Overview
- Kickoff is Friday, Jan. 9 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN at Mercedes‑Benz Stadium in Atlanta, with the winner advancing to the Jan. 19 national championship in Miami Gardens.
- No. 1 Indiana enters 14-0 with Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza after a 30-20 road win over No. 5 Oregon in October; the Ducks are 13-1.
- Indiana routed Alabama 38-3 in the Rose Bowl quarterfinal, while Oregon blanked Texas Tech 23-0 in the Orange Bowl, forcing four turnovers in the program’s first bowl shutout in more than a century.
- Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said it is hard to beat a great team twice and noted a psychological edge for Oregon, as both staffs prepare adjustments and navigate transfer‑portal distractions; Oregon’s Dan Lanning emphasized doubling down on the team’s process.
- Early markets list Indiana around -4.5 (moneyline about -192 for IU, +158 for Oregon) with the total in the high 40s, reflecting elite defenses allowing 10.3 and 15.1 points per game, respectively.