Early preview of No. 12 James Madison ahead of Oregon Ducks showdown
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From beginning the season with complete dominance on both sides of the ball against far inferior competition to a disappointing loss to the eventual Big Ten champion Indiana Hoosiers and finishing the season with six straight wins, the Oregon Ducks have come a long way in 2025.
All of it has culminated in the Ducks claiming the No. 5 seed in the College Football Playoff, awarding them a home playoff game at Autzen Stadium.
The opponent will be the No. 12 James Madison Dukes, who won the Sun Belt Conference and, as a result of the Duke Blue Devils winning the ACC at 8-5, make the CFP as one of the five best conference champions in college football regardless of their Group of Five label.
The Dukes and the Ducks will have nearly two weeks to prepare for the first-round matchup — so why don't we get in on the preparation as well?
In this piece, we'll take a deep dive into James Madison's resume, break down all three phases (offense, defense and special teams), name three players to watch and provide all the viewing and betting details on the game that you'll need.
James Madison's Resume
- Week 1: W 45-10 vs. Weber State
- Weel 2: L 28-14 @ Louisville
- Week 4: W 31-13 @ Liberty
- Week 5: W 35-10 vs. Georgia Southern
- Week 6: W 14-7 vs. Georgia State
- Week 7: W 24-14 vs. Louisiana
- Week 8: W 63-27 vs. Old Dominion
- Week 9: W 52-20 @ Texas State
- Week 11: W 35-23 @ Marshall
- Week 12: W 58-10 vs. App State
- Week 13: W 24-20 vs. Washington State
- Week 14: W 59-10 @ Coastal Carolina
- Sun Belt Championship: W 31-14 vs. Troy
The Dukes stumbled early on in the 2025 season, losing to the Louisville Cardinals by two scores on a Friday night. However, they led 7-6 at the half and took a 14-6 lead after their first possession in the third quarter before Louisville scored two touchdowns in a row to take the lead before a game-sealing 78-yard touchdown run in the final minutes. In reality, that matchup against the Cardinals — a team that spent several weeks ranked inside the top 25 — was far closer than the final score would suggest.
But James Madison didn't slip-up for the rest of the regular-season schedule, running the table in the Sun Belt (8-0) while narrowly taking down the Washington State Cougars in late November. The game came down to the final possessions, with a long touchdown rush with six minutes left putting the Dukes up for good.
The Sun Belt championship was close for awhile, as JMU held a 17-14 lead at halftime and into the fourth quarter before another touchdown rush pushed the lead to double figures and a scoop-and-score with three minutes remaining put the game out of reach.
For not going undefeated and for being a Group of Five team, the Dukes have a solid resume as far as making the CFP as one of the five best conference winners.
Offensive Breakdown
Despite ranking just 94th in passing, James Madison has proven to have an explosive offense thanks to a dominant rushing attack. They rank sixth in the country in rushing yards per game (245.8), leading the way for them to rank 10th in points per game (37.3).
They don't have a traditional run game either, as quarterback Alonza Barnett III is very much involved whether it be zone read or scrambling and extending plays with his legs. Neither Barnett or running back Wayne Knight are over 6-foot, allowing them to suddenly burst through the line of scrimmage often without even being seen.
There isn't any one special wide receiver on the Dukes' roster, as the top two receivers (Landon Ellis and Nick DeGennaro) combine for less than 1,000 yards. Interestingly, both are in their first seasons with JMU after transferring from FCS Richmond. Knight is the team leader in catches with 37, proving to be one of the engines behind the entire offensive show for the Dukes as he's also amassed over 1,200 yards on the ground.
Defensive Breakdown
Impressively, James Madison also ranks tenth in the nation in scoring defense, giving up just 15.8 points per game. That comes due in large part to their ability to take the run game away from their opponents, as they rank No. 2 in allowing a meager 76.2 yards per game. While some of that has to do with their opponent having to pass the ball while they're down, holding any team under 100 yards on the ground is going to equal wins much more often than not regardless of the game script.
And while teams have been forced to pass against them, the Dukes are 12th in pass defense (171.5 passing yards per game allowed). They have five defensive backs with six or more passes defensed, with DJ Barksdale leading the way with 12 PD's and two interceptions. Cornerback Justin Eaglin leads the team with four interceptions to go along with eight passes defensed.
Along with rushing defense, the Dukes excel at rushing the passer and on third down. They're tied for eighth in the country with 36 sacks while only allowing a third-down conversion by their opponent 28.7% of the time, the fifth-best mark in the country.
Special Teams Breakdown
James Madison has a relatively fine special teams situation, as kicker Morgan Suarez has converted on 12 of 16 field goals this season including all 63 extra points. He was a two-year starter with the FAU Owls before transferring to join the Dukes for his senior season.
Patrick Rea, a Melbourne, VIC, native, is a solid punter for them, averaging 40.7 yards per boot with a long of 61 yards and having downed 15 punts inside the 20-yard line.
The Dukes are middle of the pack in both punt and kick returns, having not shown anything special in that aspect of the game.
Players to Watch
There's a number of talented players across the Dukes' roster, yet these three players will have to be accounted for by the Ducks if they're to secure a first-round playoff win.
QB Alonza Barnett III
Season Stats: 193-for-322, 2,533 yards, 21 TDs, 8 INTs / / 115 rushes, 544 yards, 14 TDs
Analysis: A redshirt junior who has seen action in all four seasons at James Madison, Barnett was named the Sun Belt Player of the Year this season after scoring 35 total touchdowns. He's not super accurate with the football, completing just 59.9% of his passes, but he makes up for it by averaging 13.1 yards per completion. He's elusive with the football as well, as evidenced by his 14 rushing scores and willingness to take off and run when he sees green grass. Barnett is the best playmaker in the Sun Belt and would pose as a tough cover for any defense in the country.
RB Wayne Knight
Season Stats: 190 rushes, 1,263 yards, 9 TDs / / 37 catches, 379 yards, 1 TD
Analysis: Standing just 5-foot-7 but weighing in at 190 pounds, Knight packs a punch despite his small stature. The redshirt junior has spent all four seasons at JMU just like Barnett, giving the Dukes a highly-experienced duo in the backfield. Knight is just as much a playmaker as his quarterback, proving to be a home-run threat whenever he gets any daylight. He's also a reliable pass-catcher, leading the team with 37 receptions.
LB Trent Hendrick
Season Stats: 96 total tackles, 3 sacks, 2 passes defensed, 1 forced fumble
Analysis: Trent Hendrick is the leader of the James Madison defense, registering a team-high in tackles and being named the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year. At 6-foot and 234 pounds, Hendrick has a bit of a slight frame for a linebacker but is rangy and has tremendous instincts, always finding himself around the ball. The senior is in his fourth year with the Dukes, having contributed in all four seasons.
Game Details
When: 4:30 p.m. PST | | Dec. 20, 2025
Where: Autzen Stadium | | Eugene, Ore.
TV: TNT
Betting (per FanDuel Sportsbook)
- Line: Oregon -21.5
- Over/Under: 50.5 points
- Moneyline: Oregon -2800, James Madison +1160
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Early preview of No. 12 James Madison ahead of first round vs. Oregon
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