For the second year in a row Oregon ran into a team of destiny at the end of a successful season.
Dante Moore threw a Pick Six on the first offensive snap of the game, then suffered two fumbles deep in Oregon territory. A blocked punt in the fourth quarter gave the victors possession at the Duck 7.
The Hoosiers are a great team. They played a brilliantly focused game in all phases. It didn't help UO's cause that their three turnovers and a blocked punt gave Indiana 28 points, the Pick Six to start the game, followed by drives that started at the Oregon 3, 21, and 7.
Enjoying a clean pocket, Fernando Mendoza completed 17-20 passes for 177 yards and five touchdowns. The Ducks' secondary got burned repeatedly,
There were bright spots. Jeremiah McClellan, Jamari Johnson and Dierre Hill made big plays, Dakorien Moore grabbed a 15-yard pass. Oddly, the Ducks outgained Indiana 378-362, but an ugly blowout means folding in big games remains their indentity nationally, unfair as that may be.
Reserve tight end Roger Saleapaga caught a touchdown pass at the end of the game, the first of his career.
A tough end to a great season
Four years into what has been a brilliant start to his coaching career, Dan Lanning is 48-8. All five losses the last three seasons have been against teams that have either won or played in the national championship.
He's been an assassin when his teams have a talent advantage, but he's struggled against opponents with equal or greater talent. At the Rose Bowl a year ago Oregon trailed Ohio State at the half 34-8. Tonight, Indiana led 35-7 at the break.
To be fair, the Ducks got a horrible break when both Jordon Davison and Noah Whittington got injured in the leadup to the game, Davison last week against Texas Tech, Whittington during practice. The strength of the team has been offensive rhythm and balance, and Moore looked lost without his potent running game, sacked three times, harried into errant throws.
The game doesn't mean the Oregon program is a failure or that Lanning is a bad coach. They lost. They got blown out by a veteran team on an historic run. The Hoosiers are the most experienced team in college football with an average age of 23. The Ducks are one of the youngest. In truth, they exceeded expectations this year.