The Peach Bowl did not start well at all for Oregon.
After the Ducks received the opening kickoff of the College Football Playoff semifinal, Indiana defensive back D’Angelo Ponds picked off Oregon QB Dante Moore on the first play from scrimmage and returned the ball for a 25-yard pick-6 to open the game.
It was one of three turnovers for Moore on the day as he also lost two fumbles later in the game. That all helped Indiana run away with a 56-22 victory to advance to the national title game.
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Indiana entered the game as a 3-point favorite thanks to its undefeated season and Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza. And also because of a defense that forces a lot of turnovers. Ponds’ pick was the 18th of the season over 15 games for the Hoosiers. Indiana has now forced 29 turnovers all season — that’s just under two per game.