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GAME RECAP : Oregon Overpowers JMU, 51-34

by: Ted Leroux12/21/25

Saturday night’s first round College Football Playoff matchup began with Oregon firing on all cylinders and ended with a frustrating defensive finish, but the result was all that mattered as the Ducks overpowered James Madison en route to a 51–34 victory.

If there were any concerns about rust or a slow start after a three week layoff, Oregon’s offense put them to rest almost immediately. Jeremiah McClellan got the nod in the starting lineup and made back-to-back catches to move the Ducks into James Madison territory on the opening drive. Shortly after, Dante Moore connected with Jamari Johnson on a 41-yard strike, putting Oregon up 6–0 less than two minutes into the game.

Following an inspired James Madison opening drive that featured two fourth-down conversions, drained eight minutes off the clock, and ended with a field goal to cut the lead in half, the Ducks responded once again.

Fabulous freshmen Dierre Hill and Jordon Davison accounted for 63 of Oregon’s 75 yards on back-to-back plays, setting up a Dante Moore rushing touchdown to put the Ducks up by 10.

Those pesky Dukes created another explosive play on the next drive with a wide receiver pass on third down, and it paid off. Nick DeGennaro connected with Landon Ellis for a 50-yard gain, but the rest of the drive stalled. Two penalties and a blocked field goal later, the Ducks’ defense stood tall.

The next offensive possession kept Oregon’s batting average perfect on what was nearly a flawless first half in Eugene. Dierre Hill continued his magnificent night, taking a toss on third-and-3 and racing 56 yards to the house to give the Ducks a 20–3 lead.

Oregon’s explosive first half added two more touchdowns. Dante Moore lofted a perfectly placed jump ball to Jeremiah McClellan for a 20-yard score, then connected with Malik Benson on a 46-yard rainbow for his third touchdown of the half, sending the Ducks into the break up 34–6, firing on all cylinders.

Although the Dukes managed to score multiple times in the second half, the final two quarters solidified the Ducks’ spot in the quarterfinals, claiming a 51-34 victory to advance to the quarterfinals. Malik Benson added his second deep-ball touchdown, this time from 48 yards out, and a rare offensive-defensive crossover produced a special teams score, with Blake Purchase forcing a blocked punt and Jayden Limar scooping up the leftovers for a touchdown.

Despite throwing two interceptions, Dante Moore looked at the top of his game for most of the night. The Ducks’ signal-caller threw for over 300 yards and four touchdowns, accounting for five total scores when including his first-half rushing touchdown.

Although Dakorien Moore and Gary Bryant Jr. returned from injury, they saw limited action, largely due to the outstanding play of Malik Benson and Jeremiah McClellan. The duo combined for 202 yards and three touchdowns, serving as dynamic, go-to weapons throughout the game.

The run game was also dialed in, especially early, as Oregon rushed for 205 yards at an impressive 8.5 yards per carry. Jordon Davison and Dierre Hill combined for 166 yards and consistently created explosive plays.

Oregon’s Saturday night playoff victory marked its first CFP win since the 2015 Rose Bowl. The Ducks will advance to the College Football Playoff quarterfinals, where they will face fourth-seeded Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl on New Year’s Day at 9:00 a.m. PT from Miami, Florida.

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