> At a Glance
> – Undefeated No. 1 Indiana (14-0) faces No. 5 Oregon (13-1) in the Peach Bowl semifinal
> – The winner advances to the national championship against either Ole Miss or Miami
> – Both programs seek their first-ever national title
> – Why it matters: The game is Friday, Jan. 9, at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN
One semifinal will end in heartbreak, the other in history. Either Indiana or Oregon will move within sixty minutes of a first national championship when they meet in Atlanta.
The Stakes
Indiana returned from its first-round bye and bulldozed No. 9 Alabama 38-3 in the Rose Bowl, ending a 34-year bowl-win drought. Oregon rebounded from its only loss-30-20 at home to Indiana on Oct. 11-by knocking off James Madison and shutting out No. 4 Texas Tech 23-0 in the Orange Bowl.
By the Numbers
| Team | Scoring Offense | Scoring Defense |
|---|---|---|
| Indiana | 41.6 ppg (3rd) | 10.3 ppg (2nd) |
| Oregon | 38.0 ppg (9th) | 15.1 ppg (6th) |
Star Power
- Fernando Mendoza, Indiana’s Heisman-winning quarterback, leads the country’s No. 3 offense
- Dante Moore, Oregon’s signal-caller, is the No. 2 projected QB in the upcoming NFL Draft
Game Details
- Date: Friday, Jan. 9
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET / 4:30 p.m. PT
- Venue: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
- TV: ESPN
- Stream: ESPN.com & ESPN app
Historical Context
- Indiana: zero national championships
- Oregon: zero national championships; lost title games in 2010 and 2014
Key Takeaways
- Indiana is the only top-four seed to win a playoff game since the 12-team format began
- Oregon’s defense forced four turnovers in its Orange Bowl shutout
- The Oct. 11 regular-season meeting is the only prior matchup this year
- The victor faces either Ole Miss or Miami for the championship
Perfection versus redemption kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN, with a elusive first title on the line.
