ATLANTA — Since the College Football Playoff’s inception ahead of the 2014 season, there have been just five regular-season rematches in playoff games — three coming this season.
Just one team defeated its opponent in both contests: the University of Mississippi over Tulane University this season. The Rebels dominated both the regular-season meeting and the CFP first-round matchup en route to their first semifinal appearance.
No. 1 Indiana football has the opportunity to become the second squad to win both meetings, as it’s slated to face off with No. 5 Oregon at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the CFP semifinals at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta.
The Hoosiers won the regular-season meeting 30-20 on Oct. 11 inside Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. Not only did the win mark a high point for Indiana’s historically dreadful program, but it also showed the Cream and Crimson were ready to compete — and beat — college football’s best.
After that, Indiana defeated then-No. 1 Ohio State to win the Big Ten title and went on to annihilate the University of Alabama in the Rose Bowl. But despite each historic, program-defining win the Hoosiers have notched this season, a win in Friday’s Peach Bowl would propel them a step closer to the ultimate goal: a national championship.
Hard to beat a good team twice?
In 30 previous postseason rematches in college football history, just nine teams have won both meetings.
“We were fortunate to win the game out in Eugene,” Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti said in a Zoom press conference Jan. 3. “It's hard to beat a great team twice. Very difficult. So, edged Oregon there (at Autzen Stadium), but ought to be a great game. Looking forward to the challenge.”
Playing a team twice lets each squad know who they’re lining up against. Both the Hoosiers and the Ducks gained such familiarity in Week 7. The loss marked Oregon’s first at Autzen Stadium since 2022. It was Ducks redshirt sophomore quarterback Dante Moore’s maiden defeat as the starting signal caller. He went 21 for 34 for 186 yards passing with one touchdown and two interceptions.
Moore said during a press conference Tuesday that he was “kind of seeing ghosts” when he went through his progressions too quickly and failed to process a receiver was open during the regular season meeting. He also attempted to rush and escape whenever he stepped up in the pocket instead of climbing up, settling and firing a pass toward a receiver, he said.
“So, those are probably the two biggest things, just got to learn from there,” Moore said. “But, yeah, I'm feeling real confident and excited.”
The loss provided the Ducks the opportunity to learn from their shortcomings. It was a critical point in their season that allowed for reflection.
Now, Cignetti said that because Oregon previously fell to Indiana, the Ducks have “a little added edge” psychologically.
Oregon junior outside linebacker Matayo Uiagalelei is a prime example of Cignetti’s point. When he spoke during a press conference Monday, Uiagalelei explained he and his teammates are eager for Friday. They have an opportunity to avenge their loss and to “get a get-back.”
However, a team’s way of thinking doesn’t score points or make defensive stops.
“But at the end of the day, it's determined by what goes on between the white lines,” Cignetti said. “It will be a tremendous challenge because Oregon, they're very well coached, and they got good players.”
How Indiana has same motivation as Oregon
Although the Hoosiers defeated the Ducks by 10 points in the regular season, they still felt they didn’t play a “clean” game, senior linebacker Aiden Fisher said during a Zoom press conference Tuesday.
A busted coverage in Indiana’s secondary allowed Oregon to score a 44-yard touchdown in the first quarter. Then, redshirt junior quarterback Fernando Mendoza threw a pick-6 early in the fourth quarter. It was far from the Hoosiers’ best game in Fisher’s eyes.
“So, as much as the mental games that it can play on either team, we have just as much motivation, if not more, to really prove ourselves again,” Fisher said. “Like, we have so much more to prove to play a cleaner football game and to really prove ourselves.”
Indiana has spent much of the last two seasons under Cignetti proving it’s not the program of old. Instead, it's one that’s risen to join the premier powers of the sport. A national championship would solidify perhaps the greatest turnaround in college football history.
But the Peach Bowl comes next.
“I don't really want to pay any mind to that game (Oct. 11),” Fisher said. “It's all focused on this one, and we have to go out there and prove it again. ... This is way more important, and a game we have to be focused on 100%.”
Follow reporters Dalton James (@DaltonMJames and jamesdm@iu.edu) and Conor Banks (@Conorbanks06 and conbanks@iu.edu) and columnist Quinn Richards (@Quinn_richa and qmrichar@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana football season.
