Oregon Ducks vs. James Madison First Round Playoff Betting Odds Released

The College Football Playoff bracket is set, and the No. 5 Oregon Ducks will play the No. 12 James Madison Dukes. The Ducks will host the matchup at Autzen Stadium, and the initial betting odds for the matchup have been released.

Oct 28, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning congratulates players after defeating the Utah Utes at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images | Christopher Creveling-Imagn Images

After a weekend of conference championships, the College Football Playoff bracket is set. The No. 5 Oregon Ducks will face the No. 12 James Madison Dukes in the first round at Autzen Stadium.

Betting Odds

The No. 5 Oregon Ducks are 21.5-point favorites against James Madison on FanDuel Sportsbook. The moneyline for Oregon is -2800, and the point total is set at 50.5.

The betting odds will not come as a surprise, as the Ducks are the higher-ranked team with bigger wins this season. The Ducks will also be hosting a playoff game, and the crowd at Autzen Stadium will help boost Oregon to success.

Nov 22, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning smiles before the game against the Southern California Trojans at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Oregon With Time To Get Healthy

One of the biggest boosts to not having to play in the Big Ten championship is that the Ducks had time to get healthy. Even if not every player returns against the Dukes, every player has a chance to earn valuable rest late in the year.

Wide receivers Dakorien Moore and Gary Bryant Jr. have been sidelined with injuries, and their status will be something to monitor during the playoff. Moore has not played since Oct. 25 against the Wisconsin Badgers, and getting their young true freshman back will be key to making a playoff push.

While the two have been absent for the majority of the final month of the season, the Ducks have had several players step up in their place, such as wide receiver Malik Benson. Getting their key players back and knowing how strong Benson and the other receivers are will only help a dominant offense.

Sep 13, 2025; Evanston, Illinois, USA; Headshot of Oregon Ducks wide receiver Dakorien Moore (1) against the Northwestern Wildcats during the second half at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

Oregon’s Explosive Offense To Shine

The Oregon Ducks have an explosive offense that will get the chance to shine in the first round of the playoff. Oregon is led by quarterback Dante Moore, who stepped up massively for the program this season.

Moore passed for 2,733 yards and 24 touchdowns in the regular season. He has thrown just six interceptions with a 72.5 completion percentage. Between a talented Oregon offensive line and Moore’s mobility, he has been sacked just 12 times and has rushed for 191 yards and one touchdown.

Moore has passed the ball around at a high level, with Benson leading the team with 526 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Tight end Kenyon Sadiq has the most receptions (40) for 490 yards and leads the team with eight touchdowns.

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Oregon’s offense has an elite run game, which has been a major aspect of the Ducks’ dominance. Oregon running back Noah Whittington leads the team with 774 yards and six touchdowns. True freshman Jordon Davison has yards (535) but leads the team with 13 rushing touchdowns.

Oregon’s well-balanced offense has a chance to take off against the James Madison Dukes in the CFP.

Nov 8, 2025; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Oregon Ducks running back Noah Whittington (6) runs the ball against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the second quarter at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Oregon’s Defense To Make Early Statement

One of the reasons Oregon is a massive favorite entering the first round of the playoff is the team’s defense. The Ducks are allowing an average of 4.48 yards per play. They rank No. 3 in the FBS, allowing opponents to pass for 144.3 yards per game.

Linebacker Bryce Boettcher leads the team with 103 total tackles, one sack, one interception, and one forced fumble. Linebacker Teitum Tuioti leads the Ducks with seven sacks.

Oregon’s freshmen have been stepping up big time this year, with cornerback Brandon Finney Jr. having a big season. Finney Jr. has defended seven passes this year and has two forced fumbles and one interception.

Oregon inside linebacker Bryce Boettcher arrives at the field as the Oregon Ducks take on the Washington Huskies on Nov. 29, 2025, at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

James Madison Preview

The James Madison Dukes finished the regular season 12-1, clinching a spot in the CFP as Sun Belt conference champions.

The offense is led by quarterback Alonza Barnett III, who has had a big season for the Dukes with 2,533 passing yards and 21 touchdowns. He is a talented runner, totaling 544 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns.

The biggest playmaker on the Dukes' offense is running back Wayne Knight. He leads the team with 1,263 yards and nine touchdowns. The Oregon defense will have to step up quickly to shut down JMU's run game. Wide receiver Landon Ellis is the biggest receiving threat with 541 yards and five touchdowns.

Defensively, defensive lineman Sahir West will be the toughest test for Oregon's talented offensive line. He leads the team with seven sacks.

• Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. 
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