What Fernando Mendoza Said About Oregon Ducks On Pat McAfee Show

The Oregon Ducks will look to avenge their only defeat this season when they take on the Indiana Hoosiers in the Peach Bowl. Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is not taking this Oregon team lightly at all, even after beating them earlier in the season.

Jan 1, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) speaks in a press conference after defeating the Alabama Crimson Tide in the 2026 Rose Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Oregon Ducks and the Indiana Hoosiers will be facing off in the Peach Bowl, with the winner earning a spot in the national championship game. The quarterbacks in this game; Oregon’s Dante Moore and Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza are currently projected by ESPN and CBS Sports mock drafts to be the top two players taken in the 2026 NFL Draft. 

Mendoza went on “The Pat McAfee Show” to discuss the upcoming College Football Playoff semifinal matchup against the Ducks. 

Mendoza on Oregon: "They're Star Studded"

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore speaks during the Oregon Ducks media day ahead of Orange Bowl on Dec. 30, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Indiana and Oregon played once already this season, with the Hoosiers going into Autzen Stadium in October and pulling off the win 30-20. This go around will be in Atlanta at a neutral site. Mendoza talked about the experience in Autzen Stadium and how he believes playing at a neutral site for this game will be beneficial for his team. 

“Autzen Stadium was fantastic environment and we had pre-snap troubles that game,” Mendoza said. “Assuming that we’re not going to have to go in silent count just because of how far Eugene is from Atlanta and just it being a neutral site game. It’s usually 50/50. Hopefully there’s more fans on our side. I think that would be huge for us.”

Oct 11, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) drops back with the ball and offensive lineman Pat Coogan (78) blocks against Oregon Ducks linebacker Teitum Tuioti (44) during the first quarter at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Even with the atmosphere for this Peach Bowl being more favorable than going on the road to Autzen, Mendoza knows that the Hoosiers will have to be at their best to beat Oregon a second time. 

“Beating a great team twice is extremely difficult. They’re star studded on both offense and defense. Draft picks all across the board,” Mendoza said. “Having to play them twice is going to be tough. It’s going to be a great challenge for us.”

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How They Got Here

Oregon wide receiver Malik Benson takes off as the Oregon Ducks take on the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1, 2026, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Indiana is the No. 1 team in the country with their 14-0 record. In their quarterfinal game, they dominated the Alabama Crimson Tide 38-3. 

Oregon is the No. 5 ranked team in the playoff and enters this game with a 13-1 record. The Ducks took down the James Madison Dukes in the first round and then the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the quarterfinals. 

Indiana is currently a 3.5 point favorite over Oregon according to DraftKings Sportsbook. The Hoosiers have odds of -180 to win outright while the Ducks are +150. The over/under is at 46.5 points. 

Elite Quarterback Matchup

Dec 20, 2025; Eugene, OR, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) throws a pass during the third quarter against the James Madison Dukes at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Most NFL mock drafts have Mendoza and Moore going No.1 and No. 2 if they both end up declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft. 

Mendoza won the 2025 Heisman Trophy. He has thrown for 3,172 yards and 26 touchdowns. Moore has thrown for 3,280 yards and 28 touchdowns. 

It will be interesting to see how this matchup affects each of their draft values. 

• Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. 
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