Oregon

5 major takeaways from Oregon Ducks’ 51-34 CFP win over James Madison

Published

3 months ago

December 21, 2025

5 major takeaways from Oregon Ducks’ 51-34 CFP win over James Madison

Ignore the scoreboard. Ignore the stat sheet. Ignore the litany of things that Dan Lanning, Tosh Lupoi, and Will Stein said after the game.

This was an ass-kicking by the Oregon Ducks, who beat the James Madison Dukes 51-34 on Saturday night in the first round of the College Football Playoff. Anyone who tuned in could see that. It doesn’t take advanced stats or high football IQ to see that the Ducks were the better, more talented team, and for the better part of 60 minutes, they did what they wanted to on the field.

Sure, giving up 34 points and over 500 yards of offense to a Group of Six team may not qualify as “championship-level” football to Lanning and his staff. However, if you’re going to mention what Oregon gave up, you have to also mention that those numbers were achieved by the Dukes late in the third and fourth quarter, when Oregon had literal fourth-string guys out there on the field.

Regardless, the standard is the standard in Eugene, and that wasn’t met for half of the game on Saturday. Ultimately, though, the Ducks won and will now move on to face the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the quarterfinals of the CFP. Before we preview that game, though, let’s further dive into this one and see what we can take away from the blowout.

A Pissed Off Dan Lanning

If you want to look at things in a positive manner — which Oregon fans often do not, for some reason — then the result on Saturday night is just about as perfect as you could ask for. The Ducks destroyed their first-round opponent with a zero-stress game from start to finish, knocked whatever rust there may have been off, and left with a pissed off head coach who will be demanding better from his players for the next 10 days leading up to the quarterfinal matchup vs. the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

Sounds pretty great when you put it that way, doesn’t it?

There were a lot of positives to take away from the day, but ultimately, it’s the way that Oregon finished that left Lanning calling this game “bigger sweet” after the game.

“The second half, as a team, we didn’t play the way we needed to be able to play,” Lanning said. “You’re going to find moments like that when you have a big lead to be able to choke somebody out. We didn’t do that.”

While the Ducks didn’t choke JMU out, and instead gave up a 99-yard touchdown drive late in the 4th quarter that allowed the Dukes to cover the 21.5-point spread, it was still a convincing enough win to give Oregon hope for the remainder of the CFP. When the starters were on the field, and the Ducks were clicking, they looked as good as any team we’ve seen in the nation this year, and one that can give a great game to the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Orange Bowl.

Couple that with a pissed off Dan Lanning who wants more, and you might have a perfect storm brewing in Eugene.

No Rust to be Found

Coming into this game, there was a question about how the Ducks would deal with the rust that likely built up during the three weeks since their last game in the end of November. A year ago, during Oregon’s 25 days off between the Big Ten Championship and the Rose Bowl, we saw Oregon lose a step, which proved fatal against the Ohio State Buckeyes.

If there was any rust that accumulated this year, it was not noticeable against James Madison.

The Ducks’ offense was a freight train early in this game, scoring on average a touchdown every four plays, and displaying an efficiency that we haven’t seen since the Chip Kelly era of Oregon football. At one point late in the second quarter, the Ducks had 34 points on 21 plays, with an average of 16.6 yards per play, 15.0 yards per carry, and 19.9 yards per completion. A few plays later in the third quarter, they took it up another level.

I thought we might see a drive or two stall out in the first quarter of this game because of the rust, but that wasn’t the case. Instead, Oregon became the first team in CFP history to have five different players score five touchdowns on the first five drives of the game.

Rust wasn’t a factor here, to say the least. It will be interesting to see if Texas Tech can say the same thing 10 days from now.

Oregon’s WR Duo

Oregon’s WR health has been in question all year long, but on Saturday night, they finally got good news on that front. Both Dakorien Moore and Gary Bryant Jr. — Oregon’s two leading WRs who have been out since the beginning of November with injuries — suited up and got into the game for the Ducks. Of course, neither had a massive impact — Moore had one catch for five yards, while Bryant didn’t record any stats — but it was a great opportunity for both to knock some rust off and get back into the game before the stretch run of the playoffs.

There’s been an idea that, if Oregon could get healthy at the right time this year, they might be dangerous. Well, they appear to be healthy, with Evan Stewart potentially returning next week as well, and it’s coming when they need it the most.

Benson and McClellan Make Statements

Despite Moore and Bryant Jr. returning to the field on Saturday, it was still clear that Malik Benson and Jeremiah McClellan have their roles in this offense, and they aren’t about to give them up any time soon. For starters, Benson was incredible in this game, hauling in five catches for 119 yards and two touchdowns. The chemistry that he has developed with Dante Moore has been impressive to see, and his ability to use speed to get over the top of the defense is unmatched. He truly has turned into a game-breaking weapon for the Ducks over the past two months.

Similarly, McClellan has really blossomed and become one of the Ducks’ best possession receivers on the roster. His ability to make tough, contested catches dazzles each and every game, and it showed up once again on Saturday night, as he finished with six catches for 83 yards and a touchdown.

Oregon’s offense might be getting Dakorien, Gary, and Evan back in the near future. However, that’s not going to detract from what Malik and Jeremiah can do on the field. Ultimately, it’s only going to make them harder to stop.

Look Out for Dante Moore Draft Buzz

One of the biggest narratives for Oregon this year has been about what QB Dante Moore plans to do after this season: stay in Eugene for another year or head to the 2026 NFL draft.

If he continues to perform like he did on Saturday, then a draft declaration feels like a foregone conclusion.

Moore was magnificent, particularly early on, going without an incompletion until late in the second quarter while spreading the ball around and making big-time plays. In the end, he finished with 313 yards and four touchdowns on 19-of-27 completions, while also adding a rushing TD as well. He also had a pair of interceptions that he would want back, but ultimately, it was an impressive performance.

Now, it will be interesting to see how his NFL stock rises because of it. In the first round of the CFP, there wasn’t particularly much great QB play to speak of, with the likes of Carson Beck, Ty Simpson, Trinidad Chambliss, John Mateer, and Marcel Reed all being the biggest names. Moore was far more impressive than that group.

So how will he compare against the likes of Fernando Mendoza, Julian Sayin, and Gunner Stockton? That’s going to be something to monitor. If he looks anything like he did in Round 1, though, the Ducks have a long CFP run ahead of them, and Moore might be off to the NFL in April.

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Oregon

Where to watch Oregon vs. Virginia Tech in March Madness First Round: Time, TV Channel

Published

3 hours ago

March 20, 2026

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Where to watch Oregon vs. Virginia Tech in March Madness First Round: Time, TV Channel

March Madness is underway and college basketball’s big dance continues with No. 8 seed Oregon taking on No. 9 seed Virginia Tech in a First Round matchup on Friday, March 20. Here’s everything you need to know to tune in for the clash between the Hokies and Ducks.

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What time is Virginia Tech vs Oregon First Round game?

No. 8 Oregon vs No. 9 Virginia Tech tips off at 1:30 PM (EST) on Friday, March 20 from Moody Center (Austin, Texas).

What channel is Virginia Tech vs Oregon First Round game?

No. 8 Oregon vs No. 9 Virginia Tech is airing live on ESPN2.

How to stream Virginia Tech vs Oregon First Round game

No. 8 Oregon vs No. 9 Virginia Tech is available to stream on Fubo.

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See the schedule, live scores and resultsfor all of Friday’s NCAA Tournament action here.

2026 Women’s NCAA Tournament full schedule

March 18-19: First Four
March 20-21: First Round
March 22-23: Second Round
March 27-28: Sweet 16
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April 3: Final Four
April 5: National Championship

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Oregon

Katie Fiso’s journey through loss fuels Oregon Women’s NCAA Tournament run

Published

15 hours ago

March 19, 2026

Press Room

Katie Fiso’s journey through loss fuels Oregon Women’s NCAA Tournament run

AUSTIN — Save your gripes about NCAA referees. Oregon women’s basketball guard Katie Fiso contended with much more hostile officiating conditions in her driveway.

Fiso grew up playing one-on-one against her twin brother in games so competitive that punches were sometimes thrown. As referee, their dad swallowed his whistle.

The family motto? “You don’t see no blood, there’s no foul,” Fiso said with a grin.

As Fiso stood outside Oregon’s locker room on Thursday and reminisced on those driveway battles, she admitted she never thought she’d be here: Putting together a breakout sophomore season and leading the No. 8 seed Ducks into a first-round NCAA Tournament game against No. 9 seed Virginia Tech on Friday.

It’s a bittersweet moment for Fiso, whose eyes fill with tears when she thinks of two people who aren’t here to witness it. Last winter, in the middle of Fiso’s freshman season at Oregon, her dad and her grandfather died within two weeks of each other.

Their memories will inspire Fiso when she takes the court for the Ducks this week.

“Basketball has always been an outlet for me, kind of like (to) get away from all this reality. When I step off the court, it’s like I step into the reality and realize he’s not here no more,” Fiso said. “I have a lot of passion for this game because I love it so much, so that’s where I get my love from. I do it for my dad, I do it for my grandpa, I do it for all these people, I do it for my family. So it’s very intentional when I’m on the court. I don’t take any moment for granted.”

Her father, Joseph Fiso was the one who taught Katie and her five siblings the value of hard work and grittiness on the basketball court. He woke them up at 6 a.m. every Saturday to go to the YMCA, where Katie played against boys much older than her and learned to stand her ground.

“I would always get pushed around, I would always get crowded so hard and my dad was like, ‘Hey, go harder at her!’” Fiso recalled. “Like, I would be in here getting D’d up by these old men. But I didn’t realize that it actually was helping me over time, in the long run.”

On Dec. 4, 2025, Joseph was in Eugene to attend Katie’s game. The morning of Oregon’s matchup against Washington State, Joseph Fiso died in his sleep at the hotel.

Grief threatened to swallow Katie whole. Basketball was a reminder of everything she and her dad shared.

Almost immediately after she found out about his death, Fiso got back in the gym to shoot hoops and clear her mind. She bawled her eyes out. Being on the court was at once painful and a relief, but Fiso learned to use the sport to tap into her emotions instead of to escape from them.

“I was definitely second-guessing myself and my worth,” Fiso said. “My mind was all over the place. Trying to be in the game and also dealing with life stuff was definitely difficult. So I took it upon myself over the summer to work on myself and not keep all those feelings inside, actually feel them. So that’s when I tapped in a lot to my faith and it gave me that confidence, that my worth is not in this basketball because it’s so fleeting and up and down, but it’s in someone who is always gonna love me and say ‘It’s OK, you’re always perfect in my eyes.’”

After playing 9.7 minutes per game and averaging 3.1 points off the bench for Oregon as a freshman, Fiso is now a full-time starter who leads Oregon in average minutes (32), points (15.3) and assists (6.3).

She’s playing with new confidence that accentuates the Ducks’ depth and allows her to feel free on the court. When she makes a mistake, she brushes it off and realizes that it doesn’t determine who she is as a basketball player.

“It’s a blessing to be here in this spot,” Fiso said. “Not a lot of people get this opportunity to be at this stage and play at this high level, so I’m thankful. I feel like all those days I was playing with my brothers and playing with my siblings, it helped me prepare for moments like this.”

Oregon coach Kelly Graves has known Fiso since her older brother was a practice player for Graves’ Gonzaga team. Graves followed Fiso’s career at Garfield High School in Seattle, where she won three state championships – a fourth was in reach before the pandemic prematurely ended the season – and was voted Washington state’s Gatorade Player of the Year.

Graves already knew Fiso’s potential when she arrived in Eugene, but he didn’t fully see it emerge until a breakout game at the end of her freshman season. In the 2025 NCAA Tournament, Fiso shot 4-of-6 from the field and scored eight points in 19 minutes in Oregon’s first-round win against Vanderbilt.

From there, Fiso only continued to build.

“I think once she realized, ‘Hey, this is kind of my team,’ you saw how she embraced that role,” Graves said. “Even though she’s just a sophomore, she’s the one that’s leading the group. She’s leading the huddles, leading practice, and that’ s not easy for someone her age, but she’s got it in her.”

Fiso is one of several Oregon players who adjusted to new roles this season. Sophomore forward Ehis Etute, the nation’s No. 2 offensive rebounder, and junior guard Ari Long both stepped into the starting lineup after coming off the bench last season. So did junior guard Sofia Bell, who spent last season getting her rhythm back after an injury curtailed her freshman season. Senior forward Mia Long, a transfer from Fresno State, is new to the program but provides a veteran presence.

“Our players have done a pretty good job of not just accepting their roles necessarily, because they can evolve and change, but executing them,” Graves said. “These are homegrown kids that again, didn’t play much. You look at Katie and Ehis, they had very small roles last year. Ari, a supportive role. Sofia Bell to some degree. And that’s four of our five starters so I’m proud of that. They have developed, they have gotten better, they figured out what they need to do to get playing time and they’re making the most of it.”

Fiso deftly balances her scoring responsibilities with slinging dart passes to her teammates. She ranked second nationally with seven points-assists double-doubles this season, the most by a Duck since Sabrina Ionescu in 2019-20.

“I would say I’m more of a finesse, get downhill type of girl, but I’m also a playmaker,” Fiso said. “I got a little swag in my game.”

Graves said Fiso shares intangibles with two of the prolific point guards he’s coached, Ionescu and Courtney Vandersloot.

“She’s got that same mentality and I think that’s why you’re seeing her succeed now,” Graves said. “But she’s still a work in progress. She’s got a long ways to go and she’s going to continue to get better and better, but she’s going to have a great pro future, I think.”

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Oregon

100% of Oregon school districts adopt cell phone ban policy, Gov. Kotek says

Published

1 day ago

March 19, 2026

Press Room

ESTACADA Ore. (KPTV) – According to Governor Tina Kotek, 100% of Oregon school districts have adopted a cell phone ban. On Wednesday, Kotek visited Estacada High School (EHS) to see her policy in action.

“Research tells us that constant cell phone use distracts from learning and can create mental health issues,” Kotek said. “For our students to thrive, we have to make every hour of class time as high-value as possible. Getting rid of distractions like cell phones is one way we can prioritize student success and transform our education system to get better results.”

Last summer, Kotek issued Executive Order 2509, which bans Oregon public school students from using their cell phones at school. The policy officially went into effect on Jan. 1.

According to Superintendent Ryan Carpenter, the Estacada School District has approximately 2,100 students, with 51% under the poverty line and 18% qualify for special education services. Carpenter said the majority of school districts in Oregon have these same statistics, making EHS a great spot for Kotek to see her policy in action.

Kotek visited two classrooms at EHS and received feedback from students about the cell phone ban. While some students said the ban has made it harder to research certain assignments in class or to coordinate after-school plans, overall, students said they’ve noticed positive impacts.

“At first, I wasn’t the biggest fan, but as the semester has gone on, I’ve found a lot more positivity in it,” said Sophia Morales-Meraz, a sophomore at EHS. “I find myself reaching less for my phone, having stronger connections and talking more to my classmates, and spending more time just really enjoying the moment.”

“I’m definitely more engaged in lessons with my teachers because I’m able to focus on what they’re saying…” said Cooper Skroch, a junior at EHS. “My attention span has gotten a lot better now that I don’t have to use my phone during the day.”

EHS teachers said they have noticed improvements, too. In addition to seeing more engagement from their students, language arts teacher Jeff Mellema said the policy has brought joy back to his career.

“I got into this profession because I like the one-on-one with kids, I like interacting with students,” Mellema said. “I like helping them along the process of their learning and this policy’s made that part easier.”

Without cell phones in schools, Carpenter said parents raised concerns about contacting their child in case of an emergency. But Kotek said school staff are prepared to bridge that communication gap and connect students with their parents, if needed.

Carpenter said the cell phone ban has not only resulted in higher attendance and graduation rates, but it’s also established a stronger sense of community at EHS.

“A lot of great things are happening,” Carpenter said. “We’re experiencing barriers in every child’s life and to remove cell phones is just one barrier to help us continue to get kids to be successful.”

After receiving feedback from students, Kotek told FOX 12 that she does not plan to make any changes to the policy moving forward.

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