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Oregon defeated James Madison 51-34 in the first round of the College Football Playoff on Saturday.
The score appeared to be more lopsided over the first three quarters as Oregon jumped out to a 48-13 lead over JMU midway through the third quarter.
JMU managed to make the deficit look a little more aesthetic by outscoring the Ducks 20-3 in the final quarter and a half.
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Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) throws a 20-yard touchdown in the second quarter during the first-round College Football Playoff game between the Oregon Ducks and the James Madison Dukes on Dec. 20, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. (Brian Murphy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Ducks (12-1) advanced to face Texas Tech in a quarterfinal game at the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1. Oregon won a playoff game for the first time since 2014 when the Ducks beat Florida State in the Rose Bowl semifinals before losing to Ohio State.
James Madison (12-2) dropped Group of Five teams to 0-4 in CFP games. No. 17 Tulane fell 41-10 at No. 6 Mississippi also on Saturday.
Oregon quarterback Dante Moore completed a 41-yard touchdown pass to Jamari Johnson less than two minutes into the game to give Oregon a lead it would not relinquish. Johnson hauled in Moore’s pass with his right hand and scampered into the end zone, drawing a pair of defenders.
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Oregon Ducks running back Jordon Davison (0) runs the ball against James Madison Dukes defensive lineman Xavier Holmes (9) and linebacker Drew Spinogatti (56) during the first round College Football Playoff game between the Oregon Ducks and James Madison Dukes on December 20, 2025 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. (Brian Murphy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
James Madison answered with a 30-yard field goal from Morgan Suarez on its next drive, one that took 15 plays and burned 8:03. The Ducks took over from there, rattling off four straight touchdowns before the Dukes snuck in with another Suarez field goal before halftime, making it 34-6.
Falling behind by such a wide margin, James Madison walked away from its rushing attack, which ranked fifth in the nation in average yards per carry. match that went into the evening. Sun Belt Player of the Year Alonza Barnett III completed 23 of 48 passes, including a 47-yard touchdown pass to Nick DeGennaro on James Madison’s first drive of the third quarter.
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Oregon Ducks running back Dierre Hill Jr. (23) scores a touchdown on a 56-yard run against James Madison Dukes safety Jacob Thomas (7) during the first round College Football Playoff game between the Oregon Ducks and James Madison Dukes on December 20, 2025 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. (Brian Murphy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Oregon promptly answered with two touchdowns, including wide receiver Malik Benson’s second TD and a blocked punt that Jayden Limar scooped up and returned 15 yards for a score. James Madison scored the final three touchdowns.
The win was the Ducks’ seventh straight since losing to No. 1 Indiana 30-20 on Oct. 11. James Madison had won 11 in a row.
