Dante Moore Shines as Oregon Rolls Past James Madison in CFP Opener
EUGENE, Ore. - Welcome back to the College Football Playoff, Oregon. And what a return it was.
Behind a five-touchdown performance from quarterback Dante Moore, No. 5 Oregon powered past No.
19 James Madison, 51-34, on Saturday night in a high-octane CFP first-round matchup. With the win, the Ducks (12-1) move on to face Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl quarterfinal on January 1, marking their first playoff victory since the 2014 Rose Bowl.
Let’s be clear: this was a statement game from Oregon - and from Moore, who looked every bit the part of a future superstar under the postseason spotlight.
Moore’s Moment
From the opening whistle, Moore wasted no time letting everyone know the Ducks came ready. Less than two minutes into the game, he dropped a 41-yard dime to tight end Jamari Johnson, who made a highlight-reel one-handed grab before dragging defenders into the end zone. It was the kind of play that sets the tone - and Oregon never looked back.
Moore finished the night with four touchdown passes and added another score on the ground, orchestrating an offense that looked borderline unstoppable through the first half. The Ducks scored touchdowns on four straight possessions after James Madison’s opening field goal, building a commanding 34-6 lead by halftime.
James Madison’s Uphill Battle
Credit to James Madison - the Dukes didn’t back down. But falling behind early forced them to abandon their bread and butter: the ground game.
Coming into the night, JMU’s rushing attack ranked fifth nationally in average yards per game. But once Oregon jumped out in front, the Dukes had no choice but to lean heavily on quarterback Alonza Barnett III.
Barnett, the Sun Belt Player of the Year, put up a gritty effort, completing 23 of 48 passes. He connected on a 47-yard touchdown strike to Nick DeGennaro early in the third quarter, trying to inject life into a comeback bid. But Oregon responded immediately - as they did all night - with a pair of touchdowns, including Malik Benson’s second score and a special teams gem: a blocked punt scooped up by Jayden Limar and returned 15 yards to the house.
To their credit, the Dukes didn’t roll over. They scored the game’s final three touchdowns, showing the kind of resilience that got them to this stage in the first place. But the early deficit proved too steep to overcome.
Ducks Keep Rolling
This win makes it seven straight for Oregon since their lone loss of the season - a 30-20 defeat to No. 1 Indiana back on October 11. And with momentum on their side, the Ducks are starting to look like a team that could make serious noise in this expanded playoff format.
There was more good news for Oregon fans: freshman wide receiver Dakorien Moore, who had missed the last four games with a knee injury, made his return. Moore, the team’s third-leading receiver, adds yet another weapon to an already explosive offense. If he’s back to full speed by the time Oregon takes the field in Miami, that could be a game-changer.
Dukes Hit a Wall
For James Madison, the loss drops Group of Five teams to 0-4 in College Football Playoff appearances. It also exposed a rare breakdown in what had been one of the nation’s stingiest defenses.
The Dukes came into the night ranked second in the country in rushing yards allowed per game. But Oregon gashed them for 201 yards on the ground - 150 of those coming before halftime.
That’s a tough pill to swallow for a defense that had held opponents to under two total rushing yards in three of its last four games. But facing a Power Four offense with Oregon’s speed and depth is a different kind of challenge - and it showed.
What’s Next
For Oregon, the focus shifts to a New Year’s Day showdown with Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl. The Ducks haven’t won a national title since the playoff era began, but with Dante Moore playing like this and the offense firing on all cylinders, they’re very much in the conversation.
As for James Madison, the Dukes’ dream season comes to an end, but not without plenty to be proud of. An 11-game win streak, a Sun Belt title, and a CFP berth in their first year of eligibility - that’s a strong foundation to build on.
But Saturday night belonged to the Ducks. And if this version of Oregon shows up again in Miami, they won’t just be playing - they’ll be contending.