Ducks build big lead, outlast James Madison 51–34 in CFP opener

 

EUGENE, Ore. — Autzen magic has long been a shorthand explanation for what happens when Oregon plays meaningful games in Eugene, and on a calm December night, it showed itself again — not through deafening noise or record attendance, but through efficiency, explosiveness and an early avalanche that carried the Ducks into the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.

No. 5 Oregon overwhelmed No. 12 James Madison 51-34 on Saturday night in the program’s first-ever home playoff game, building a 34-6 halftime lead before surviving a second-half surge that provided both a final margin and a sobering set of teaching points as the Ducks turn their attention to the Orange Bowl.

Oregon (13-1) will face Texas Tech on Jan. 1 in Miami, a matchup that arrives with higher stakes and far less margin for defensive lapses than the one the Ducks allowed to linger against the Dukes.

On a night when 46 degrees felt almost generous for late December in the Willamette Valley — no rain, no wind, clear skies — Oregon wasted no time taking advantage of ideal conditions.

The Ducks won the coin toss and elected to receive, and four plays later Dante Moore made it clear the stage would not overwhelm him. From a clean pocket in a 12-personnel look, Moore lofted a deep ball to tight end Jamari Johnson, who made a one-handed grab and rumbled 41 yards for a touchdown. The two-point conversion failed, but the message was sent: Oregon would dictate the terms.

James Madison responded with poise and patience. Quarterback Alonza Barnett III kept Oregon’s defense off balance with zone reads and perimeter runs, including a 24-yard burst by Wayne Knight that pushed the Dukes near midfield. Twice on the opening drive, James Madison converted fourth downs, chewing up more than eight minutes of clock before stalling at the Oregon 12 and settling for a field goal.

It would be a familiar theme — long, creative drives that looked competitive on paper but failed to keep pace with Oregon’s scoring bursts.

After Dakorien Moore and Gary Bryant Jr. were limited early, Oregon leaned on a reshuffled receiving corps, and it paid immediate dividends. A quick-strike drive highlighted by a 40-yard catch-and-run by Dierre Hill Jr. ended with Moore scoring on a 5-yard keeper to make it 13-3 late in the first quarter.

James Madison continued to empty its bag of tricks. A double pass on its second possession resulted in a 50-yard completion from Nick DeGennaro to Ellis Landon, but penalties and a blocked kick thwarted another red-zone opportunity. Meanwhile, Oregon’s defensive front — led by A’Mauri Washington — began to assert itself, forcing punts after James Madison’s first two extended drives.

The floodgates opened midway through the second quarter.

Hill took a pitch left and outran the defense for a 56-yard touchdown to make it 20-3. On the next possession, Jeremiah McClellan capped a four-play drive with a 20-yard touchdown catch despite being held, showcasing the growth he displayed while Bryant and Dakorien Moore were sidelined. Moments later, Moore found Malik Benson for a 51-yard strike to push the lead to 34-3.

By then, Moore was flawless through the air, completing his first eight passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns, and Oregon had scored touchdowns on four of its first five possessions.

James Madison managed to steal points late in the half after an interception gave the Dukes a short field. A 38-yard field goal as time expired trimmed the deficit to 34-6, a small victory that loomed larger once the second half began.

The Dukes came out determined to “win the half,” and they did not hide their intentions. A fake punt on the opening drive set up a 47-yard touchdown pass from Barnett to DeGennaro, cutting the margin to 34-13 and injecting life into a game that had appeared decided.

Oregon answered immediately. Moore hit Benson for a 45-yard touchdown just over four minutes later, restoring a 28-point cushion.

But the rhythm that defined the first half never fully returned.

The Ducks punted for the first time, and while the defense produced a highlight — Blake Purchase forcing a blocked punt that Jayden Limar returned for a touchdown — the game began to tilt toward extended possessions and defensive strain.

A costly interception near the goal line by Moore led directly to a James Madison touchdown, trimming the score to 48-20 late in the third quarter. From there, the Dukes continued to find space, piling up yardage through the air and on the ground as Oregon rotated liberally on defense.

James Madison finished with 509 yards of offense, including 323 passing yards and 186 rushing yards. Barnett threw for 273 yards and two touchdowns while adding 45 yards and a score on the ground. Knight rushed for 110 yards, and the Dukes converted all four of their fourth-down attempts.

Oregon, meanwhile, added a fourth-quarter field goal to push the lead to 51-26, but James Madison answered again late to bring the final score to 51-34 — a margin that reflected both Oregon’s explosive ceiling and its lingering inability to fully close games defensively.

By the final whistle, the result was comfortable, but the film will not be.

Oregon allowed more than 500 yards of offense, committed five penalties — all 15-yard fouls — and surrendered 28 second-half points to a team that entered as a three-touchdown underdog. The Ducks’ early dominance in the trenches faded as the game wore on, a troubling trend with a far more explosive Texas Tech offense looming.

Still, the Ducks advanced, and that was the primary objective.

They did so behind Moore’s command, explosive skill talent and a first half that demonstrated exactly why Oregon remains a national title contender. Now, the margin narrows, the stakes rise, and the lessons from a strange, uneven playoff night at Autzen Stadium will carry with them to Miami.

Next stop: the Orange Bowl — where Autzen magic will be replaced by January pressure, and where Oregon will need its best football, not just its fastest start.

By the numbers
• 34 — Points allowed by the Ducks after holding James Madison to six in the first half.
• 34–6 — Oregon’s halftime lead after scoring touchdowns on four of its final five first-half possessions.
• 509 — Total yards gained by James Madison, the most allowed by Oregon this season.
• 323 — Passing yards by the Dukes, the second-highest total surrendered by the Ducks in 2025.
• 273 — Passing yards for James Madison quarterback Alonza Barnett III, who accounted for three total touchdowns.
• 110 — Rushing yards by Wayne Knight, leading a James Madison ground attack that averaged 5.3 yards per carry.
• 8-for-8 — Dante Moore’s completion start before his first incompletion, finishing with four total touchdowns.
• 12 — Explosive plays (20+ yards) by Oregon, fueling five scoring drives of four plays or fewer.
• 28 — Second-half points scored by James Madison after trailing by 28 at the break.
• Jan. 1 — Date of Oregon’s College Football Playoff quarterfinal matchup against Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl.

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