When Oregon football wrapped up their final regular season home game of the year in November, they were unsure if they’d get another shot at competition in Autzen Stadium this year. But that’s just what they got when the College Football Playoff picture came into view.
The No. 5 Ducks host No. 24 James Madison Saturday in the first round of CFP action. The matchup marks the Ducks’ third all-time playoff appearance and second straight berth. It’s the first playoff game to be held at Autzen.
Oregon coach Dan Lanning said the game plan is to show up prepared, just as they have been doing all season long.
“The guys are excited about the opportunity,” said Lanning. “But I think it'd be wrong to say that the preparation is different this week than any other week, right? Yes, the game's different. We all feel that- we recognize that it's different, but it's not like guys are like, OK, let's work hard now. They've been working hard, right? You work hard to get into this moment and then it's about maintaining that level, that standard as you approach games like this.”
Lanning added that the team has been consistent all year. “The routine's been really dialed in throughout this season,” he said. “It can be a long season and they've done a really good job maintaining it, and then they realize right now, it's win or go home. So they want to give their absolute best.”
If the Ducks (11-1, 8-1 Big Ten) beat James Madison (12-1, 8-0 Sun Belt), they’ll face Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl quarterfinals on Jan. 1. From there, a potential rematch with Indiana looms as the Hoosiers and Buckeyes occupy the top two seeds, setting up a possible Big Ten clash for the national title on Jan. 19.
Kickoff is at 4:30 p.m. Saturday on TNT/TruTV/HBO Max.
