Oregon

Jury finds man accused of killing 7 in I-5 crash guilty, but not under the influence

Published

11 months ago

February 6, 2025

Jury finds man accused of killing 7 in I-5 crash guilty, but not under the influence

A Marion County jury on Wednesday found Lincoln Smith guilty on seven charges of second-degree manslaughter, three charges of third-degree assault and reckless driving, but not guilty of driving under the influence for a semitruck crash on Interstate 5 in May 2023 that killed seven farmworkers.

The jury began deliberating around noon on Tuesday and delivered its verdict shortly before 3 p.m. Wednesday.

The court will set a status check conference next week to determine a date for sentencing.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys asked the jury to decide whether Smith was acting recklessly or under the influence of intoxicants when he was driving the semitruck that crashed into a parked van off I-5 carrying 11 farmworkers near the Santiam River rest stop on May 18, 2023.

Prosecutors argued Smith acted recklessly by choosing to use drugs the previous night and by failing to stop driving when he knew he was tired.

Defense attorneys argued Smith was not acting recklessly because they say he was no longer under the influence and was attempting to find parking when he became tired.

Smith was driving a 53-foot, 55,000-pound semitruck when the truck veered off the road and collided with the van, according to prosecutors and his attorneys, pushing it into another parked semitruck.

Six people died at the scene, and a seventh died in a helicopter on the way to the hospital.

The van was propelled 218 feet from the point of impact, prosecutors said.

Smith, 54, of California, was indicted by a Marion County Grand Jury in May 2023 on seven charges of second-degree manslaughter, three charges of third-degree assault, reckless driving, and driving under the influence of intoxicants.

Tuesday marked the seventh and final day of his trial.

Survivors of the crash who were coming from a beet field near Corvallis recounted their experiences for the first time on Jan. 31.

Three were seriously injured and continue to experience constant pain. They described what they remembered of the crash through tears, talking about the loss of relatives, the terror, and lasting impacts.

Emotions have run high throughout the trial, with family members, jurors, witnesses and Smith crying at times.

First responders for the crash also testified. Many described it as one of the most horrific they’ve ever seen. Smith’s attorneys called the crash “grisly.”

Smith’s attorneys asked the jury to find him not guilty or to find him guilty of criminally negligent homicide rather than manslaughter.

According to the Oregon Department of Transportation, the crash is among the deadliest in Oregon history.

The National Transportation Safety Board opened an investigation into the crash with the intent of issuing safety recommendations. A spokesperson for the agency said the investigation is ongoing and they typically take about two years to complete.

Prosecutors say truck driver accused of killing 7 farmworkers in I-5 crash was experienced and chose to use drugs before driving

Prosecutors have argued that Smith, who has been driving trucks for almost 19 years, was an experienced truck driver who chose to use drugs before getting on the road. Lab tests showed he had methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl in his bloodstream, prosecutors said.

“He admits to using meth and cocaine the night before. Again, he knows the risk,” said Marion County Deputy District Attorney David Wilson said.

Drivers who were near or behind Smith on the road testified at trial they saw him swerving on and off the road before the crash. One woman called 911 after witnessing a Jeep veer off the road to avoid getting hit by Smith.

Wilson said in May 2023 Smith had at least 17 arrests in California and nine previous convictions.

During three hours of testimony, Randall Walker, the Oregon State Police officer who evaluated Smith for signs of intoxication after the crash, reaffirmed his belief Smith was under the influence at the time of the crash.

Smith, he said, had constricted pupils, struggled to answer questions about where he had been driving, and often took a long time to respond. In body camera footage played in court, Smith could not recall his own phone number but recalled his girlfriend’s number and his home address.

“I’m getting really dizzy, I can’t remember (expletive),” he said in the footage. “I just can’t focus.”

At the hospital, Walker asked Smith if he could search his clothes. He found a vial in Smith’s pocket that he said contained methamphetamine, according to the footage.

Smith previously told Walker he’d used “zero drugs” and “zero alcohol” in the past 48 hours. After Walker found the vial, Smith admitted he’d used it the previous day.

Defense attorneys say truck driver accused of killing 7 farmworkers on I-5 was no longer under influence of drugs during crash

Smith’s attorneys have argued while Smith did party with a couple of hitchhikers and use drugs the night before the crash, he was no longer under the influence that day and had fallen asleep at the wheel while trying to take the exit to the Santiam River rest stop.

They claimed the symptoms Walker observed as signs of being under the influence, including confusion and dizziness, were actually signs of shock resulting from the crash.

“He was just in the middle of a grisly scene,” defense attorney Tiffany Humphrey said. “He was in a high-impact crash.”

They cited Walker’s drug evaluation training, which states the effects of methamphetamine, a stimulant, can last up to 12 hours, suggesting any methamphetamine Smith had used the previous day should have worn off.

While stimulants typically cause people to be more alert, Walker said when used in combination with drugs that have opposite effects, like fentanyl, the outcome can be unpredictable.

Additionally, he said users of methamphetamine can experience a “downside” after the fact and cited Smith’s poor driving before the crash as evidence of impairment not caused by shock.

“At the end of the high there’s a low,” he said. “The downside of meth is that they are lethargic and sleepy and have a hard time staying awake.”

Prosecutors argued Smith became so tired he fell asleep at the wheel because he was experiencing the downside.

Multiple witnesses for the defense, however, including the paramedic who evaluated Smith at the scene, testified Smith’s vitals, pupils and demeanor were not abnormal and he did not appear to be under the influence.

Kenn Meneely, owner of Willamette Valley Forensics, who formerly worked with OSP and launched the agency’s drug recognition evaluation training program, said Walker did not follow proper protocol to evaluate Smith’s pupils.

Meneely, who was not at the scene of the crash, said based on a review of police reports, body camera footage and medical records, he did not believe Smith was under the influence.

He said Smith was not displaying symptoms consistent with the downside of meth and any effects from drugs taken the previous night would likely have worn off by then.

Smith’s attorneys said Walker was the state’s only witness who saw impairment in Smith’s behavior.

“Lincoln Smith was not reckless. There’s no proof he was impaired. The signs he exhibited did not match impairment,” Humphrey said to the jury. “Trooper Walker was the only person that told you he thought Lincoln Smith was impaired.”

In two emails Smith wrote that prosecutors asked Walker to read to the court, Smith said he was behind on deliveries and under pressure to make all of his stops on time. Smith was transporting truck canopies and camper shells. He described the day of the crash as “the worst day of my life.”

“I’m upset with myself for letting this happen but I’m not ashamed of myself,” Smith said in an email. “Truck drivers fall asleep every day.”

Smith also said in the emails he was not guilty of driving under the influence, just of being tired.

“I was behind and pushing …,” he said in an email. “My life is over because of this. I’ll view it as my punishment for those poor innocent people in that van.”

Semitruck driver accused of killing 7 farmworkers in I-5 crash said he has been doing drugs since he was 12

The state called nearly 30 witnesses over four days. The defense made its case Monday with six witnesses, concluding with Smith.

Smith said the day before the crash started like any other day.

He woke up around 2 or 3 a.m., headed to Woodland, California, with his dog Bear to pick up the truck, did a check of the truck, and headed up I-5.

Near Redding, California, he picked up two hitchhikers, something he said he enjoys doing so he isn’t alone.

They stopped near Sutherlin, south of Eugene, at about 8 p.m.

“I’m not proud of it but we smoked some meth, did a couple lines of coke, and then we parted ways,” he said.

One of the hitchhikers gave him the vial Walker would later find in his pocket, he said. He said he last used drugs around 8:45 p.m., then took Bear for a long walk, got something to eat, and went to sleep. He said he had only done “a little,” and it didn’t affect him very much.

Smith has been using drugs on and off since he was about 12, he said, and experienced the “downside” of meth when he was younger, but hasn’t for a long time. He said he has a “strict” rule about not using substances while driving and is a “professional driver.”

On May 18, 2023, he got up and left around 6:40 a.m. and headed first toward Eugene and Springfield, he said.

After eating lunch around noon, he said he realized he needed to call it a day because he was tired and started looking for a rest stop.

“I realized I wasn’t really feeling so well, I was getting kind of tired, I was having trouble keeping the lane,” he said.

He said he tried two rest stops and both were full. Prosecutors said there were about six truck stops and two rest stops between Eugene and the Santiam River rest stop. Smith said he knew the Santiam River rest stop usually had space, and trucks can’t just be parked anywhere, so he needed to find a legal spot.

“It started to weigh on me as I was not finding a parking space,” he said.

Prosecutors pressed him on why he didn’t stop driving sooner, knowing he was tired and that made driving dangerous. He said he “wasn’t clear-headed” that whole day but was not impaired.

“You’re supposed to take care of being tired,” Smith said. “We learn to recognize it early. They really stress not driving while you’re tired, at the same time they’re calling you to make sure you get the stops done.”

Smith appeared to become emotional, describing the crash itself. He said it was “really violent” and “like a warzone.”

“The first thing I saw when I got out of the truck was two gentlemen laying down,” Smith said. “I went up to them and I wanted to see if they were OK but they weren’t moving.”

He recalled trying to check their pulse but said it was too loud and chaotic. He said he feels devastated about the crash now.

Isabel Funk covers breaking news and public safety for the Statesman Journal. Funk can be reached at ifunk@statesmanjournal.com or on X at @isabeldfunk

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Oregon

Indiana vs. Oregon prediction: Who wins the Peach Bowl, and why?

Published

6 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Indiana vs. Oregon prediction: Who wins the Peach Bowl, and why?

It’s a family affair for the Big Ten with a spot in the national championship game on the line as No. 1 seed Indiana squares off against fifth-seed Oregon in the Peach Bowl semifinal.

Indiana has smashed up just about everything in sight, marching out to a 14-0 record with its first outright Big Ten title since 1945 by edging out reigning champ Ohio State and then pounding the bewildered SEC runner-up Alabama in the Rose Bowl quarterfinal.

If they go all the way, the Hoosiers would become the first 16-0 team in college football since Yale did it back in 1894. Not bad for a program that has the most losses all-time.

Oregon is a 13-1 team with that one loss coming courtesy of these Hoosiers back during the regular season, but is coming off a dominant 23-0 victory over Big 12 champion Texas Tech in the quarterfinal round.

Indiana vs. Oregon: Keys to the game

Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

1. Indiana’s Defensive Discipline vs. Dante Moore

Indiana’s biggest edge arguably remains a very disciplined defense that already solved Oregon’s scheme once, holding Dante Moore to 186 passing yards with two interceptions and six sacks in the October win at Eugene.

The Hoosiers compress space, tackle cleanly, and rarely bust coverages, forcing Moore to sustain long drives instead of living on explosive downfield gainers.

Key to this rematch is turning that discipline into disruption again: winning on early downs, disguising pressures, and closing throwing lanes so Oregon’s timing‑based pass game never finds a rhythm.

If Indiana can keep Moore uncomfortable without giving up cheap shots in the deep field, it tilts the game back toward another grind that favors the unbeaten No. 1 seed.

2. Oregon’s Early‑Down Efficiency and Protection

Oregon’s path back into the national title picture depends on staying ahead of the chains and protecting Moore far better than in the first meeting.

This is not a max‑protect offense; the Ducks prefer to get the ball out quickly on first and second down to avoid Indiana dictating pressure looks on third and long.

With top back Noah Whittington healthy and Jordon Davison sidelined, Oregon must manufacture run efficiency with motion, RPOs, and constraint plays rather than stubborn downhill calls into Indiana’s stout front.

If that early‑down formula works, Moore’s accuracy, Oregon’s speed at receiver, and a more confident offensive line could finally stress a Hoosier defense that has thrived when opponents become predictable.

3. Mendoza, Complementary Run Game, and Game Control

Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza has turned Indiana into a complete, ball‑control machine, pairing 36 touchdown passes with just six interceptions while adding some key rushing scores.

The Hoosiers average over 220 rushing yards per game, using a deep backfield and a physical line to stay on schedule and keep their defense fresh.

Against an Oregon defense coming off a 23–0 shutout of Texas Tech, Indiana’s key is balance: steady run success, efficient intermediate throws, and red‑zone poise that converts long, methodical drives into sevens instead of threes.

If Mendoza controls tempo again, limits negative plays, and avoids the rare turnover, Indiana’s complementary profile again looks built to survive a tight matchup.

Indiana vs. Oregon prediction: Who wins?

Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Line: Indiana -3.5, 48.5, courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

If a team of destiny exists, it might be Indiana. Give them credit: they created that destiny themselves, playing a punishing brand of defense and riding an efficient offense behind a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback.

Dante Moore had the worst game of his season against the Hoosiers’ defense, and his late interception, one of two on the day, helped seal the deal in what remains Oregon’s only loss this year.

Jordon Davison was the Ducks’ leading rusher in that first meeting, and his absence in the rematch makes it difficult to see this going another way, in particular after watching the Oregon offense fail to capitalize as much as it could have in the Orange Bowl.

Having their rushing output compromised to that degree will only put more pressure on Moore to win the game, and Indiana’s secondary coverage unit is a little too good to let that happen. The Hoosiers will play for the national championship.

College Football HQ picks…

Indiana wins 33-20
Covers the spread
And hits the over

How to watch the Peach Bowl Game

When: Fri., Jan. 9
Where: Atlanta

Time: 7:30 p.m. Eastern
TV: ESPN network

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, please call 1-800-GAMBLER.

More college football from SI: Top 25 Rankings | Schedule | Teams

Follow College Football HQ: Bookmark | Rankings | Picks

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Oregon

Oregon turns to Peyton Woodyard, Zach Grisham to fill secondary gaps for Peach Bowl

Published

18 hours ago

January 8, 2026

Press Room

Oregon turns to Peyton Woodyard, Zach Grisham to fill secondary gaps for Peach Bowl

ATLANTA — Oregon’s options for who to rotate in at safety and nickel in the Peach Bowl are finite, but not inexperienced.

Peyton Woodyard has 22 tackles and an interception as a backup this season. The sophomore is the next player behind starting deep safeties Dillon Thieneman and Aaron Flowers and could also play nickel behind Jadon Canady in the Peach Bowl against No. 1 Indiana.

Woodyard was UO’s only freshman defensive player not to redshirt last season. Though he fell behind Flowers and Lopa prior to the season, he’s still prepared to play a significant role, which could come in Friday’s College Football Playoff semifinal.

“You’d have more concern if you had a guy that wasn’t preparing like he wasn’t a starter,” defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi said. “But that’s the way he prepares. I’ve got the faith that we’re not going to put somebody out there that we don’t trust. … I don’t think if he’s out there competing for us, I wouldn’t hesitate one bit to put (him) out there.”

No. 5 Oregon lost Kingston Lopa and Daylen Austin to the transfer portal since the start of the playoff.

Walk-on Zach Grisham (44) and Woodyard (30) have the most snaps at nickel behind Canady and Austin. Woodyard has played 171 snaps this season, but just one in the Orange Bowl when Canady came out for a play. He played three snaps at deep safety during the October 11 game against Indiana.

Grisham has nine tackles in 11 games, splitting time between defense and special teams. He came in for the last defensive play in the Orange Bowl.

Lupoi called Grisham “an absolute baller” for the effort he brings to the field.

The Ducks may need to rely on one or both for a few snaps in the biggest game of the season.

“(Woodyard) brings a lot of range and he’s really smart,” Flowers said. “A really vocal leader. Great tackler. I feel super comfortable playing out there with him. Zach, he’s a man of the game. He knows every position; he knows star, safety. He’s really quick, really good man coverage.”

No. 1 Indiana (14-0) vs. No. 5 Oregon (13-1)

When: Friday, January 9
Time: 4:30 p.m. PT
Where: Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
TV: ESPN
Stream: You can watch this game on DIRECTV (free trial) or with Sling (a Sling day pass to watch this game and more is just $4.99). Streaming broadcasts for this game will be available on these streaming services locally in Oregon and Washington, but may not be available outside of the Pacific Northwest, depending on your location.

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Oregon

CFP Semifinals Preview, Picks: What to Expect in Oregon-Indiana, Ole Miss-Miami

Published

1 day ago

January 7, 2026

Press Room

CFP Semifinals Preview, Picks: What to Expect in Oregon-Indiana, Ole Miss-Miami

Two powerhouse matchups. One step away from the national championship.

After a longer wait between games in the first two rounds of the College Football Playoff, we should have two fantastic games in the semifinals, and Vegas thinks so, too.

Miami (Fla.) and Ole Miss go head-to-head fresh off their stunning upsets over Ohio State and Georgia, respectively, in the quarterfinals. Indiana and Oregon, meanwhile, will meet up in the Peach Bowl in a game that I’m really excited about.

So, let’s dive into what I think will happen in each game, and who I have winning to advance to the national championship game.

Fiesta Bowl: No. 10 Miami (Fla.) vs. No. 6 Ole Miss

When I first started watching film of this matchup, the first thing I thought of — and Miami fans are going to love this, because the last thing they want is me picking Miami after picking against the Hurricanes in the first two rounds — is that this Ole Miss team resembles the SMU team it lost to.

By the way, it’s an SMU team I just spent time around during the Holiday Bowl and I had a conversation with SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee about Miami. We both talked about how dominant Miami is on the offense and defensive lines — that defensive line is excellent. But one thing SMU was able to do was utilize tempo on offense. So, a quicker tempo to try and tire those pass rushers while getting the ball on the perimeter as much in the first half as possible. Once the pass rushers got tired in the second half, it was easier for SMU to play offense and and it took advantage of that.

Well, Ole Miss can do that. I think Trinidad Chambliss is a better quarterback than SMU’s Kevin Jennings. Ole Miss can run the ball with Kewan Lacy. The Rebels can get on the perimeter and Chambliss can create. He’s wonderful at creating. He was so good against Georgia, buying time, showing off his strong and accurate arm.

Miami takes on Ole Miss in the Fiesta Bowl 🔥

So, at first blush, I liked Ole Miss in this game and the question for me was whether it would be able to hold up at the line of scrimmage. But that’s not the main question for me with this game. The main question of this game is who is coaching for Ole Miss? I cannot believe we’re in this situation where the head coach of a team playing in the semifinal is saying, “Well, I don’t really know what’s going on with the offensive coaching staff.” Are we kidding? What in the world is going on? In what world are we operating?

This is what I find so frustrating about this situation. This moment is meant to be so special for the players. It should be about Chambliss, Lacy and all these players who’ve put themselves in a position to win the national championship. Yet, they’re not being given the best possible opportunity to do that. This is not a coach’s moment.

Now, we’re talking about whether Ole Miss offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. is back to game plan for the offense? I think Weis should’ve stayed at Ole Miss in the first place, but he followed Lane Kiffin to LSU and is still working with the Rebels through the CFP. Weis proved that he can call plays and that he doesn’t need to be under Kiffin in the win over Georgia. But now we’re sitting here and we don’t know what’s going on with Ole Miss’ offensive coaches. They should be there to build, implement, execute and call the game plan. It’s not just about who’s there on Thursday, it’s about who’s there the last seven or eight days. What should’ve happened in this situation was Kiffin allowing those coaches to remain in Oxford in a full capacity until the end of Ole Miss’ CFP run.

Miami takes down Ohio State, Indiana rolls Alabama, Georgia stunned by Ole Miss & Oregon advances

Because of that, it has made me rethink what I believe will take place in this game. What I know about this game is that Miami has something that it can rely on, and it’s at the line of scrimmage on both sides. The offensive line with tackle Francis Mauigoa and the run game with running back Mark Fletcher Jr. have allowed Miami to not put quarterback Carson Beck in a position where he needs to throw the ball on third-and-long. How many times was he able to pick up a first down on a first-and-manageable? He had huge pickups with his feet, and he hasn’t needed to throw the ball 150 yards so far in this playoff. If Miami can control the tempo and line of scrimmage in this game, it’ll have a great chance to win this game.

On the flip side, it’s about corralling Chambliss if you’re Miami’s defense. If he can create, who knows how many points Ole Miss can score? This is a very good Ole Miss offense and it’s led by a quarterback who can force a lot of problems.

What do I think is going to happen? The quickest way to be defeated is to be distracted, and Miami fans, I’m sorry to do this to you, but I’ve got to go with the Canes.

Pick: Miami (Fla.) 30, Ole Miss 24 (Miami -3.5)

Peach Bowl: No. 5 Oregon vs. No. 1 Indiana

This is going to be one heck of a game, and we’ve already seen these two teams go head-to-head. We saw Indiana beat Oregon in Eugene in an incredible game that was tied in the fourth quarter before the Hoosiers pulled away with an incredible drive from Fernando Mendoza.

Let me talk a little bit about Indiana. You’re here because you love this sport like I do, but there are things that can be frustrating and there’s one thing that’s frustrating with this Indiana team. There’s an overlooking of Indiana that’s happening right now across the country. The reason I know that is that Indiana’s résumé is the best résumé in all of college football, without a doubt. Indiana’s the most tested team in the country. The Hoosiers are 14-0 and have handled everybody. They have only given up more than 15 offensive points one time this year, and that was in a game on the road against Penn State. Indiana has only given up more than one touchdown in two games. This is the team that’s so sound, mistake-free and just absolutely bludgeoned Alabama.

Oregon faces Indiana in a Big Ten CFP semifinal 🔥

If you listen to some of the loudest voices, you get a sense that they think anyone can win the national championship. But if this Indiana team had any other logo, we would all be talking about whether this is the best team we’ve ever seen in college football. Yes, I know I’ve been guilty of this as well with the way I talked about Ohio State earlier this season, but no team in the history of our sport has ever gone 16-0. Granted, that’s a scheduling thing, but Indiana has a chance to do that and it’s been one of the great defensive teams we’ve had in a long time.

So no, this isn’t a wide-open playoff. Indiana and Oregon are the odds-on favorites to win it all by a wide margin because of how tested they’ve been. That’s specifically the case for Indiana, which beat three teams that played in the CFP quarterfinals. No other team can say that. This team stands on business as the best team in college football.

To that end, there are four tight games Indiana has played this year. If you’re Oregon, you’ve got to mimic those tight games. Oregon understands that blueprint because it played in one of those games. The blueprint isn’t simple, but in every one of those games, a few things happen. One of them is attacking Indiana’s strengths and making it work to succeed. The first area I would go after is Indiana’s run game. In all four of its close matchups, Indiana ran for less than 4 yards per carry. You have to do that just to remain in the game. When Indiana is able to run the ball efficiently, it’s almost unstoppable on third down. Indiana had the No. 1 third-down offense in college football because it’s in short-yardage situations.

Second, Oregon has to find a way to score in the red zone, and I’m not talking about field goals. One of the things that goes unnoticed with Indiana is how elite its defense has been and how strong its red zone defense is. Indiana is No. 1 in the country in red zone touchdown percentage against at 26%. It’s a low number that we haven’t seen in several years. Oregon was 0-for-3 in scoring red zone touchdowns in the first matchup.

Indiana adds Josh Hoover and Nick Marsh from the transfer portal 👏

Lastly, Oregon has to play cleanly against this Indiana team. Indiana plays clean and doesn’t make mistakes. Indiana is ice-cold, no mistakes, to quote Ice Man from “Top Gun.” Maybe we should start calling Curt Cignetti Ice Man because Indiana is phenomenal at limiting penalties and turnovers. Indiana posted the third-fewest penalties per game this season and has only committed eight turnovers so far. Indiana’s turnover margin is plus-18, which is tied for first in the nation.

Those are three things Oregon needs to do just to be in the game late. Even then, that might not be enough because Indiana might be the most clutch team in college football. The Heisman Trophy winner, Fernando Mendoza, was clutch in all four of Indiana’s tight wins this year.

This Oregon team is no slouch, though. What Dan Lanning has built at Oregon can’t be overstated. Oregon is 38-4 in the last three years, losing to Washington twice (played for national championship in 2023), Ohio State (won national championship in 2024) and Indiana earlier this year. This is a great program that’s deep and strong at almost every position. It just happens to be going against a team that’s suffocatingly good.

Indiana dominates Alabama, Are they the new powerhouse of college football?

When Oregon’s offense gets its chances, quarterback Dante Moore has got to capitalize. Oregon can’t have mistakes and miscues. Lanning is going to have to manage a really great game because if you miss a chance against Indiana, there’s a good chance the Hoosiers are going to win the game.

If there’s one team that can do it, though, it would be Oregon. If you take away sacks, Oregon ran the ball for 4.8 yards per carry in its first matchup against Indiana. That’s the best way to protect Moore. We saw Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin and Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson struggle against Indiana when their respective teams didn’t run the ball efficiently and early in down sets.

I can talk all day about this game, but I’ve got to make a pick. I’ve got Indiana winning and covering, although this will be a phenomenal game.

Pick: Indiana 27, Oregon 21 (Indiana -4.5)

Joel Klatt is FOX Sports’ lead college football game analyst and the host of the podcast “The Joel Klatt Show.” Follow him @joelklatt and subscribe to “The Joel Klatt Show” on YouTube.

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