Where to watch Oregon vs. James Madison: Live stream, TV channel and time for CFP game
The final spot in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals will be decided Saturday night, when No. 5 Oregon hosts No. 12 James Madison in a David vs. Goliath matchup to close out the first round of the College Football Playoff.
Oregon is back in the CFP for a second straight year, continuing its rise under fourth-year coach Dan Manning with an 11-1 regular season. Backed by Nike founder Phil Knight, the Ducks bring a strong, well-financed team that has weathered a rash of offensive injuries to secure a coveted home game.
Traveling three time zones west is a program of James Madison in only his fourth season at the FBS level. The Dukes (12-1) are operating on just a fraction of Oregon’s payroll, but they earned their spot in the field by finishing as the fifth-ranked conference champion after a 31-14 victory over Troy in the Sun Belt championship game.
Competing on the road against one of the biggest brands in college football is a daunting task. Still, James Madison will not lack confidence. The Dukes scored 70 points in a road win at North Carolina last season and held a second-half lead at Louisville in Week 2 before fading late.
Given the stakes, a James Madison victory would rank among the most significant upsets in college football history. However, doing so will require taking down an extremely talented Oregon team. The winner will face No. 4 Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl on New Year’s Day.
Where to watch Oregon vs. James Madison live
Date: Saturday December 20 | Time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Autzen Stadium – Eugene, Oregon
TV: TNT | Live broadcast: Fubo (Try for free)
Oregon vs. James Madison: What you need to know
The Oregon Hobbled Reception Hall: “There’s hope for Oregon’s hobbled receiver room”. Top targets Gary Bryant Jr. and Dakorien Moore both participated, at least in some capacity, in practice this week. So did wide receiver Evan Stewart, who didn’t play the entire season due to a knee injury. Bryant hasn’t played since November 8 and Moore hasn’t played since October 25. As a result, the Ducks deepened their depth chart and quarterback Dante Moore leaned heavily on tight end Kenyon Sadiq. But reinforcements seem to be arriving.
James Madison’s Mobile Threat: James Madison quarterback Alonza Barnett III has thrown for 14 touchdowns this season and totaled 544 rushing yards while establishing himself as one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the country. Among CFP quarterbacks, only Tulane’s Jake Retzlaff has thrown for more touchdowns (16). But Barnett is also very good as a passer. His dynamic skillset will pose a challenge to Oregon’s defense. However, the Ducks managed to defend Washington’s equally talented quarterback Demond Williams in a late-season rivalry victory.
Exodus of coaches: Many key coaches in this game have already been named head coaches of new schools for the 2026 season and will pull double duty during the playoffs. James Madison head coach Bob Chesney will soon leave for UCLA, Oregon offensive coordinator Will Stein takes over at Kentucky and Ducks defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi is headed to California. Although they were pulled in different directions during the build-up to the CFP, all three will be called up to their 2025 teams on Saturday.
“I would feel completely fraudulent if I left these guys through this playoff series and this opportunity that we have to coach at Autzen another time,” Stein said. “Honestly, that would be crazy. Tosh is the same. We’ve dedicated a lot of our lives, a lot of our time, our families’ time to this team and to this program. Coach Lanning gave me an opportunity…so the last thing I would do is leave these players.”
After earning first place and a bye in the first round of last year’s CFP and suffering a 41-21 loss to Ohio State in the quarterfinals, Oregon will be motivated for redemption. With weeks to prepare for James Madison and rehab injured key playmakers, the Ducks have no excuse not to dominate. Oregon is more athletic and skilled at every position and has home court advantage in their corner. Barring catastrophic turnover issues or other self-inflicted mistakes, the Ducks should overtake a good JMU that faces a significant talent disparity. Pick: Oregon -20.5
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