Oregon Ducks’ three keys to victory over JMU in CFP round one

In just a couple of days the seats of Autzen Stadium will be filled and the Oregon Ducks will run out to a raucous crowd for the first College Football Playoff game ever played in the building. The Ducks worked tirelessly to get back to this point after a crushing defeat in the Rose Bowl last season and now they have finally made it.

However, the goal wasn’t just to make it to the playoffs — the goal is to win the whole thing. So we need to narrow down a few key areas Oregon needs to focus on if they want to advance to the next round.

The Ducks will face off against the James Madison Dukes, and while they are favored by three touchdowns, no team gets to this point by sheer luck. The Dukes have a dynamic quarterback and a stout run defense that could make the home team deviate from the strengths they’ve relied on all season.

Here are the three things Oregon needs to do to keep their dreams of a National Championship alive.

Keep the Quarterback in the Pocket

James Madison’s quarterback Alonza Barnett III possesses a great deal of talent both throwing and running the ball, but the Ducks will find themselves in a precarious position if they let him excel at both on Saturday. He has three separate games this season with more than 50 rushing yards, and he only has four games without a rushing touchdown, so Tosh Lupoi’s unit will have to monitor all 11 players on the field.

Oregon has done a decent job at controlling dual-threat quarterbacks this season and hopefully this one won’t be any different. The edge rushers need to resist the urge to break contain and go after Barnett III because that’s where they’ll get gashed. Let him do his damage through the air or on the ground, but letting him beat you with both just won’t work.

Break the Trend

The Ducks have had two bye weeks this year and they have come out sluggish and uninspired both times. Needless to say, if that happens this weekend then there is a good chance that it will be the last game at Autzen Stadium this year.

Offensive coordinator Will Stein should start off with some dives up the middle to get the guys used to hitting again and Lupoi should consider dialing up some early blitzes to wake everyone up. Oregon has an amazing opportunity in front of them with no perceived juggernauts in the playoff field, so they can’t squander it by coming out flat against James Madison.

Rely on the Veterans

After three months, it’s no secret that not many players on this Ducks roster have experience, which hasn’t mattered to this point but could play a factor on Saturday. Luckily, there are still players on the team who experienced last year’s run and could offer valuable insight to the young guys.

It might be a good idea to involve some of the older players in the game plan at the start of the contest to make sure there is poise and confidence on the field. But ultimately, their main objective should simply be to put the young guys in the best position they can to succeed and keep the energy in the locker room positive and optimistic.

If the Ducks follow these keys closely, then they should be able to get themselves a date with the Texas Tech Red Raiders next week.

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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Oregon’s 3 keys to victory against James Madison football in CFP