ATLANTA – The No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers (14-0) are on the final countdown to playing the No. 5 Oregon Ducks (13-1) in the Peach Bowl at 7:30 p.m. Eastern on ESPN.
After rewatching the Ducks’ game against No. 4 Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl, Oregon looks less impressive compared to the first watch. Tech turned the ball over four times, kept the ball for 22 minutes, and couldn’t get the defense off the field. Oregon beat them 23-0, but Tech beat themselves even worse.
On Thursday morning, Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti listed off 15 different keys to the game. He could’ve begun and ended with taking care of the ball.
Keep the offense on the turf
The Hoosiers convert on 56.5% of third downs while Oregon holds opponents to a 35.3% conversion rate. Indiana was 5-for-14 back in October in Eugene, but that was on the road in a sloppy environment. In a dome where the fan turnout may be reminiscent of an Indiana home game, things could change.
Texas Tech missed a plethora of assignments on the offensive line – there was no shortage of poor execution. Both fumbles Oregon caused were by players on the front line getting through, or by, the Red Raider line.
Indiana let Fernando Mendoza get sacked once in Eugene in October because the line was sound. Aided by the fact Mendoza is the smartest quarterback in college and knows how to set his protections.
The Oregon defense wasn’t flashy all game. Freshman All-American defensive back Brandon Finney Jr. made a beautiful play on an out route for his first pick, but the second was lobbed to him while he sat in basic cover four zone. The rest of Oregon’s defensive backs give up plays in front by dropping into zone, except for Finney Jr. He’s one of the best corners in football.
Finney Jr. is the same defensive back who jumped the dig route Mendoza threw in Oregon and housed it. Mendoza has the opportunity to sling the rock, just don’t chuck it right at Oregon No. 4 too much or he could pick off Mendoza again.
Indiana loves the big play, but chipping away and keeping the offense on the field was the edge back in October.
The Hoosier’s front four needs to keep the Ducks grounded
If it wasn’t for Tech giving Oregon the ball in its own redzone twice, there’s a chance the Orange Bowl only saw one touchdown, if any.
Oregon quarterback Dante Moore threw for a little over seven yards per completion. The run game went for 1.4 yards per carry. Oregon is without top running back Jordon Davison due to injury, while Noah Whittington is questionable with an illness. Those two accounted for 28 carries for 73 yards against Tech compared to eight carries versus Indiana in October.
The run game for Oregon hasn’t been efficient as of late between the game versus Tech, and averaging 2.5 yards per carry against Washington. The ducks had 4.4 per carry against USC. The run game isn’t what powers Oregon’s offense; rather, it’s Dante Moore’s ability to make throws.
The offensive schematics of Oregon get receivers open, Moore just has to make accurate throws. He had issues setting protections against Tech, getting sacked twice and scrambling plenty. Indiana got home against Moore six times, but this is partly because Oregon was playing from behind. This forced offensive coordinator Will Stein to call more passing plays.
Bryant Haines and the Indiana defense were stunting at Moore, putting him in football purgatory. A 35.6 quarterback rating resulted from two fourth-quarter interceptions and the Indiana defense flustered Moore all game.
It’s up to the Indiana defense to force Oregon to establish the ground game or confuse Moore like it did in October.
Indiana has the tools and can scheme up how to beat Oregon, it’s a matter of executing. Through 14 games, that hasn’t been an issue for Cignetti and the robotic Hoosiers.
