#9 Hoosiers Snap 0-46 mark against Top 5 teams on the road

By Nick Jenkinson

   The #9 Excel H Sports Ranked Indiana Hoosiers went to Autzen Stadium on Saturday Afternoon and knocked off the #2 Excel H Sports Ranked Oregon Ducks 30-20 and showed the country they are not going anywhere anytime soon. The Hoosiers ended their losing streak to Oregon (23) and a Duck 18 Game home winning streak and handed Oregon their first Big Conference loss since the Ducks joined the Big Ten in 2024 at 11 games.

    Oregon is now 41-2 at home since 2018 and 50-3 since 2017 in Autzen Stadium and Indiana beats Oregon for the second time in Eugene and the series is tied 2-2.

   The Hoosiers are 6-0 and are officially bowl eligible along with a 3-0 Big Ten Conference record. Indiana will host Michigan State next Saturday at 3:30 PM for homecoming. Michigan State lost at home to UCLA 38-13 and the Bruins will come to Bloomington in two weeks. Oregon is 5-1 overall and 2-1 in the Big Ten and will travel to Rutgers Next Saturday. Dan Lanning is 40-7 overall as the Oregon head coach since 2022.

   Curt Cignetti is 17-2 overall as Indiana Head Coach and has won 15 of his 17 games by double digits since arriving in Bloomington. Not only are Hoosiers in the conversation for the College Football Playoff, but they are also in the conversation for the Big Ten Championship Game in December to be played at a Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

   Indiana outgained the Ducks 326-267. Fernando Mendoza completed 20 of his 31 passes for 215 yards along with a touchdown pass and an interception. Mendoza was sacked one time and ran 31 yards on six carries and was able to get himself out of trouble when the Ducks pressured him all game.

  Dante Moore was 21-34 for 186 yards passing throwing 1 touchdown pass and two (2) interceptions. Moore came into the game being sacked one time through the first five games and Hoosiers brought him down 6 times and blocked out all the noise about the size advantage Oregon had.

  Roman Hemby ran for 70 yards and 2 touchdowns on 19 carries. Hemby had not found the end zone since arriving in Bloomington this offseason. Hemby faced Oregon in Autzen Stadium a year ago when he played for Maryland and scored a touchdown against the Ducks and led the Hoosiers backfield who had 111 total yards and held Oregon to 81 yards on the ground with Jordon Davison leading the way 59 yards on 8 carries.

  Malik Benson caught a 44 yards touchdown pass for his only reception for the game for Oregon. The Ducks had nine different receivers catch a pass but all except Benson were held to 39 yards or less. Eiljah Sarratt led the Hoosiers with 121 yards and touchdown catching 8 passes. Omar Cooper Jr. caught 7 passes for 58 yards.

  Indiana held Oregon on a fourth down stop on the opening drive and the Hoosiers were able to score first on a 42-yard field goal with 9:42 left in the first quarter to make it 3-0. Oregon responded when Moore found Malik Benson on a 44-yard touchdown pass over the middle as the Ducks led 7-3 with 5:15 left in the first quarter.

  Roman Hemby found the end zone for the first time on a 3-yard touchdown run with 15 seconds left in the first quarter as the Hoosiers lead 10-7. Oregon tied the game at 10-10 when Atticus Sappington hit a 40-yard field goal with 9:18 left in the second quarter. Sappington missed a 36-yard field goal 24 seconds left and Indiana’s Brendan Franke tied a school record with a 58-yard field goal with a second left to give Indiana a 13-10 halftime lead.

  The Ducks tied the game 13-13 with 7:10 left in the third quarter when Sappington drilled a 33-yard field goal for his second of the game. Indiana regained the lead 20-13 with 2:16 left in the third quarter when Roman Hemby scored from 2 yards out for his second touchdown of the game. In the fourth quarter Fernando Mendoza was picked off as Brandon Finney returned it 35 yards to the house to tie the game 20-20 with 12:42 left in the fourth quarter.

   Mendoza threw his first touchdown pass of the game, finding Elijah Sarratt on an 8-yard touchdown pass with 6:23 left in the fourth quarter to make it 27-20 Hoosiers. Indiana picked off Dante Moore twice in the fourth quarter and the Hoosiers answered as Nico Radicic kicked a 22 yard field goal to make it 30-20 and return home to Bloomington with the win stun the Autzen Stadium crowd and continue to show the nation that Indiana Football is the team to watch and not the team they used to be in the past.

   ESPN’s College Gameday was in attendance for the 13th time and Oregon is now 9-4 all-time when the pregame show comes to Eugene. Indiana is 2-2 since last season when featured as part of the program.

  Former Indianapolis Colts punter Pat McAfee who still lives in Indiana was the only one to Pick the Hoosiers to beat the Ducks. It will be a happy flight home for the Hoosiers and all their fans that made trip to Eugene. If you do not believe in Indiana believe it because Indiana Football continues to prove week and week out, they are for real.