Oregon’s 51-34 win over James Madison in the College Football Playoff might look like a statement on the scoreboard, but inside the Ducks’ locker room, it didn’t feel like a celebration. If anything, it felt like a warning.
Head coach Dan Lanning made that clear postgame. Yes, Oregon advanced.
Yes, they dominated early. But Lanning wasn’t handing out gold stars for a second half that saw his defense give up 21 points and over 500 total yards.
“There’s a standard here,” Lanning said. “And the second half didn’t meet it.”
Let’s set the scene. Oregon opened the game on fire, racing out to a 28-point lead by halftime and stretching it to 48-13 midway through the third quarter. For a moment, it felt like the Ducks were sending a message to the rest of the playoff field - fast, physical, and ruthless.
But then came the unraveling. James Madison, playing in its first College Football Playoff appearance, refused to go quietly. The Dukes strung together two long scoring drives in the fourth quarter - one for 89 yards, the other for 99 - capped by a short touchdown run from quarterback Alonza Barnett III and a two-point conversion with just over a minute left.
The final margin may not have threatened Oregon’s victory, but it did spark some soul-searching.
Senior wide receiver Malik Benson summed it up bluntly: “It was almost like we lost.”
That’s the kind of mindset you want from a team with championship aspirations - not satisfied with scoreboard success, but focused on the details that win titles. And Oregon knows those details matter more than ever now, with a Cotton Bowl date looming against No. 4 seed Texas Tech.
Defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi, who’ll take over at Cal after the Ducks’ playoff run, didn’t sugarcoat it either.
“We’re thankful to move on,” Lupoi said. “But if we play anything like we did in the second half, we’re going to walk out of that next game disappointed.”
And here’s why that matters: Texas Tech isn’t just a good team - they’re built to punish lapses. The Red Raiders roll into the CFP semifinal as Big 12 champs, armed with one of the most balanced attacks in the country.
Quarterback Behren Morton has been lights out, throwing for 2,643 yards and 22 touchdowns in just 11 starts. He led the Big 12 in yards per attempt (8.8), and he’s the engine behind an offense averaging 42.5 points and 480.3 yards per game.
But it’s not just Tech’s offense that should have Oregon’s attention - it’s their defense, too. The Red Raiders rank top-three nationally in both total and scoring defense, and they’re one of only two playoff teams allowing fewer yards per play than the Ducks.
That’s where Oregon’s own defensive identity comes into play. Despite the hiccups against JMU, the Ducks are still ranked No. 8 in total defense nationally, giving up just 4.36 yards per play - third-best among playoff teams.
That’s not just a stat; it’s a foundation. And they’ll need every bit of it against a Texas Tech team that can hurt you in a hurry.
The question now is whether Oregon can clean up the second-half issues and play a full 60 minutes of championship-caliber football. Because the next opponent won’t be as forgiving as James Madison.
This is where the margin for error disappears. The Ducks have the talent.
They’ve got the coaching. And they’ve got the fire - you could hear it in Lanning’s voice, see it in Benson’s reaction, and feel it in Lupoi’s frustration.
Now, it’s about execution. Because if Oregon wants to keep dancing deep into January, they’ll need more than a fast start. They’ll need to finish.