James Madison’s Strong Effort Highlights Ongoing Challenges for Group of Five Teams in the CFP
Eugene, Ore. — In a matchup that highlighted the disparity between two football programs, the fifth-ranked Oregon Ducks decisively defeated 12th-ranked James Madison, 51-34, in the first round of the College Football Playoff at Autzen Stadium on Saturday. Oregon established dominance early, leading 48-13 midway through the third quarter, before the Dukes managed to score three late touchdowns, making the final score appear closer than the contest had been.
James Madison coach Bob Chesney acknowledged the challenges his team faced. "I think the scoreboard itself, every time we got down there we kind of shot ourselves in the foot," said Chesney, who is set to take over as UCLA’s head coach. "If we did not end with 13 penalties, is this a little bit of a different game? Maybe. But at the same point in time, that’s a tough offense to stop, and I think it’s tough for a lot of teams in the entire country to stop.”
With this loss, Group of Five teams fell to an all-time record of 0-4 in College Football Playoff games. Earlier on the same day, No. 17 Tulane suffered a 41-10 defeat to No. 6 Mississippi. Notably, Penn State beat Boise State 31-14 in last year’s Fiesta Bowl, while Alabama bested Cincinnati 27-6 in a 2022 CFP semifinal.
Tulane head coach Jon Sumrall argued for greater access in the playoff system. "We’re our conference champion, and the rules are what they were," he stated. "I think you should have given the American champion an opportunity before the ACC champion this year because we beat the ACC champion."
While James Madison struggled against Oregon, they had previously excelled offensively throughout the season, rushing for over 300 yards in five games and over 200 yards in nine. However, trailing early forced them to abandon their ground game in favor of a passing strategy led by Sun Belt Player of the Year Alonza Barnett III, who attempted a career-high 48 passes. Barnett expressed confidence in his team’s inclusion in the playoff. "I believe people saw that we were meant to be on this level," he asserted.
Despite their offensive challenges, James Madison outperformed other Group of Five teams in the playoffs, scoring more points than their counterparts combined in earlier games. Yet, their inability to contain Oregon’s offensive prowess was apparent, as the Ducks averaged over 7.7 yards per rushing attempt against a Dukes’ defense known for its stinginess.
As noted by Chesney, the physical differences in personnel were considerable. "I think there were moments today where I feel like we could play with them," he reflected. "The complimentary football, and us playing in the way we needed to just did not exist."
