Oregon a Heavy Favorite as James Madison’s Playmakers Draw Focus in CFP Opener
Scouting now centers on Oregon using a QB spy to curb Alonza Barnett III’s rushing, with attention on Wayne Knight’s big-play threat.
Overview
- No. 12 James Madison visits No. 5 Oregon on Dec. 20 at 4:30 p.m. PT at Autzen Stadium on TNT/HBO Max, with the winner advancing to face No. 4 Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl quarterfinal on Jan. 1.
- James Madison is 12-1 with an 11-game win streak and a Sun Belt title, owns ESPN’s No. 123 strength of schedule, and ranks top 10 nationally in scoring offense and scoring defense.
- Quarterback Alonza Barnett III, the Sun Belt player of the year, has 2,533 passing yards and 21 touchdowns with 544 rushing yards and 14 scores as a dual-threat catalyst.
- Running back Wayne Knight leads the Sun Belt with 1,263 rushing yards and has 379 receiving yards, punctuated by a 212-yard rushing performance in the conference championship game.
- Pre-game analysis recommends a constant spy on Barnett — with safety Dillon Thieneman cited — plus steady pressure and attention to Knight’s explosiveness, while a local preview labels the threat level low and predicts Oregon 35–7.