Oregon outlasts JMU in first round of College Football Playoff

Oregon defeated James Madison 51-34 successful the archetypal circular of the College Football Playoff connected Saturday. 

The people looked similar it would beryllium much lopsided during the archetypal 3 quarters, arsenic Oregon jumped retired to 48-13 pb implicit JMU halfway done the 3rd quarter. 

JMU managed to marque the shortage look a spot much aesthetic by outscoring the Ducks 20-3 successful the last 4th and a half. 

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Oregon Ducks backmost Dante Moore (5) passes for a 20-yard touchdown successful the 2nd 4th during the College Football Playoff archetypal circular crippled betwixt the Oregon Ducks and James Madison Dukes connected December 20, 2025 astatine Autzen Stadium successful Eugene, Oregon. (Brian Murphy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Ducks (12-1) precocious to look Texas Tech successful a quarterfinal crippled astatine the Orange Bowl connected Jan. 1. Oregon won a playoff crippled for the archetypal clip since 2014, erstwhile the Ducks bushed Florida State successful the Rose Bowl semifinal earlier losing to Ohio State.

James Madison (12-2) dropped Group of Five teams to 0-4 successful CFP games. No. 17 Tulane fell 41-10 astatine No. 6 Mississippi arsenic good Saturday.

Oregon backmost Dante Moore completed a 41-yard touchdown walk to Jamari Johnson little than 2 minutes into the crippled to springiness Oregon a pb it would not relinquish. Johnson hauled successful Moore’s walk with his close hand, and romped into the extremity portion portion dragging a brace of defenders.

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Oregon Ducks moving backmost Jordon Davison (0) runs the shot against James Madison Dukes antiaircraft lineman Xavier Holmes (9) and linebacker Drew Spinogatti (56) during the College Football Playoff archetypal circular crippled betwixt the Oregon Ducks and James Madison Dukes connected December 20, 2025 astatine Autzen Stadium successful Eugene, Oregon. (Brian Murphy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

James Madison responded with a 30-yard tract extremity from Morgan Suarez connected its adjacent drive, 1 which required 15 plays and burned 8:03. The Ducks took implicit from there, rattling disconnected 4 consecutive touchdowns earlier the Dukes snuck successful different tract extremity from Suarez up of halftime, which brought the people to 34-6.

In falling down by specified a wide margin, James Madison went distant from its rushing attack, which ranked 5th successful the federation successful mean yards per crippled entering the evening. Sun Belt Player of the Year Alonza Barnett III completed 23 of 48 passes, including a 47-yard touchdown walk to Nick DeGennaro connected James Madison’s archetypal thrust of the 3rd quarter.

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Oregon Ducks moving backmost Dierre Hill Jr. (23) scores touchdown connected a 56-yard tally against James Madison Dukes information Jacob Thomas (7) during the College Football Playoff archetypal circular crippled betwixt the Oregon Ducks and James Madison Dukes connected December 20, 2025 astatine Autzen Stadium successful Eugene, Oregon. (Brian Murphy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Oregon promptly responded with 2 touchdowns, including wide receiver Malik Benson’s 2nd TD and a blocked punt that Jayden Limar scooped and returned 15 yards for a score. James Madison scored the past 3 touchdowns.

The triumph was the Ducks’ seventh consecutive since losing to No. 1 Indiana 30-20 connected Oct. 11. James Madison had won 11 successful a row.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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