Pat McAfee Doesn't Hold Back On Indiana Hoosiers After Beating Oregon

Pat McAfee makes a bold claim about the Indiana Hoosiers and their fanbase after beating the Oregon Ducks in the Peach Bowl.

pat mcafee curt cignetti fernando mendoza peach bowl oregon ducks dan lanning indiana hoosiers college football playoff national championship | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

The scene at Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the Peach Bowl between the Oregon Ducks and Indiana Hoosiers was unforgettable, although maybe some Ducks fans wish they could forget. The Hoosiers dominated in all three phases to cruise to a 56-22 win and end the Ducks' National Championship dreams.

Atlanta was awash in Hoosiers fans eager to witness quarterback Fernando Mendoza and head coach Curt Cignetti continue what many are calling a “team of destiny” run. The sidelines were equally star-studded, featuring some of the sport’s most recognizable voices, including SportsCenter host Scott Van Pelt and ESPN’s College GameDay crew, including Pat McAfee.

Jan 8, 2026; Glendale, AZ, USA; ESPN personality Pat McAfee during the Miami Hurricanes game against the Mississippi Rebels in the 2026 Fiesta Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

On the other side, Oregon’s presence in the stands was noticeably thinner... A reality that didn’t go unnoticed by McAfee.

Pat McAfee Doesn't Hold Back On Indiana Hoosiers And Oregon Ducks

McAfee made a bold claim about the Peach Bowl.

"We watched this Indiana team just absolutely smack the Oregon Ducks. I mean, just demolish them, literally from the first play. Pick six first play. That was the loudest stadium I think I've ever been in," McAfee said.

Is there anyone left in Indiana?https://t.co/0ACFOKEx5p pic.twitter.com/dJmgv1POHU

— Bri Amaranthus (@BriAmaranthus) January 10, 2026

"I didn't know if my microphone was amplifying it with my ears in or if that's actually how loud it was. So I took my ears out. It got louder out here. And it was like, that was the loudest stadium I think I've ever been in. And I don't want to sound like I've not been in a lot of great environments because you're going to say Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Indiana Hoosiers. It was 95 percent Hoosiers fans. First play of the game, pick six - That was the loudest it's been. I think that's the loudest I've experienced," McAfee said.

Loudest ever is a significant assertion, considering the amount of game that McAfee has attended in all leagues across sports.

Jan 9, 2026; Atlanta, GA, USA; Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) reacts after the 2025 Peach Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Indiana's Dominance

Indiana is favored by 8.5 points over the Miami Hurricanes for the National Championship game on FanDuel. If the Hoosiers beat coach Mario Cristobal's Hurricanes, Indiana will win its first ever title. Indiana has a perfect 15-0 record in a wild turnaround by Cignetti, for a program that still has the second-worst win percentage of any Power Four program (42.4%). 

"This Indiana team, they just methodically pound you. It's outrageous the amount of talent they have, the amount of dogs that they have, but also how fundamentally sound. They look like an NFL defense... Grown-ass men. And the quarterback? The man," McAfee said.

McAfee pointed out that Indiana's experience and average age - which is 22 or 23 years old - really stands out in the playoff.

After the win, both Cignetti and Mendoza addressed the crowd noise and their game on the road at Autzen Stadium this season.

“We played in Autzen Stadium in week five and I think we had five false starts,” Mendoza said. 

Cignetti corrected him. 

“Seven,” Cignetti said.

Cignetti was asked by ESPN's Molly McGrath about the fan support during his postgame interview.

"There's nothing like having a home semifinal game," Cignetti said. "There are no fans like Indiana Hoosier fans."

Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti shakes hands with Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning on Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, after the Indiana Hoosiers defeated the Oregon Ducks in the Peach Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Dan Lanning After Oregon's Season-Ending Loss

Despite the defeat in the semifinal game, the Ducks season was very successful. Oregon won 13 games for the second season in a row and finished with a record of 13-2, with both losses coming to Indiana.

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Oregon made it to the playoff semifinal for the first time since the 2014 season. The Ducks had been knocking at the door to make it to the final four for a decade and achieved that this season with two playoff wins over James Madison and Texas Tech.

The future looks bright for the Ducks in Eugene, too.

Multiple Oregon starters have already announced they are forgoing the NFL Draft, including the entire starting defensive line: Matayo Uiagalelei, Bear Alexander, A'Mauri Washington, and Teitum Tuioti. Additionally, Ducks center Iapani "Poncho" Laloulu has already made his plans clear as Oregon will return its starting center in 2026.

Other Ducks like quarterback Dante Moore, safety Dillon Thieneman, and tight end Kenyon Sadiq have yet to announce their respective decisions.

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore walks off the field as the Oregon Ducks face the Indiana Hoosiers in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 9, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After the defeat, Oregon coach Dan Lanning spoke about turning the lopsided loss into a potential turning point - a learning experience this core group of Ducks can carry forward next season.

"I think every man can learn from adversity. I just told that whole locker room, right, this is going to be about how you respond in life. This is going to be a life lesson that a lot of people never get. We just got our butt kicked. Right? That's going to happen in life, right, and not just Dante," Lanning said after the Peach Bowl.

"Every single person in the locker room, every coach, every person can learn, 'Hey, how do you respond to that.' Some people crawl into a hole, right, don't face the music. Some people say, okay, let's figure it out. Let me challenge myself so I can be better. Let me be an example of how you handle moments like this. I think there is a way to handle that," Lanning continued.

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