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Oregon Ducks rout James Madison in CFP first round
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- Oregon Ducks rout James Madison in CFP first round
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No. 5 Oregon Ducks defeated the No. 12 James Madison Dukes 51-34 in the first round of the College Football Playoff on Saturday night at Autzen Stadium, earning the program's first playoff win since 2014. Oregon, 12-1 on the season, advanced to face No. 4 Texas Tech in the CFP quarterfinals at the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1.
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Oregon came out aggressively, with the offense striking immediately. Quarterback Dante Moore connected with tight end Jamari Johnson on a 41-yard touchdown pass less than two minutes into the game. Johnson made a one-handed catch, dragging two defenders into the end zone. The Ducks attempted a trick play for a two-point conversion but were unsuccessful, putting Oregon ahead 6-0 in just 1:38 off the clock.
The Dukes answered with a time-consuming 15-play, 8:03 drive led by Sun Belt Player of the Year Alonza Barnett III, which ended in a 30-yard field goal by Morgan Suarez. However, Oregon took command by scoring four consecutive touchdowns before halftime to take a 34-6 lead. Moore threw four touchdown passes and ran for another score. The Ducks' five first-half touchdown drives each featured plays of 30 yards or more. Wide receiver Malik Benson, running back Dierre Hill, and freshman Jordon Davison all factored into the scoring, including a 56-yard touchdown run by Hill and a 46-yard TD reception by Benson.
Defensively, the Ducks limited James Madison's rushing attack, which had ranked fifth nationally in yards per game, forcing the Dukes into a predominantly passing game. Despite moving the ball effectively at times, JMU had to settle for field goals or big plays under pressure. A blocked field goal by DT Tionne Gray and a blocked punt by OLB Blake Purchase, returned 15 yards for a touchdown by RB Jayden Limar, widened Oregon's advantage.
By the third quarter, Oregon had built a 48-13 lead, though James Madison managed to score 20 points in the final quarter and a half, including a 47-yard touchdown pass from Barnett to Nick DeGennaro. The final score manifested some late scoring from the Dukes against reserves, but the outcome was never in doubt.
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The Ducks, now winners of seven straight since their Oct. 11 loss to No. 1 Indiana, maintained their perfect CFP record against Group of Five teams, while James Madison's 11-game winning streak came to an end, leaving them 0-4 in playoff games.
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