Moore threw a pick-six on the first play of the game, and things didn’t get much better from there.
Dante Moore mistakes vs. Indiana: Oregon QB unravels in CFP semifinal vs. Hoosiers originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Friday night's Peach Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal was expected to be an entertaining quarterback battle between Indiana's Fernando Mendoza and Oregon's Dante Moore.
Before the game, both signal-callers were projected by NFL Draft experts to go No. 1 and No. 2 overall in 2026, with Moore slightly ahead of Mendoza.
But Indiana's defense dominated, and Moore made several costly mistakes. In the first half alone, he threw a pick-six and fumbled twice, as the Hoosiers took a 35-7 lead into halftime.
Let's break down Moore's errors in what could be his final college football game before declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft.
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Dante Moore mistakes
Moore had one of the worst games of his Oregon career in his second meeting against the Ducks. At halftime, Moore had completed just 11 passes for a touchdown and interception. His three turnovers resulted in 21 points for the Hoosiers, with the pick-six, and Indiana scoring a touchdown off each of his two other fumbles.
Pick-six on first play of the game
On the very first play of the game, Moore threw a pick-six to De'Angelo Ponds. Ponds read Moore's eyes the entire time, and made the pick look easy:
THAT’S HOW YOU START A BALL GAME🤯
— College Football Playoff (@CFBPlayoff) January 10, 2026
📺ESPN pic.twitter.com/QnGqSdPKTQ
Moore responded well, though, leading a 14-play, 75-yard scoring drive to even it at 7-all. But the mistakes kept coming for Moore in the first.
First fumble
Early in the second quarter, the Hoosiers brought a bit of pressure on first down. Although a Hoosier defender didn't force it, it appeared as though the ball just slipped out of Moore's hand. Indiana recovered deep in Oregon territory.
Hoosiers take it away… then take it home😳
— College Football Playoff (@CFBPlayoff) January 10, 2026
📺ESPN pic.twitter.com/8xQMU1IzmG
Indiana needed just three plays to score a touchdown, which gave the Hoosiers a 21-7 lead.
Second fumble
This is when things started to get ugly for the Ducks and Moore. Late in the second quarter, Indiana sacked Moore, who fumbled to give the ball back to Indiana a third time:
FORCED FUMBLE ➡️ INDIANA BALL
— College Football Playoff (@CFBPlayoff) January 10, 2026
📺ESPN pic.twitter.com/7WQjErWOT4
Indiana scored off the turnover yet again, and made it 35-7 at halftime.
MORE:Fernando Mendoza, Dante Moore competing for top QB spot in NFL Draft
Dante Moore stats vs Oregon
Moore has looked out of sorts all night against the Hoosiers, going just 9-of-14 for 112 yards with a touchdown and an interception and two fumbles. Indiana has put a ton of pressure on Moore too, getting three sacks on Moore in the first half.
Indiana's defense had Moore's number in the first matchup during the regular season, as well. He had his second-worst game of this 2025-26 season in that one, completing just 61.8 % of his passes for 186 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. He was sacked six
times, as well. It's a big drop-off from Moore's performance against Indiana during the regular season.
Certainly this isn't the way Moore envisioned his night would go. But this Hoosier defense has played well all year, tied for first in the nation in turnover margin. On the season, Indiana has 26 turnovers overall.
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