James Madison puts up valiant fight, but Group of Five teams still have much to prove in CFP
December 21, 2025
Perhaps it was James Madison going for it twice on fourth down on its first drive of the game. Or, maybe it was coach Bob Chesney calling for a wide receiver pass on the Dukes’ second series of the evening. Even 12th-ranked James Madison successfully pulling off a fake punt could have adequately explained what the scoreboard failed to convey. It was clear that the fifth-ranked Oregon Ducks were in a different class than their visitors in a 51-34 win in a College Football Playoff first round matchup Saturday at Autzen Stadium. Oregon led 48-13 midway through the third quarter before the Dukes added a trio of late touchdowns to make the final score appear closer than the game really was.