Bob Chesney’s Time at James Madison Comes to an End After Playoff Defeat to Oregon

EUGENE, Ore. — Dante Moore showcased a remarkable performance, throwing four touchdown passes and rushing for another score as No. 5 Oregon triumphed over No. 19 James Madison, 51-34, in a College Football Playoff opener on Saturday night.

With this victory, the Ducks (12-1) secured a spot in the quarterfinal game against Texas Tech, scheduled for January 1 at the Orange Bowl. This marks Oregon’s first playoff win since 2014, when they defeated Florida State in the Rose Bowl semifinal before falling to Ohio State.

For James Madison (12-2), the defeat continued a challenging trend for Group of Five teams in the playoffs, dropping their record to 0-4. The Dukes’ loss followed No. 17 Tulane’s defeat against No. 6 Mississippi earlier in the day. The game also marked the end of Bob Chesney’s tenure as head coach for James Madison, as he was recently appointed to the same position at UCLA.

Moore ignited the game with a 41-yard touchdown pass to Jamari Johnson just under two minutes in, establishing an early lead that Oregon would maintain throughout. Johnson’s catch was an impressive display of skill, as he snagged the pass with one hand and battled two defenders to reach the end zone.

James Madison answered with a 30-yard field goal from Morgan Suarez, capping a lengthy 15-play drive that consumed 8:03 of the clock. However, Oregon answered back with four consecutive touchdowns, extending their lead before Suarez added another field goal just before halftime to bring the score to 34-6.

The substantial deficit prompted James Madison to abandon its formidable rushing attack, which had ranked fifth nationally in average yards per game coming into the match. Sun Belt Player of the Year Alonza Barnett III completed 23 of 48 passes, including a 47-yard touchdown pass to Nick DeGennaro during the third quarter.

Oregon quickly responded with two more touchdowns, including Malik Benson’s second of the night, along with a blocked punt that Jayden Limar returned for a touchdown. Although James Madison managed to score three touchdowns in the later stages of the game, it was not enough to close the gap.

The win marks Oregon’s seventh consecutive victory following a loss to No. 1 Indiana on October 11. In contrast, James Madison’s streak of 11 straight wins came to an end with this playoff defeat.