The No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers take on the No. 5 Oregon Ducks in the semifinals of the College Football Playoff. The Peach Bowl kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET in Atlanta, Georgia.
The Hoosiers are listed as 3.5-point favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook, with the total set at O/U 46.5 points. Below is my full preview, prediction and best bet for this College Football Playoff matchup.
Indiana vs. Oregon prediction, preview
Oregon Preview
Oregon is preparing to get revenge against Indiana, its only loss in the regular season. The Ducks played tough against Indiana in the regular season, with the two teams tied with 10 minutes left in the game before Indiana pulled away late. The Ducks have been phenomenal in the College Football Playoff so far, blowing out James Madison and then completely controlling the game against Texas Tech. Oregon is one of the most well-rounded teams in the nation. It is stacked defensively, has a strong running game and Dante Moore is one of the most talented quarterbacks in the country. Oregon will, unfortunately, likely be without running back Jordon Davison. Davison ranks second on the team in rushing, but he plays a significant role in the offense that will be missed.
Indiana Preview
Indiana looked like the best team in the country in the quarterfinals against Alabama. The Hoosiers dismantled the Crimson Tide, further asserting that they are the No. 1 team in the country. The Hoosiers are a win over Oregon away from the national title game. Oregon played Indiana tougher than almost any team this season. Fernando Mendoza had arguably his worst game of the season against the Oregon defense, which makes this matchup intriguing. However, Mendoza has been fantastic all season and should be ready to redeem himself in this second matchup against the Ducks. The Indiana defense has been the even more impressive unit, completely shutting down Alabama and Ohio State in its past two games.
Indiana vs. Oregon Pick
My best bet is for Oregon to cover as 3.5-point underdogs. Despite being without Jordon Davison, the Ducks have a great running game with Noah Whittington and freshman Dierre Hill Jr. The pressure will be on Dante Moore to win this game for Oregon, and he is more than capable. Moore has a great array of targets — Kenyon Sadiq, Malik Benson, Dakorien Moore and Jamari Johnson — to throw to. While Curt Cignetti is a brilliant coach, Dan Lanning is fantastic at making adjustments, and sometimes, as the loser of the initial matchup, it’s easier to make adjustments ahead of the rematch. Lanning should be aggressive on fourth downs and coach to win the game for his team. This Oregon team is in great form, keeps getting healthier and should be able to take it down to the wire against Indiana, keeping this game within a field goal.
