ATLANTA, Ga. — The most important thing that people have learned about Indiana the past two years is that they are a disciplined, efficient football team that never beats themselves.

Oregon learned another hard lesson about the Hoosiers on Friday night in the College Football Playoff semifinal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Ducks learned that if you turn the ball over, you've got no chance to hang with the Hoosiers. 

And they didn't.

Indiana converted three Oregon turnovers into touchdowns in the first half — including a D'Angelo Ponds pick-six on the first play of the game — and rolled to an impressive 56-22 victory. Counting last week's 38-3 quarterfinal win against Alabama, the Hoosiers have outscored two quality opponents 94-25 in the postseason — and scored 50 points or more for the seventh time this season.

It was absolute and complete domination of an Oregon team that was 13-1 this year, with the only loss to Indiana back in October in Eugune.

"First off, all the credit in the world to Indiana,'' Oregon coach Dan Lanning said. "I said it before that they're an unbelievably well-coached team. I think that was really apparent tonight. They started off hot, and they really didn't slow down. 

"Their defense played outstanding. We were able to generate a little momentum there at times, but we were so far in the hole that you really couldn't create yourself out of that. And the takeaway is obviously they were able to create some. We didn't create those. You see a really complete team, and I think they obviously have a great chance to keep it going and have unbelievable success. Credit to coach Cignetti, and credit to those players. They've got great leadership and a veteran team that really showed up.''

With the win, the Hoosiers are now 15-0 and will play for their first-ever national championship on Jan. 19 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. They'll play the hometown team, the Miami Hurricanes, for all the marbles.

Indiana proved once again why they are ranked as the No. 1 team in the nation. In the past three weeks, they've beaten three of the bluebloods in the sport — Ohio State, Alabama and Oregon — and have done so convincingly. They've been great on both sides of the ball in every win.

Friday was no exception. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy winner, played like the best player in the country, completing 17 of 20 passes for 177 yards and five touchdowns — to four different receivers. He was accurate and precise all night long, and had time in the pocket to make good decisions.

"The turnover ratio was huge in this game,'' Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said. "We're No. 1 in the country in that, and those turnovers in the first half led to 21 points. Our philosophy is to attack, and we are moving a lot of pieces in the front seven. We've always been top-5 in the country against the run, TFLs and sacks, and that's just our philosophy on how to play defense.''

That aggressiveness was on full display from the first whistle. On first down, Oregon quarterback Dante Moore dropped back and threw a quick out route to wide receiver Malik Benson. Indiana cornerback D'Angelo Ponds read the play perfectly and got a great jump on the ball. He picked it off and went 23 yards for the first score of the game.

Oregon answered with a touchdown drive to tie it, but then two more turnovers really did them in. Indiana had a long scoring drive to make it 14-7 on an Omar Cooper Jr. touchdown catch, and then two possessions later, Moore collided with freshman running back Dierre Hill, Jr. and lost the ball. Michael Landino recovered for the Hoosiers and Kaelon Black scored from 1-yard out on third down to make it 21-7.

Indiana scored again on a quick four-play 61-yard drive, with sophomore Charlie Becker making a spectacular catch in the end zone for a 36-yard score. Then the third turnover came on a sack and Mendoza hit Elijah Sarratt for a 3-yard score.

It was 35-3 at the break, with Mendoza making all the right moves.

"I thought he was incredible,'' Cignetti said of his quarterback. "He was great, and I also thought our receivers made some nice catches. I thought Sarratt was on fire, and Charlie Becker made some big plays. E.J. (Williams) and Cooper got in the act as well, and when it wasn't there, he used his legs.

"I mean, he was really on top of his game, and that was a huge difference, his performance in the game.”

The Hoosiers got the ball to open the second half and went right down the field to score again. Williams had a 13-yard scoring catch, Sarratt had another 3-yard TD catch after a blocked punt and Black ended the Indiana scoring with a 23-yard run midway through the fourth quarter.

The Hoosiers rushed for 185 yards. Indiana's defense, which has been nasty against the run all year, allowed one 71-yard run to Hill, but other than that, Oregon ran the ball 25 times for just 22 yards. 

Becker loved that all four Indiana receivers had a touchdown. 

"These are my brothers, and I love them. I'm so happy for all of us,'' Becker said on the field in a jubilant postgame celebration. "Coach (Mike) Shanahan and Coach Cig do a great job of spreading the ball around evenly and it works. And of course, Fernando, what can you say? Every one of his passes just seems to be perfect. 

"It all starts with our front line too. They are absolute beasts. They're dogs. Without them, we wouldn't be able to get the ball to our guys on the outside.''

The Hoosiers also had the benefit of a raucous home crowd in Atlanta, with at least 80-90 percent of the fans clad in red. 

"This was just like the Rose Bowl. It was like another home game,'' Becker said. "It's just unbelievable.'' 

Mendoza said it made a big difference on the field, too.

"Shout-out to Hoosier Nation,” he said. “I think not having to use a silent count — (Indiana had seven pre-snap penalties in the game at Oregon) — because of Hoosier Nation being here, and then making them go on a lot of silent counts, that might have counted for some points.''

The Hoosiers will now take on Miami in their home stadium on Jan. 19. The Hoosiers will technically be the home team, but the Hurricanes are the first team to play a title game on their home field since the playoffs started. In the bowl era, they won their last of five national titles in the Orange Bowl in 1991.

Indiana is known to be a basketball school, and the Hoosiers have those five titles — and 24 overall in the athletic department. 

But they've never won anything in football, and they are now just 60 minutes away from that coveted national title. They are a 7.5-point favorite, according to the Fanduel.com gambling website.

"We're not done yet. We've got more work to do,'' Becker said. "But I sure feel great about how we're playing. Let's have a good week of prep, and then go down there and win the whole thing.''

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