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Oregon won James Madison 51-34 in the first round of the College Football Playoff on Saturday.
The score looked more lopsided through the first three quarters as Oregon led 48-13. over JMU midway through the third quarter.
JMU was able to erase the deficit towards the end, 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 pass in the second quarter during the first-round College Football Playoff 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 Orange Bowl quarterfinals 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 and then lost to Ohio State.
James Madison (12-2) dropped Group of Five teams to 0-4 in CFP games after No. 17 Tulane A 41-10 loss to No. 6 Mississippi State on Saturday.
Oregon guard Dante Moore completed a 41-yard pass to Jamari Johnson less than two minutes into the game, giving Oregon a lead it would not relinquish. Johnson intercepted Moore's pass with his right hand and raced into the end zone, dragging a pair of defenders with him.
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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 a first-round College Football Playoff game on December 20, 2025 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. (Brian Murphy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
James Madison responded with a 30-yard field goal from Morgan Suarez on its next drive that took 15 plays and burned 8:03 off the clock. The Ducks took over from there, scoring four straight touchdowns before the Dukes snuck in another field goal from Suarez before halftime to make it 34-6.
Trailing by such a large margin, James Madison came away with a rushing attack that entered the evening ranked fifth in the country in average yards per game. 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) makes a 56-yard touchdown pass against James Madison Duke running back Jacob Thomas (7) during a first-round College Football Playoff game on December 20, 2025 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. (Brian Murphy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Oregon quickly responded with two touchdowns, including receiver Malik Benson's second touchdown and a blocked punt that Jayden Lemar picked up and returned 15 yards for the score. James Madison scored the last three touchdowns.
The win was the Ducks' seventh in a row following a 30-20 loss to No. 1 Indiana on Oct. 11. James Madison has won 11 in a row.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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