COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. — Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi did not mince words when assessing the No. 5 Ducks’ performance on his side of the ball Saturday, a 51-34 win over 19th-ranked, 12th-seeded James Madison University in a College Football Playoff first-round matchup at Eugene’s Autzen Stadium.
While three of the touchdowns scored by the Dukes came after Oregon built a 48-13 lead, Lupoi was still upset with the Ducks allowing a whopping 509 yards of offense.
“It’s a bittersweet feeling that we get to move on, and very thankful for that,” Lupoi said. “But if we played anywhere remotely close this next game the way we did in the second half, we’re going to have a disappointed feeling after the game.”
What looms next for Oregon (12-1) is a bout with No. 4 Texas Tech, the Big 12 champion, in the Orange Bowl quarterfinal on New Year’s Day at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. The Big Ten’s Ducks opened as a 1 1/2-point favorite, per odds from BetMGM sportsbook.
The Red Raiders (12-1) should pose a much stiffer test for Oregon than Sun Belt Conference champion JMU did, considering they have the top run defense in the country and one of the best defenses in the nation overall.