Oregon Ducks' Three Keys to Victory Against Indiana Hoosiers

The No. 3 Oregon Ducks are playing in another 'game of the week' opportunity in the college football world, coming off a bye week after their nationwide statement victory at the Penn State Nittany Lions two Saturdays ago.

There will be, once again, a whole load of NFL scouts in Eugene to watch the Ducks host the No. 7 Indiana Hoosiers, specifically to watch arguably the top two quarterbacks in the country: Oregon redshirt junior Dante Moore and Indiana redshirt junior Fernando Mendoza.

The two Heisman Trophy candidates will put on a duel under center, and whoever comes up with the most passing yards and controls the time of possession will surely be victorious, while staying closer to the top of the battle-tested Big Ten Conference programs.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning, left, embraces Oregon quarterback Dante Moore after the Ducks’ win as the Oregon Ducks face the Penn State Nittany Lions on Sept. 27, 2025, at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Set Offensive Tone

These are two of the most dominant teams in the sport, as they both rank in the top three in the FBS in point differential. Indiana has beaten their opponents by an average of 38.4 points, Oregon by 34.4.
This is the first Big Ten matchup between two teams entering with a 5-0 record or better with a 30+ point differential since 1904.

The Hoosiers rank No. 5 with 538.3 total yards of offense, even ahead of the Ducks at No. 9 with a nearby 503.8. This specific matchup in week 7 could end up being one of the more back-and-forth scoring affairs.

Sep 27, 2025; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) warms up at Kinnick Stadium before the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Pass Rush Attack on Fernando Mendoza

Mendoza actually went head-to-head with Moore when Moore was with the UCLA Bruins back in November of 2023. In the 33-7 win for Mendoza's California Golden Bears, he threw for 178 passing yards on 19-for-30 completions, two touchdowns, and two interceptions. UCLA's Moore finished with one touchdown pass, two interceptions on 23-for-38 completions for 266 passing yards in the loss.

The last time that Mendoza played against Oregon was when he was with the Golden Bears in 2023, and he was far from securing the starting job under coach Justin Wilcox at that point in time. During the 63-19 blowout loss in Eugene, Mendoza finished with 177 passing yards on a 52.9 completion percentage, plus one interception and no passing touchdowns while trying to control the offense.

Mendoza has since grown from that redshirt freshman season, now leading Indiana coach Curt Cignetti's offense and the Big Ten with 16 touchdowns thrown to only one interception through the near first half of the regular season.

The depth in the trenches from Oregon's defensive line will most assuredly come into play the most on a beautiful Saturday afternoon in Eugene, a group from top to bottom that Mendoza hasn't come up against at all from his Pac-12 Conference days to now in his early Big Ten career.

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Sep 27, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Dakorien Moore (1) reacts during the fourth quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images | James Lang-Imagn Images

Oregon's Freshman Class

An unbelievable total of six true freshmen have played in each of Oregon's five games. Not just during garbage time, these are important snaps.

Dakorien Moore, wide receiver
Jordon Davison, running back
Dierre Hill Jr., running back
Brandon Finney Jr., defensive back
Na’eem Offord, defensive back
Nasir Wyatt, outside linebacker

Especially on the offensive end, Moore must continue to find ways to get the balls in the hands of his 'Moore' counterpart, as well as Hill Jr. in the backfield when trying to drive down the field, and Davison near the goal line. Amazing things happen when those three touch the ball consistently throughout possessions.

As for the secondary, Oregon's opponents to this point have been almost frightened to throw anywhere near Finney Jr. The young, highly-touted recruit out of high school has the lowest completion rate allowed in coverage in 2025 at 18.2 percent thus far.

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore takes a snap as the Oregon Ducks face the Penn State Nittany Lions on Sept. 27, 2025, at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Moore's undefeated (5-0, 2-0 in Big Ten) Ducks now have their focus on Cignetti's undefeated Hoosiers (5-0, 2-0 in Big Ten) on Saturday, Oct. 11, at 12:30 p.m. PT on CBS at Autzen Stadium.

According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Oregon is the favorite by 7.5 points against Indiana. The moneyline for the Ducks is -290 and +235 for the Hoosiers. The over/under is set at 53.5.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
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