Oregon Rolls Past James Madison, Sets Sights on CFP Quarterfinal Clash with Texas Tech
Call it a playoff game on paper, but on the field, Oregon made it look more like a high-powered scrimmage. The Ducks came out firing and never looked back, overwhelming James Madison with a relentless offensive onslaught en route to a 51-34 win in the College Football Playoff first round at Autzen Stadium.
From the opening whistle, Oregon’s offense was in full command. The Ducks scored touchdowns on their first five possessions, putting the game out of reach before halftime.
It wasn’t just efficient-it was explosive. In the first half alone, Oregon dropped 34 points, averaged a staggering 14.4 yards per play, and never needed more than five plays to find the end zone on any scoring drive.
By the time the final whistle blew, Oregon had racked up 514 total yards-313 of them coming through the air. Quarterback Dante Moore was locked in, throwing for four touchdowns on the night, while wideout Malik Benson torched the JMU secondary with five catches for 119 yards and two scores.
James Madison, just four years removed from FCS status, didn’t go quietly. The Dukes put up 509 yards of their own and hung 28 points in the second half, but most of that came after the game was well in hand.
Running back Wayne Knight broke the century mark with 110 yards on the ground, and quarterback Alonza Barnett III added 273 yards and two touchdowns through the air. But the early hole was too deep, and Oregon's firepower too much.
The tone was set from the very first drive. Oregon needed just four plays to strike, with Moore hitting Jamari Johnson on a 41-yard touchdown pass to open the scoring. Johnson stretched the ball across the goal line as he was brought down, giving the Ducks a quick 6-0 lead.
James Madison answered with a methodical drive of its own, converting two fourth downs before settling for a 30-yard field goal. But that would be as close as they’d get.
Oregon responded immediately. A 40-yard strike to Dierre Hill Jr. followed by a 23-yard run from Jordon Davison set up Moore’s 5-yard touchdown run, pushing the lead to 13-3.
Then came a 56-yard touchdown sprint by Hill early in the second quarter, followed by back-to-back touchdown passes from Moore-first a 20-yarder to Jeremiah McClellan, then a 46-yard bomb to a wide-open Benson. Just like that, it was 34-3, and the Ducks were in cruise control.
To their credit, the Dukes kept swinging. They tacked on 10 points before halftime and came out of the locker room with some tricks up their sleeve. A fake punt helped set up a 47-yard touchdown pass to Nick DeGennaro, narrowing the gap slightly.
But Oregon’s response was swift and ruthless. Less than two minutes later, Moore hit Benson again-this time for 45 yards and another touchdown. The Ducks' lead ballooned to 41-13.
Special teams joined the party midway through the third quarter. Blake Purchase got a hand on a JMU punt, and Jayden Limar scooped up the loose ball and returned it 15 yards for a touchdown, pushing the lead to 48-13.
Moore wasn’t flawless-he threw two interceptions, including one near the goal line late in the third quarter. That pick, returned 61 yards by Justin Eaglin, set up a 24-yard touchdown pass from Barnett to George Pettaway. JMU cut the lead to 48-26, but Oregon chewed up six minutes on the ensuing drive, capping it with a 48-yard field goal by Atticus Sappington.
Barnett added a late 1-yard touchdown run with just over a minute left, but by then, the Ducks were already looking ahead.
Next up: a CFP quarterfinal showdown against Texas Tech on January 1 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Oregon will have some familiarity with the Red Raiders-they beat them 38-30 in Lubbock back in 2023.
But what really looms large is the memory of last year’s quarterfinal, when Ohio State handed Oregon a lopsided loss. This time, the Ducks are out to rewrite that script.
With Moore dealing, Benson breaking loose, and the offense firing on all cylinders, Oregon looks like a team ready for the big stage. Texas Tech awaits, and if the Ducks play like they did Saturday night, they’ll be a tough out for anyone.