Oregon Ducks rout James Madison in CFP first round

No. 5 Oregon Ducks defeated the No. 12 James Madison Dukes 51-34 in the first round of the College Football Playoff on Saturday night at Autzen Stadium, earning the program’s first playoff win since 2014. Oregon, 12-1 on the season, advanced to face No. 4 Texas Tech in the CFP quarterfinals at the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1.

Oregon came out aggressively, with the offense striking immediately. Quarterback Dante Moore connected with tight end Jamari Johnson on a 41-yard touchdown pass less than two minutes into the game. Johnson made a one-handed catch, dragging two defenders into the end zone. The Ducks attempted a trick play for a two-point conversion but were unsuccessful, putting Oregon ahead 6-0 in just 1:38 off the clock.

The Dukes answered with a time-consuming 15-play, 8:03 drive led by Sun Belt Player of the Year Alonza Barnett III, which ended in a 30-yard field goal by Morgan Suarez. However, Oregon took command by scoring four consecutive touchdowns before halftime to take a 34-6 lead. Moore threw four touchdown passes and ran for another score. The Ducks’ five first-half touchdown drives each featured plays of 30 yards or more. Wide receiver Malik Benson, running back Dierre Hill, and freshman Jordon Davison all factored into the scoring, including a 56-yard touchdown run by Hill and a 46-yard TD reception by Benson.

Defensively, the Ducks limited James Madison’s rushing attack, which had ranked fifth nationally in yards per game, forcing the Dukes into a predominantly passing game. Despite moving the ball effectively at times, JMU had to settle for field goals or big plays under pressure. A blocked field goal by DT Tionne Gray and a blocked punt by OLB Blake Purchase, returned 15 yards for a touchdown by RB Jayden Limar, widened Oregon’s advantage.

By the third quarter, Oregon had built a 48-13 lead, though James Madison managed to score 20 points in the final quarter and a half, including a 47-yard touchdown pass from Barnett to Nick DeGennaro. The final score manifested some late scoring from the Dukes against reserves, but the outcome was never in doubt.

The Ducks, now winners of seven straight since their Oct. 11 loss to No. 1 Indiana, maintained their perfect CFP record against Group of Five teams, while James Madison’s 11-game winning streak came to an end, leaving them 0-4 in playoff games.

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