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Oregon defeated James Madison 51-34 in the first round of the College Football Playoff on Saturday.
The score looked like it would come down big in the first three quarters, as Oregon jumped out to a 48-13 lead over JMU midway through the third quarter.
JMU was able to make the deficit look good by outscoring the Ducks 20-3 in the final quarter and a half.
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Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) goes for a 20-yard touchdown in the second quarter during the College Football Playoff first round game between the Oregon Ducks and the James Madison Dukes on December 20, 2025 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. (Brian Murphy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The Ducks (12-1) advance to face Texas Tech in the 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 the Group of Five to 0-4 in CFP games. No. 17 Tulane fell 41-10 to No. 6 Mississippi and so 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 never relinquish. Johnson caught Moore’s pass with his right hand, then raced into the end zone as he drew two defenders.
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Oregon Ducks running back Jordon Davison (0) runs the ball against James Madison Dukes defensive end Xavier Holmes (9) and linebacker Drew Spinogatti (56) during the College Football Playoff first round game between the Oregon Ducks and James Madison Dukes on December 20, 2025 at Autzen Stadium in Oregon. (Brian Murphy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
James Madison answered with a 30-yard field goal by Morgan Suarez on its next drive, which took 15 plays and burned 8:03. The Ducks took over from there, scoring four straight touchdowns before the Dukes snuck in another Suarez field goal before halftime, bringing the score to 34-6.
Trailing by such a wide margin, James Madison got off its rushing attack, which ranked fifth in the nation in yards per game entering 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 College Football Playoff first round game between the Oregon Ducks and the James Madison Dukes on December 20, 2025 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. (Brian Murphy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Oregon responded quickly with two touchdowns, including a second TD run by wide receiver Malik Benson and a blocked punt that Jayden Limar returned 15 yards for a score. James Madison scored the last three touchdowns.
The win was the Ducks’ seventh following a 30-20 loss to No. 1 Indiana on Oct. 11. James Madison had won 11 in a row.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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