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5 takeaways from Oregon Ducks' embarrassing loss to Indiana in CFP

Story byZachary Neel, Ducks WireSat, January 10, 2026 at 2:49 PM UTC·8 min readWaking up for Oregon Duck fans may have been more difficult than going to sleep on Friday night after a 56-22 trouncing in the Peach Bowl at the hands of the Indiana Hoosiers. At least there was likely the assistance of exhaustion, and potentially an adult beverage or two to lend a hand after the game. On Saturday morning, though, just the cold reality that, for a second-straight year, Oregon's season has ended in embarrassing fashion in the College Football Playoff. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAll credit to Indiana, who played a flawless game, converting 11-of-14 third downs, turning the ball over zero times, and converting Oregon's four turnovers into 28 points. It was the type of performance you expect from a championship team in the biggest moments, a standard that the Ducks once again fell short of. As we get ready to put a bow on this season and head forward to the offseason, diving into the transfer portal and slew of NFL decisions to come, it's worth going back through this one to dive deep into what took place and what we can learn from the few positives and many negatives. Here's a look at our seven biggest takeaways from the game:A Familiar PainJan 9, 2026; Atlanta, GA, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) reacts after a fumble against the Indiana Hoosiers during the first half of the 2025 Peach Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

5 takeaways from Oregon Ducks' embarrassing loss to Indiana in CFP

Credit: Yahoo

Key Highlights

  • Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn ImagesUnfortunately, this isn't the first time Oregon Duck fans have woken up with this feeling, knowing their season is over and feeling both embarrassed and frustrated with how it ended. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIt's not the second time, either. While Oregon has been among the best teams in college football over the past couple of decades, the highest achievement has eluded them.
  • The Ducks are still searching for that first national championship, and after the way the last two seasons have ended, it's fair for fans to wonder when it will ever come. The grass is said to be damn green in Eugene, but at some point, it's got to grow into something.
  • Going into this game, Oregon fans had high hopes.
  • While early confidence had subsided a bit thanks to news of injury and depth issues, particularly at the running back spot, there was a belief that in a rematch against Indiana, the Ducks could find vengeance.
  • You don't have to look back very far to see how difficult it is to beat someone twice in a season, so if Dante Moore could play a clean game, and the defense could carry over momentum from the CFP quarterfinal shutout over Texas Tech, a trip to the national championship seemed doable. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAfter one single play, that optimism turned to dread, as D'Angelo Ponds intercepted Moore's opening pass and returned it for a touchdown.
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Sources

  1. 5 takeaways from Oregon Ducks' embarrassing loss to Indiana in CFP

This quick summary is automatically generated using AI based on reports from multiple news sources. The content has not been reviewed or verified by humans. For complete details, accuracy, and context, please refer to the original published articles.

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