The scoreboard at Autzen Stadium did not fully capture the disparity on the field. Oregon’s fifth-ranked team dominated the 12th-ranked James Madison in a College Football Playoff first-round game that ended 51-34.
Game Overview
From the opening kickoff, the Ducks established a rhythm that the Dukes could not match. Oregon built a 48-13 lead by the middle of the third quarter, a margin that made the final score look deceptively close. James Madison’s offense, which had often relied on a strong rushing attack-over 300 yards in five games and over 200 yards in nine games during the season-was forced into a passing mode after falling behind.
The Dukes’ quarterback, Sun Belt Player of the Year Alonza Barnett III, threw a career-high 48 passes in the contest, but the team struggled to keep pace with Oregon’s relentless offense. Oregon’s run attack averaged more than 7.7 yards per attempt against a James Madison run defense that had entered the game as the nation’s second-fewest yards-per-game allowed.
Oregon’s Dominance
Oregon’s offensive prowess was on full display. The Ducks’ ability to move the ball on the ground kept the James Madison defense off-balance, while the passing game added additional layers of threat. The scoreline reflected the Ducks’ ability to convert drives into points, with the 48-13 advantage in the third quarter underscoring their superiority.
The scoreboard itself, every time we got down there we kind of shot ourselves in the foot,” coach Bob Chesney said after the game. “If we did not do that, if we did not end with 13 penalties, is this a little bit of a different game? Maybe. But at the same point in time, that’s a tough offense to stop, and I think it’s tough for a lot of teams in the entire country to stop.”
James Madison’s Struggles
James Madison had been a formidable opponent in many of its regular-season matchups, often outgaining opponents on the ground. However, the Ducks abandoned the run early in the game, a decision that left them scrambling to keep up. The only Power-Four loss James Madison had suffered all season was a 28-14 defeat to Louisville, a game in which the Dukes managed just 263 yards of total offense.
Barnett, who had led the Dukes to a 51-34 loss, remained optimistic about his team’s place in the CFP. “I believe people saw that we were meant to be on this level. When you look at the Power Four teams and whatever, the destiny is really – the ball is in your court. You control your own destiny,” Barnett said. “Most of those teams that didn’t make it, they controlled their own destiny, and we handled what we could handle and we didn’t give into outside noise.”
Group-of-Five Context
With James Madison’s loss, Group-of-Five teams fell to 0-4 all-time in CFP games. The other Group-of-Five programs also struggled: No. 17 Tulane fell 41-10 to No. 6 Mississippi on Saturday, while Penn State beat Boise State 31-14 in last year’s Fiesta Bowl. Alabama topped Cincinnati 27-6 in a 2022 CFP semifinal at the Cotton Bowl.
Jon Sumrall, head coach of the Green Wave, dismissed any notion that the team was out of place in the CFP. “We’re our conference champion and the rules are what they were, and I think there should be access for at least one G5 team moving forward,” Sumrall said. “I do. I think you should have given the American champion an opportunity before the ACC champion this year because we beat the ACC champion. So Duke won the ACC Championship; we beat them.”
Sumrall’s point was underscored by Tulane’s victories over two Power-Four teams-Northwestern and Duke-though those schools combined to finish 14-11 in 2025.
Key Takeaways
- Oregon’s 51-34 win was a statement of dominance, with a 48-13 lead midway through the third quarter.
- James Madison’s offense, normally run-heavy, was forced into a high-volume passing attack that could not keep pace.
- Group-of-Five teams remain 0-4 in CFP history, with James Madison’s loss adding to that record.
- Coach Bob Chesney highlighted penalties and offensive pressure as key factors in the game’s outcome.
- Barnett and Sumrall emphasized control of destiny and conference championships as reasons the Green Wave still felt deserving of CFP consideration.
Closing
The game showcased the stark differences that can exist between Power-Four and Group-of-Five programs in the CFP. Oregon’s performance, driven by a balanced attack and disciplined play, left no doubt about the Ducks’ class. James Madison, meanwhile, fought valiantly but was unable to overcome the Ducks’ superiority on both sides of the ball. The result reinforces the challenges that Group-of-Five teams face when stepping onto the national stage.
Hook
Autzen Stadium’s lights illuminated a game that, on paper, seemed competitive, but the reality was a blowout that underscored Oregon’s supremacy and highlighted the hurdles still faced by Group-of-Five teams in the College Football Playoff.
