James Madison Dukes’ hopes of making noise in the College Football Playoff rest squarely on the shoulders of quarterback Alonza Barnett III. The Sun Belt Player of the Year will lead the No. 12 Dukes into Autzen Stadium on Saturday night to face No. 5 Oregon Ducks, a matchup that places Barnett on the biggest stage of his career against one of the nation’s most complete teams.
Oregon football boasts one of the top pass defenses in college football, and the Ducks’ secondary has largely dominated opposing quarterbacks throughout the season. While many of those passers have struggled to match Oregon’s speed and complexity, Barnett remains unfazed by the matchup or the atmosphere.
“You can’t psych yourself out and lose a game before you start the game,” said Barnett [h/t On3]. “You have to remember just base day one why you started playing this game as a kid.”
Reflecting on Oregon’s national profile, he added, “I think if you were to ask everybody on this team, especially, you know, this generation, this era, you know, who was your favorite football team growing up? People would probably say Oregon.”
That mindset will serve as oxygen following a rough showing in the Sun Belt Championship Game, where Barnett completed just 10 of 25 passes for 93 yards with one touchdown and one interception against Troy Trojans, and this time the opponent is indeed ruthless.
For James Madison to stay competitive, improved accuracy and decision-making will be essential. However, Barnett went a step further, acknowledging the personal significance of the setting and opponent.
“I was one of those kids that grew up watching Oregon. And so this is environments that you dream of playing in. And, you know, if you are who you say you are, you can’t shut down when the lights are bright,” Alonza Barnett added.
Barnett has been the engine behind James Madison’s rise this season. He enters the playoff matchup completing 59.9% of his passes for 2,533 yards, 21 touchdowns, and eight interceptions. His dual-threat ability has consistently stressed defenses, but Saturday presents a challenge unlike anything he has faced.
The first-round College Football Playoff matchup kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET in Eugene, where the Dukes will attempt to test an Oregon defense that thrives on creating discomfort. If Barnett can rise to the moment he once dreamed about as a kid, James Madison may have a chance to turn that dream into something far bigger on college football’s grandest stage.
