“Indy 500 is just Walmart’s version of F1” – the provocative sign from the Oregon Ducks in October set social media ablaze… but after their humiliating 56-22 defeat to Indiana, which saw their rivals advance to the College Football Playoff finals, the IndyCar stars are now smirking and adding fuel to the fire right in America’s premier open-world racing capital.

Who will have the last laugh?

In the world of sports, banter can be as sharp as a pit stop tire change, and few jabs have lingered quite like the one thrown by the Oregon Ducks back in October 2025.

Ahead of their regular-season clash with the Indiana Hoosiers, the Ducks’ mascot boldly hoisted a sign during ESPN’s College GameDay broadcast that read, “Indy 500 is just Walmart’s version of F1.” It was a cheeky dig at the iconic Indianapolis 500, implying the American open-wheel classic was a discount knockoff of Formula 1’s global glamour.

The sign, waved proudly in Eugene, Oregon, ignited a firestorm on social media, drawing ire from racing enthusiasts and Hoosiers fans alike. Little did the Ducks know, that provocation would come back to haunt them—not once, but twice—in a saga that has crossed the lines between college football and motorsport.

The initial spark came on October 11, 2025, when Oregon hosted Indiana in a Big Ten matchup that carried extra weight due to the pre-game trash talk. The Ducks, ranked No.

3 at the time and favored to dominate, were looking to assert their conference newcomer status after transitioning from the Pac-12. But Indiana, under head coach Curt Cignetti, had other plans. The Hoosiers played with relentless energy, outscheming Oregon on both sides of the ball.

Quarterback Kurtis Rourke threw for over 300 yards, while the defense stifled Ducks quarterback Dante Moore, forcing turnovers and limiting big plays. The final score was a stunning upset: Indiana 35, Oregon 31. Social media erupted again, this time with racing fans piling on.

“Looks like the Duck got roasted instead,” one viral post quipped, referencing the sign’s failed bravado.

IndyCar drivers and officials didn’t hold back.

Series president Jay Frye fired off a tweet: “Oregon Football is just like a Walmart @bigten football team.” Conor Daly, a veteran IndyCar driver and Indiana native, chimed in with, “Bold claim from the Great Value Donald Duck,” poking fun at the mascot’s appearance.

The Reddit community r/INDYCAR buzzed with threads like “Oregon Duck out here talking smack,” amassing hundreds of comments and upvotes. The loss stung for Oregon, but it was just the beginning.

Coach Dan Lanning downplayed the sign’s impact post-game, saying, “Our focus is on the field, not the stands.” Yet, the narrative had shifted: the Ducks had poked the bear—or rather, the Firehawk, IndyCar’s safety car—and paid the price.

Fast forward to January 9, 2026, and the stage was set for redemption or further humiliation. Both teams had navigated a grueling season to reach the College Football Playoff semifinals at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta.

Indiana entered undefeated at 14-0, having steamrolled through the Big Ten and dismantling Boise State in the quarterfinals. Oregon, after rebounding from the October defeat with wins over Penn State and others, earned the No. 5 seed.

It was a rematch laced with history, and the old sign resurfaced in pre-game hype. Analysts on FOX Sports and ESPN revisited the October jab, questioning if it would motivate the Hoosiers even more. “Disrespect like that doesn’t fade,” said RJ Young on FOX. “Indiana remembers.”

What unfolded was a masterclass in dominance by Indiana, turning the semifinal into a rout that echoed the earlier upset but amplified the embarrassment. From the opening kickoff, the Hoosiers seized control.

Quarterback Tayven Jackson, stepping up in Rourke’s absence due to injury, orchestrated a flawless offense, throwing for four touchdowns and rushing for another. Indiana’s defense, led by All-American linebacker Aiden Fisher, swarmed Oregon’s lines, sacking Moore five times and forcing three turnovers in the first half alone.

By halftime, the score was 35-7, and the game was effectively over. Oregon’s offense, usually explosive, managed only 220 total yards, with Moore completing just 18 of 35 passes for 162 yards and two interceptions. The final tally: Indiana 56, Oregon 22.

It was the most lopsided CFP semifinal in history, propelling the Hoosiers to the national championship against Miami.

Post-game reactions from Oregon were somber. Lanning, ever the motivator, framed it as a learning opportunity: “This is going to be a life lesson that a lot of people will never get. We just got our butt kicked.

That’s going to happen in life.” Moore echoed the sentiment, admitting, “We were so far in the hole that you couldn’t climb yourself out.” Ducks fans on social media expressed agony, with one viral thread on Threads reading, “Oregon tried to roast the Indy 500… Indiana served roasted duck instead.” The loss not only ended Oregon’s season but reignited the cross-sport feud.

Now, in Indianapolis—the heart of American racing, home to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the Indy 500—the IndyCar community is having the last laugh, at least for now.

Conor Daly doubled down on his earlier jab, tweeting after the game: “Remember Oregon, never disrespect the #indy500 @IMS ✌️#IUFB.” Other drivers joined in; Alexander Rossi posted a meme of the Oregon Duck mascot looking dejected, captioned, “When you talk smack about the Greatest Spectacle in Racing and get smacked twice.” Even NASCAR reporter Jamie Little, with ties to open-wheel racing, reacted with a simple “Hoosier Dominance!” on X.

Forums like Beyond the Flag ran headlines like “‘Walmart’ football team embarrassed (again) after Indy 500 cheap shot,” reveling in the irony.

The banter has added a layer of intrigue to what was already a compelling sports story.

For Indiana, the victories validate their rise under Cignetti, who post-game said, “We proved the haters wrong.” As they prepare for the national title game on January 19 in Atlanta, the Hoosiers carry the momentum of an unbeaten season and the satisfaction of avenging the sign’s slight.

Oregon, meanwhile, heads into the offseason with questions about their defense and offensive consistency, but also with the knowledge that trash talk can boomerang.

So, who will have the last laugh? If Indiana hoists the CFP trophy, it could cement their dominance and forever link the Ducks’ sign to Hoosier glory. But sports are unpredictable—much like a high-speed lap at Indy.

The Indy 500 returns in May, and perhaps some Ducks fans will be tempted to respond. Until then, in the crossroads of football and racing, the fire burns on, fueled by a simple sign that proved anything but forgettable.