JMU Falls to Oregon in CFP, But Leaves Autzen with Pride and Proof They Belong
EUGENE - As the final whistle blew and the scoreboard read 51-34 in favor of Oregon, James Madison head coach Bob Chesney stood in the east end zone of Autzen Stadium-arms open, smile on his face, greeting each of his players with a hug. The moment was heavy, not just because it marked the end of a College Football Playoff run for the Dukes, but because it also closed the book on Chesney’s two-year tenure at JMU.
His next chapter? Leading UCLA.
But on this night, the focus was on the players who had just gone toe-to-toe with one of the nation's top teams.
“I told them to be proud of what they did all year,” Chesney said. “Tonight stings, sure, but what they accomplished this season is something to celebrate.”
And he’s right. The No.
12 Dukes didn’t just show up-they showed they belonged. Despite being physically outmatched by a bigger, faster, and deeper Oregon squad, JMU put up 509 yards of total offense, becoming the first team all year to hang more than 400 yards and 30 points on the Ducks.
That’s not just a moral victory-it’s a statement.
Quarterback Alonza Barnett III, who threw for 273 yards and two touchdowns, summed it up best: “It wasn’t our best performance all-around, but I believe people saw that we were meant to be on this level.”
A Dream Realized, A Fight Delivered
For Barnett, the moment was personal. He grew up a Ducks fan, dreaming of playing in Autzen Stadium.
But once the lights came on, the nostalgia faded. “Of course, the environment is cool,” he said, “but the main focus is winning.”
Wide receiver Nick DeGennaro, who hauled in five catches for 90 yards and a touchdown, had his own full-circle moment. He first visited Autzen as a fan in 2012, watching Marcus Mariota and the Ducks fall in a heartbreaker to Stanford. Thirteen years later, he was on the field himself, making plays in a playoff game.
“This is the stage you want to play on,” DeGennaro said. “It’s a privilege.
It’s an honor. It’s a blessing.”
Noise, Mistakes, and a Second-Half Response
Chesney knew what his team was walking into. To prepare, he cranked up the artificial crowd noise and music at practice to simulate Autzen’s famously raucous environment.
Even so, the real thing hit hard. JMU fell behind 34-6 at halftime, rattled by the noise and Oregon’s speed.
But the Dukes didn’t fold. They outscored the Ducks 28-17 in the second half, showing resilience and poise in a hostile setting.
The biggest issue? Penalties.
Thirteen of them, totaling 113 yards-many in critical moments.
“If we didn’t end with 13 penalties, is this a little bit of a different game? Maybe,” Chesney said.
“But that’s a tough offense to stop. It’s tough for a lot of teams in the entire country to stop.”
Oregon’s offensive line was particularly impressive, especially in the way it created lanes on the outside. The Ducks rushed for 201 yards, and Chesney praised their ability to get to the second level with ease.
Still, JMU moved the ball. Offensive coordinator Dean Kennedy pointed to the penalties as the biggest setback.
“I thought we did a good job at times,” he said. “But when you face a team like this, you can’t make those mistakes-especially in the red zone.”
A Program on the Rise, A Season to Remember
This wasn’t just a game-it was the culmination of a two-year rebuild after Curt Cignetti’s departure to Indiana. Over 100 new players joined the program during that span. What they built together was special.
“I think this season was just special for a lot of us,” said safety Jacob Thomas. “The returning guys at JMU who stuck through the coaching change and not having the best season last year… to do what we did this year, it’s really special.”
The atmosphere in Eugene didn’t disappoint. Chesney likened it to JMU’s own Bridgeforth Stadium-just with 30,000 more people.
Saturday’s crowd of 55,124 brought the noise, but also the hospitality. Chesney noted how Ducks fans at the team hotel were gracious and welcoming.
On the field, though, Oregon was all business.
A Farewell, and a Foundation
In the end, the scoreboard didn’t tell the whole story. JMU didn’t just show up-they competed, they fought, and they proved they belonged on the CFP stage. As Chesney embraced his players one by one, he reminded them to take their time removing their pads-especially the seniors.
“For some of them, it will be the last time they take their pads off,” he said. “But to accomplish what we did to get here, I think those are things we should be really, really proud of.”
The loss doesn’t erase the journey. It doesn’t undo the belief, the leadership, or the heart this team showed all season.
“It doesn’t take away from what we did throughout the course of the year,” Chesney said. “Their leadership, their belief in one another, and the style of football they played-that’s what matters.”
And that’s what they’ll carry with them, long after the lights at Autzen go dark.