No. 5 Oregon Hosts No. 12 James Madison in Playoff Opener

The No. 5 Oregon Ducks host the No. 12 James Madison Dukes in the first round of the College Football Playoff on Saturday at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon, with kickoff set for 4:30 p.m. PT. The winner advances to face the No. 4 Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Orange Bowl quarterfinal on January 1, as both teams seek to extend their seasons in pursuit of a national championship.

Oregon enters the matchup with an 11-1 record, marking their second straight appearance in the expanded 12-team playoff. The Ducks started the season 5-0, highlighted by a 30-24 overtime victory over then-No. 3 Penn State in Week 5. Their lone defeat came in a 30-20 home loss to Indiana, which initially raised questions from the selection committee. Oregon responded with crucial late-season wins, including an 18-16 road victory over No. 23 Iowa on November 8, a 42-27 triumph against No. 16 USC, and a decisive win over Washington to close the regular season. These performances propelled them to the No. 5 seed and a home game.

The Ducks have navigated a challenging year marred by injuries, particularly on offense. Wide receivers Evan Stewart, Dakorien Moore, and Gary Bryant Jr. have been sidelined for...