After years and years of barely half-filled stadiums, Indiana Hoosiers fans finally played on the biggest stage in program history. Taking advantage of that, they turned the Peach Bowl into a one-sided 56–22 win over the Oregon Ducks. But it doesn’t end there. Oregon also witnessed its fans substantially outnumbered by Indiana fans at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and Ducks QB Dante Moore had to rub his eyes mid-game to comprehend that.

“What kind of impact did the crowd have tonight? Obviously favoring the Indiana Hoosiers?” a reporter asked Moore after the game. “I thought it was just the red seats, but it was Indiana fans,” Moore answered. “They had a ton of fans here. I’m just glad that the fans from Oregon who were able to make it, I’m glad they came.”

The energy from the Indiana crowd against Oregon was on a completely different level than ever before. The atmosphere inside the Mercedes-Benz Stadium was at its zenith. Reports say that a huge majority of the people in the stands, nearly 90% were cheering for the Hoosiers, making a neutral-site game feel like a home-turf advantage.

For many long-time fans, this was a dream come true, as the team has gone from being one of the losingest programs in history to a pinnacle of sport and is one game away from a national title. For instance, the program went 11-2 in 2024, but going into the 2025 season, the Hoosiers’ 715 program losses were the most of any college football team.

Still, the Oregon Ducks and Dante Moore didn’t stand a chance from the very moment they stepped onto the field. The quarterback couldn’t call any audibles and was overwhelmed despite prepping for the revenge for weeks:

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“Thought we’d go verbal, speaking cadence, but you know it’s pretty loud. At the end of the day, it’s a dome, it gets pretty loud. But we prepared for loud situations. Change up the cadence, but yeah, they came out and showed up.”

Outdoing Ducks fans, known for producing one of the loudest environments in college football, has to be one of the Hoosiers’ biggest non-field wins of the season. The moment the Ducks ran onto the field, boos rained down, setting a hostile tone for Oregon from the jump.

From the very first whistle, the fans were charged up. When Indiana picked off Dante Moore’s first pass attempt and ran it back for a touchdown, the crowd went berserk for a minute or five. This level of fan passion would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. All thanks to Indiana’s head coach, Curt Cignetti, and quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

Even Mendoza was shocked watching Hoosiers fans in the stands in Atlanta. He was overwhelmed (in a good way) and said, “Oregon had to go to a silent count.”

For those who aren’t familiar, instead of yelling out the “hike” or snap count, the quarterback uses a subtle hand signal or leg tap to tell the offensive line exactly when to start the play. Through three quarters, the Indiana Hoosiers led by 27 points over Oregon.

With this, college football can finally settle this year’s annual debate: who is the No. 1 QB heading into the draft?

Fernando Mendoza finally gets CFB QB1 nod

Heading into this game, many analysts, even the likes of Mel Kiper, had Oregon Ducks QB Dante Moore ranked No. 1 in this year’s draft over Mendoza. That idea wasn’t as absurd as it sounded, as some could make a strong argument for Moore going first overall to the Raiders over the Indiana star. Unfortunately, that narrative may have ended tonight after watching both performances.

Fernando Mendoza played a fantastic game for Indiana. He was practically perfect. The Heisman Trophy winner was on the money with his throws. Completing 17 of his 20 passes for 5 TDs and with zero picks. It was his fifth game this season with more touchdowns than incompletions.

Interestingly, no quarterback has done that more than twice this century.

On the flip side, Dante Moore had the longest night of anyone in Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The game started in the worst way possible for him when his very first pass was a pick-six. To drop his stock further, he then fumbled the ball twice in the first half.

These early mistakes put Oregon in a deep hole they just couldn’t climb out of. Though he threw for over 280 yards total, most of that came late in the game when Indiana was way ahead in points.