How James Madison can upset Oregon in the College Football Playoff

The James Madison Dukes have a chance to go on a Cinderella run in the College Football Playoff this year. The first step is making it out of the first round by beating Oregon, but how exactly can they do that?

The Dukes should try their best to model after the Iowa Hawkeyes' game vs. Oregon. That game ended with the Ducks coming out on top, 18-16. If JMU can model its game plan on trying to play like Iowa, it has a chance at getting the win in Autzen Stadium.

How James Madison can notch a win over Oregon in CFP

What exactly do the Dukes need to do? The first step is having a dominant run game with Wayne Knight. Knight has 1,263 yards off 190 carries and also averages 6.6 yards per carry. 

The Dukes must establish their run game early, as the second step is winning the time of possession. They need to limit Oregon's snaps on offense. When they aren't running the ball, the Dukes should be taking advantage of screen and quick passes. By doing this, they can counter the blitz from the Ducks defense.

Defensively, the Dukes are going to need to be disciplined, aggressive and play their hearts out. By being strong on defense, they will be able to better control the clock, which is very important. The biggest priority should be finding a way to contain Oregon's red-zone threat, TE Kenyon Sadiq, who was an All-American this year. 

JMU defensive coordinator Colin Hitschler should be dialing up some complex defensive sets, like disguising coverages and blitzes. Linebacker Trent Hendrick will have to be the leader of the pack against the Ducks. Hendrick had 96 tackles and a forced fumble in the regular season. 

The last big piece to starting the Cinderella run for the Dukes is Justin Eaglin. The corner had four interceptions and eight pass breakups this season. He will be very important in taking away the deep shots that Oregon is going to take.