Early preview of No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers ahead of CFP semifinals

The stage is set, as the No. 5 Oregon Ducks and No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers will square off for the second time this season.

The first meeting came in Week 7, in which the Hoosiers stormed into Autzen Stadium as double digit underdogs and came away with a 30-20 victory, vaulting themselves to No. 2 in the nation. Now, they'll match up with much higher stakes in the College Football Playoff Semifinals: win or go home.

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Since their first bout on Oct. 25, both teams have gone undefeated. When the CFP bracket was revealed, it was clear that the teams were on a crash course for each other, as the Ducks took care of both James Madison and Texas Tech while the Hoosiers dismantled Alabama in the Rose Bowl after earning a first-round bye.

While it's the same two teams, kickoff for the semifinals on Jan. 9 is a significant amount of time since Oct. 25, as Indiana has played eight more games and solidified themselves as the top-ranked team in the country and the title favorite.

Prior to the Ducks and Hoosiers battling for the second time this season, we previewed everything you'll need to know, including a look at Indiana's resume, a breakdown of all three phases (offense, defense and special teams), players to watch and all the viewing and betting details on the game.

Indiana's 2025 Season Resume

• Week 1: W 27-14 vs. Old Dominion

• Week 2: W 56-9 vs. Kennesaw State

• Week 3: W 73-0 vs. Indiana State

• Week 4: W 63-10 vs. No. 9 Illinois

• Week 5: W 20-15 vs. Iowa

• Week 7: W 30-20 @ No. 3 Oregon

• Week 8: W 38-13 vs. Michigan State

• Week 9: W 56-6 vs. UCLA

• Week 10: W 55-10 @ Maryland

• Week 11: W 27-24 @ Penn State

• Week 12: W 31-7 vs. Wisconsin

• Week 14: W 56-3 @ Purdue

• Big Ten Championship: W 13-10 vs. No. 1 Ohio State

• CFP Quarterfinals: W 38-3 vs. No. 9 Alabama

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Indiana's 2025 season resume is as good as it gets, as it includes wins over the No. 9 (twice), No. 1 and No. 3 ranked teams, representing the difficulty that the Hoosiers have faced on the way to establishing themselves as the top-ranked team in college football.

To think that they'd be the national title favorite after beating Old Dominion by just 13 points in Week 1 is a crazy thought, but quarterback Fernando Mendoza took some time to learn the offense before quickly taking the reigns with a 53-point victory over a top ten team in Illinois in Week 4, showing the nation that they were for real.

But doubt still crept in prior to the Big Ten championship game against Ohio State — but after, not so much. The Hoosiers defense was the headliner, as the Aiden Fisher-led unit held the Buckeyes to just ten points and 322 total yards, far below their average.

The next victory was nearly as impressive, as they completely demolished Alabama in the CFP quarterfinals, showing that the SEC's Crimson Tide didn't even belong on the same field.

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It's hard to argue that any other team in recent years has a better resume than the 2025 Indiana Hoosiers.

Offensive Breakdown

By the numbers, the Hoosiers have one of the most explosive offenses in the nation. Despite scoring just 13 points in the Big Ten title game, they rank third in points per game (41.6 ppg) and seventh in total offense (468.1 ypg).

Their rushing attack, powered by an offensive line that challenges for the best position group on the team, is one of the best in college football. The Hoosiers average 220.7 rushing yards per game. They have a two-headed monster in the backfield, with Roman Hemby and Kaelon Black combining for over 1,900 yards and 15 touchdowns.

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The passing attack is also excellent, led by former California Golden Bears quarterback Fernando Mendoza. While he was solid at Cal, he took a major step under Cignetti. He's also aided by a loaded group of wideouts headlined by Elijah Sarratt and Omar Cooper Jr., who have 12 and 13 touchdown catches, respectively.

Of all three phases, Indiana's offense is the headliner due to immense talent spread across each position.

Defensive Breakdown

While Indiana's offense has stolen the show for much of the season, the defense is second in the country in scoring, allowing 10.3 points per game. With the nation watching to see if they were for real, the Hoosiers' defensive caused the Ohio State offense to be completely out of sorts, limiting them to four-of-12 on third down and 23 points below their season average.

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The unquestioned leader of the defense is linebacker Aidan Fisher, who was a first-team All-Big Ten selection in both 2024 and 2025. Fisher and a talented defensive line in front of him have had a significant hand in the Hoosiers allowing the 2nd-lowest rushing yards per game in the country.

Indiana's secondary is allowing the 18th-fewest passing yards per game as well. The group has 17 interceptions, proving to be one of the top takeaway secondaries in college football.

Oregon quarterback Dante Moore was held to just 186 yards and two interceptions, arguably his worst game of the season.

Special Teams Breakdown

The field goal game for the Hoosiers has been excellent this season. Kicker Nico Radicic has converted on 16 of 17 field goals and all 76 extra points. He has a career-long of 46 yards. His miss was from 52 yards in Week 1 — a sign Cignetti believes he has the leg to knock it through from 50-plus.

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The Hoosiers, while not punting particularly often, have a solid punter in Mitch McCarthy. He's punted 29 times this season for an average of 39.9 yards per boot with 11 downed inside the 20-yard line.

Players to Watch

QB Fernando Mendoza

Season Stats: 240-for-332, 3,172 yards, 36 TDs, 6 INTs / / 77 rushes, 256 yards, 6 TDs

Analysis: Mendoza has the entire package as a quarterback: size (6 feet, 5 inches, 225 pounds), arm strength, accuracy and much-improved decision-making. He's also deceivingly mobile, using his long legs to escape the pocket and pick up speed. His play in 2025 has led to his draft stock soaring; he's considered by many to be a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL draft.

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WR Elijah Sarratt

Season Stats: 55 catches, 727 yards, 13 TDs

Analysis: Standing 6 feet, 2 inches and weighing 229 pounds, Sarratt is a reliable receiver on the outside and one that is dangerous after the catch. He's physical at the point of attack, coming down with the ball thanks to exceptional hand strength and body control. Though Cooper has more receiving yards and is arguably more dynamic, Sarratt is Mendoza's go-to target in critical moments.

LB Aiden Fisher

Season Stats: 82 total tackles, 40 solo tackles, 3.5 sacks, 2 INTs, 1 FF

Analysis: Fisher is the quarterback of the defense; the entire unit looks to him for his leadership and knowledge. Though he hasn't necessarily impressed on the stat sheet this season, largely due to the strong personnel around him, Fisher is a tackling machine, recording 108 and 118 tackles in 2023 and 2024, respectively. He's widely considered one of the top linebackers in the Big Ten.

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Game Details

• When: 4:30 p.m. PST, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026

• Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium | | Atlanta, GA

• TV: ESPN

Betting (per FanDuel Sportsbook)

• Line: Indiana -4.5

• Over/Under: 46.5 points

• Money line: Indiana -192, Oregon +158

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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Indiana early preview ahead of CFP semis matchup with Oregon