended steps main from the suite degree to the concourse at Mercedes-Benz Stadium after 9 p.m. ET on Wednesday night time, fewer than 48 hours earlier than kickoff, speaking into his telephone.

As he weaved between media members and behind Oregon offensive coordinator (and Kentucky head coach) Will Stein, he stopped simply wanting a seat together with his title card to button-up his dialog.

"You simply have a look at the NFL expertise on Cal’s roster," Lupoi stated to a recruit.

After he hung up on the job he was doing as Cal’s coach, he started taking questions as Geese defensive coordinator, together with balancing two jobs: managing to recruit gamers out of the switch portal for the Golden Bears and making ready his protection for the challenges Indiana’s offense posed.

What’s that like, Tosh?

"Completely fantastic, so superior," he stated with sarcasm layered over each syllable uttered. "What a good time to have the switch portal open."

He hadn’t slept a lot. He FaceTimed typically. He drank loads of espresso and loads of Purple Bull. For Lanning, who wanted to arrange his staff for Friday night time with two Oregon lame geese, this was an unlucky champagne drawback.

"They have been going at 100 miles an hour since they each form of hit that cycle the place they need to do each," Lanning stated Thursday on the Faculty Soccer Corridor of Fame. "I give them loads of credit score for the work that they've finished the best way they have been in a position to keep focus in a bit that is extraordinarily tough.

"However once more, I've stated it earlier than, they notice they do not have these jobs if it is not for the gamers in our staff, they usually really feel like they owe their greatest effort to provide them every thing they need to proceed to make the season particular. And so they've finished an amazing job of doing that."

Cignetti felt the crunch of recruiting the portal, too, regardless of Indiana holding onto each its offensive and defensive coordinators for the 2026 season. After defeating Alabama within the Rose Bowl, his staff returned to Bloomington at 3:30 a.m. the following day, and he arrived at his workplace later that day at 2 p.m.

"I knew I used to be gonna lose a while the next day," Cignetti stated on the Faculty Soccer Corridor of Fame at his joint press convention with Lanning.

"I most likely misplaced six hours of prep. And I am extremely concerned in our day-to-day, situational preparation, significantly on offense. … I misplaced a worthwhile six hours there, and doubtless three or 4 the following day too. So I used to be enjoying catch-up a lot of the week."

Cignetti caught up simply superb.

4 1/2. What's subsequent? (Photograph by Sam Hodde/Getty Photographs)

The Faculty Soccer Playoff nationwide championship recreation is formally set: No. 1 Indiana will face No. 10 Miami within the title matchup Jan. 19 at Exhausting Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. The Hoosiers are enjoying for an undefeated season and their first-ever nationwide championship and the prospect to be school soccer's first 16-0 staff ever. The Hurricanes are enjoying for his or her first title since 2001 and sixth total.

RJ Younger is a nationwide school soccer author and analyst for FOX Sports activities. Comply with him @RJ_Young.

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