Oregon-Indiana headed for a rematch, Ole Miss to play Miami as college football's final four is set

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MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — When Indiana met Oregon in October, the game served as the best test yet of whether the Hoosiers were a one-year wonder or a program that was here to stay.

They met that challenge with a double-digit win that snapped Oregon's 18-game home winning streak. Next week comes a rematch with a trip to the national title game at stake.

A pair of Big Ten blowouts in Thursday's quarterfinals — Indiana 38, Alabama 3 and Oregon 23, Texas Tech 0 — set up Oregon-Indiana, Part 2 in the national semifinals at the Peach Bowl next Friday.

“Why would it be too big for them? Because the name's ‘Indiana?’” Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti said after his team passed its latest big-time test.

Indiana was the only team of the eight with first-round byes in the two-year history of the playoff to win their quarterfinal.

The other semifinal will feature Miami against Ole Miss in the Fiesta Bowl next Thursday. It will be a matchup between Hurricanes QB Carson Beck and the Rebels, who are now 2-0 since the abrupt departure of coach Lane Kiffin. The sixth-seeded Rebels (13-1) rallied from nine points down at halftime to beat Georgia 39-34 Thursday in the Sugar Bowl.

The top-seeded Hoosiers (14-0) opened as a four-point favorite in their rematch with No. 5 Oregon (13-1), according to the BetMGM Sportsbook. The Ducks closed as 7.5-point favorites in the October meeting that Indiana won 30-20. This blowout win over the Crimson Tide might have been Indiana's most impressive performance since the win at Oregon.

In that one, Ducks defensive back Brandon Finney, who had two interceptions and a fumble recovery against Texas Tech, returned an interception for a touchdown to tie the game at 20 early in the fourth quarter. But Indiana answered with a touchdown drive, an interception and a field goal for a double-digit win over the previous season's Big Ten champion.

The most intriguing matchup in this game isn't hard to find.

Quarterbacks Fernando Mendoza of Indiana Dante Moore of Oregon are projected as the top two picks on many 2026 draft boards. Mendoza is trying to join a rarified list of quarterbacks (among them, Jameis Winston, Cam Newton and Matt Leinart) who have won the Heisman and the national title in the same season.

“It's going to be a great matchup, and all respect to them,” Mendoza said of the Ducks. “I've got to get the game plan and got to get to watching film now.”

Oregon is coming off a defensive domination of Texas Tech. The Ducks created four turnovers that led to 13 points. Moore, meanwhile, was held in relative check, throwing for 234 yards and no scores.

“We go back look at this game, say ‘What did we do really well?’” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. “Let's go to the doctor, let's figure out what kind of medicine we have to take for the next game. I think that's always the best indicator of what you have to do when you start to analyze what you have in front of you.”

The 10th-seeded Hurricanes, who beat Ohio State on New Year's Eve, haven't faced Mississippi since 1951. But this is a matchup steeped in the modern-day realities of college football.

Beck, the Miami quarterback, played at Georgia last season, but an injury in the SEC title game ended his season and sent his draft stock plummeting.

Looking for a change of scenery, Beck bolted for Miami and the reported $4 million NIL deal it offered. It was the first seismic move in the 2025 transfer portal.

Over in Oxford, the drama of Kiffin's departure for a job at SEC-rival LSU overshadowed the best season in program history, but didn't stop the chase for for a title.

“We've got a great group of people in the building," said coach Pete Golding, who took over for Kiffin. “We've got a lot of guys going through a lot of things but they've been here for the kids all the time and it's a special group of kids.”

Going against Beck will be Ole Miss QB Trinidad Chambliss, who led Division II Ferris State to the national title last year. He is now two wins away from taking the Rebels to a Division I crown.

“Our grit,” he said when asked how Ole Miss has overcome its obstacles this year. “We just want to win, play football and have fun with our brothers. Ever since fall, this was our goal.”

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