Dominant in the Group of 5, the JMU offense a pesky problem for Oregon

When pressured out of the pocket, especially to his left, James Madison quarterback Alonza Barnett III becomes scatter-armed, a liability to his offense with a penchant for heaving the ball into traffic.

Against Troy in the Sun Belt Championship he was 10-25 for 93 yards and an interception. At Louisville in September, 102 yards, one TD, four sacks. He totaled -23 yards rushing in six attempts.

Barnett shredded Coastal Carolina though, 303 yards in the air, 31 yards and a touchdown on the ground. He ran Old Dominion ragged, 153 yards rushing and four touchdowns, 295 yards passing and two more. Against Washington State in November, 9-18 passing, 144 yards, one TD, one interception.

He's a one-read-and-go type of quarterback who looks to exploit gaps in the pass rush. Against Troy last Friday night he pulled the ball down for 21 yards and a first down to start the third quarter, keeping the ball himself 12 times on the night for 85 yards and a 26-yard touchdown.

Barnett dangerous when operating freely, erratic under pressure

In rhythm, at his best, he's brilliant. The Ducks will have to employ a plan similar to the one they used to fence in Demond Williams at Washington, rushing under control, collapsing on him when he leaves the pocket, choking off the passing lanes and limiting his easy throws.

The JMU attack can stress a defense, putting linebackers and safeties in a bind with a combination of RPOs and Zone-Read plays. They're especially dangerous in the Red Zone and on third down.

A swarming, aggressive defense has provided the Dukes plenty of short-field opportunities, which they're adept at cashing in.

Running back Wayne Knight ("hello, Newman"} poises the most difficult challenge. Wearing #5, he's a slippery, tackle-breaking jitterbug with a good burst at 5-7. 190, a junior from Smyrna, Delaware.

Knight pipped the Trojans for 212 yards on 21 carries, shedding four tackles inside as he broke into the clear for a 73-yard run. With 1,263 yards this year he earned the Sun Belt rushing title, also JMU's leading receiver with 37 catches.

Landon Ellis and Nick Gennaro are the outside receivers; Ellis has good size at 6-2, 213. They average 16.4 and 17.8 yards a catch, most dangerous when they Dukes employ play-action. Braedon Wisloski is a quick, dangerous slot receiver.

New UCLA coach Bob Chesney placed four offensive linemen on the all-conference team. He's staying with the Dukes through the playoffs. Right tackle Pat McMurtrie, 6-5, 305, a transfer from Holy Cross, made the first team while earning a graduate certificate in cyber intelligence, which he'll use to design the linemen of the future.

Zach Greenberg and Riley Robell graced the second team. From Livingston, New Jersey, a 6-4, 302 transfer from North Carolina, Greenberg had one start with the Tarheels in 2024 before starting all 13 this season with the Dukes. Left guard Robell tips the scales at 6-3, 291-- he may have trouble with Bear Alexander or A'Mauri Washington.

Together this unit provided the engine for a ground game that pounded out 246 yards a game and 5.6 yards a carry, running the football 63 percent of the time. The Sun Belt Champions gashed opponents for 36 rushing touchdowns, fifth in the country on their way to 37.3 points a game.

Yet seven of their opponents ranked 100th or lower in the CBS Sports extended team rankings. The Dukes are punching up, just like Idaho and Boise State in 2024, Fresno State in 2021 or Chuck Wepner in 1975. Which doesn't mean they can't land a couple of shots if the Ducks come in poorly trained or overconfident.