Hoosiers Now

Will Indiana Make the Title Game? Early Peach Bowl Predictions

To earn a spot in the College Football Playoff National Championship game, Indiana will have to beat Oregon for a second time this season
Nick Shepkowski|
Jan 1, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti holds the Leishman Trophy after victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide at the 2026 Rose Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at Rose Bowl Stadium.
Jan 1, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti holds the Leishman Trophy after victory over the Alabama Crimson Tide at the 2026 Rose Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at Rose Bowl Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

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Indiana HoosiersOregon Ducks

Indiana dominated Alabama to the tune of a 38-3 victory in the Rose Bowl, completing what is the biggest win in the history of Hoosiers football.  Next up is a chance to beat another traditional power and unseat this victory as the biggest in program history.

A date with Big Ten rival Oregon awaits Indiana in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl on January 9.  The Atlanta-based game will feature a pair of Big Ten powerhouses with a trip to the College Football Playoff National Championship game on the line.

Can Indiana take care of business against Oregon for the second time this season? 

Or will Dan Lanning and the Ducks fix what went wrong in the previous meeting, which resulted in a dominating second half by Indiana.

Here’s what the Indiana Hoosiers On SI staff sees happening in their initial picks for the Peach Bowl.

Nick Shepkowski:  Indiana 24, Oregon 17

Oregon is loaded on the offensive front but that wasn’t enough to establish a run game against Indiana the first time around.  Can it find a way to run the football this time?  Alabama tried but failed miserably.  Oregon will attempt to and this one will be a battle of body blows from both sides, with Indiana ultimately getting by and moving onto Miami for the National Championship game.

Jackson Langendorf: Indiana 20, Oregon 16

Considering Indiana went into Autzen Stadium and beat Oregon 30-20, and would’ve won that contest by three scores had it not been for a Fernando Mendoza pick-six, it’s difficult not to expect the Hoosiers to have their way on a neutral field. Then again, the Ducks are playing their best football of the season, especially defensively (just shut out No. 4 Texas Tech). Expect a tight, low-scoring battle, but Mendoza and Co. should have enough in the tank to punch their ticket to the national title game.

Pete Fiutak: Oregon 26, Indiana 24

Oregon has the feel of a team and a program that got through the wars, went through the pain of last year, and now is ready to keep on charging through.

Texas Tech is far better than it looked and played in the Orange Bowl loss to the Ducks, but Dante Moore held up under the pressure, and the Oregon defensive front took its game up a whole other level.

Indiana isn’t a team that cares about expectation - it’s handling everything perfectly. The Ducks, though, have the full combination - and that Ohio State-like attitude of last year - to survive a thriller with a huge performance from the defensive front.

Jack Ankony: Indiana 27, Oregon 17

Oregon should provide a tougher test for Indiana than Alabama, which was manhandled in every facet at the Rose Bowl. But that doesn’t mean the Hoosiers will fall this time around. Indiana is the most balanced and well-coached team I’ve seen in a long time, and they rarely make self-inflicted mistakes on offense. The defense is violent and should be able to bother Oregon quarterback Dante Moore in key situations, too.

Daniel Flick: Indiana 24. Oregon 20

It’s hard to beat a team twice in college football, but it’s also hard to bet against these Hoosiers, who’ve been so consistent, so dominant, this season. Indiana’s defense made life difficult for Oregon quarterback Dante Moore in the first meeting Oct. 11 in Eugene, and the Hoosiers have the recipe for success to beat the Ducks. Indiana’s first win over Oregon was significant for changing the program’s perception. A win in Atlanta would secure a first trip to the national championship game.

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Nick Shepkowski
NICK SHEPKOWSKI

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