Why Oregon Is The Most Dangerous Team In The College Football Playoff

The No. 5 Oregon Ducks defeated the No. 12 James Madison Dukes 54-31 in the first round of the CFP. While Malik Benson led the Ducks in receiving, Dakorien Moore and Gary Bryant Jr. returned for Oregon and were featured on limited snaps.

Dec 20, 2025; Eugene, OR, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning looks on during the fourth quarter against the James Madison Dukes at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

The No. 5 Oregon Ducks earned their first College Football Playoff win since 2014 with a 54-31 victory over the No. 12 James Madison Dukes in the first round. In the win, Oregon put on an impressive offensive performance, recording 514 total yards of offense, which included several players stepping up in a major way for the Ducks. 

Oregon wide receiver Malik Benson was one of the offensive stars who had a spectacular performance for the Ducks in the first-round playoff win over James Madison, leading the team in receiving with five receptions for 119 yards and two touchdowns. 

Dec 20, 2025; Eugene, OR, USA; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Malik Benson (4) makes a catch for a touchdown during the third quarter against the James Madison Dukes at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Malik Benson's Impact On Oregon's Offense This Season

Dec 20, 2025; Eugene, OR, USA; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Malik Benson (4) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the second quarter against the James Madison Dukes at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images | Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

Entering Saturday night’s playoff matchup against James Madison, Benson had an incredible end to the regular season, stepping up in the absence of the Ducks' two top wide receivers, Dakorien Moore and Gary Bryant Jr.

Benson was most notably impactful in Oregon’s two crucial wins to end the regular season, that helped get them to the playoff against the No. 16 USC Trojans and Washington Huskies. 

Moore and Bryant Jr., who have been sidelined since Oregon’s 18-16 road win over the No. 23 Iowa Hawkeyes on Nov. 8, returned from their injuries in the first-round matchup. The two were featured on a limited number of snaps in the game, with Moore being the only one out of the two to record a reception in the game.

MORE: Three Biggest Takeaways From Oregon's Playoff Win Over James Madison

MORE: Oregon Coach Dan Lanning Is Turning Heads For Ducks' Playoff Entrance

MORE: National Championship Betting Odds After Oregon's Win Over James Madison

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How Return Of Offensive Stars Benefits Oregon's National Title Chase

Nov 14, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Dakorien Moore (1) watches teammates warm up before a game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

With Moore, Bryant Jr., and the other impactful players on Oregon’s offense slowly progressing their way back from injury, Benson believes that the Ducks are capable of performing even better moving forward in the CFP.

“We have a lot of great guys in that receiving room, so it's really just next-man-up mentality, but we’re getting our guys back, and when we’re all clicking on all cylinders, it’s going to get very scary for whoever we got to go against,” Benson said after the win over James Madison.

In addition to Benson’s 100-plus yard receiving performance in the first-round playoff win, wide receiver Jeremiah McClellan also put on an impactful performance for Oregon. McClellan collected six receptions for 83 yards and a touchdown for the Ducks. His continued contributions are key to Oregon's offensive success moving forward in the playoff.

Oregon's Orange Bowl Matchup vs. Texas Tech

Texas Tech's Jacob Rodriguez gets up after making a tackle against BYU during the Big 12 Conference championship football game, Saturday, Nov. 6, 2025, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With the win over James Madison, Oregon now advances to the CFP Quarterfinal at the Orange Bowl to face the Big 12 champions, the No. 4 Texas Tech Red Raiders. While Benson and McClellan both look to continue to have an impact offensively for the Ducks, Moore and Bryant Jr. aim to make their contributions on offense since returning from injury. Wide receiver Evan Stewart didn't play for the Ducks' win over the Dukes, but could be on track to play in the Orange Bowl.

Oregon, featuring several talented offensive weapons on its roster that they can rely on, gives them a shot to make a run at a national championship. In Oregon’s Orange Bowl matchup against Texas Tech, defense will be a major key for both teams. The Ducks offense willl look to challenge Texas Tech’s dominant defense, led by star linebacker Jacob Rodriguez.

Whichever defense plays better in the Orange Bowl will likely win. Oregon faces Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1, with the kickoff from Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida, scheduled for 9 a.m. PT on ESPN.