CFP FIRST ROUND: JAMES MADISON VS OREGON

December 20, 2025

Tosh Lupoi

Autzen Stadium

Oregon Ducks

Postgame Press Conference

Oregon 51, James Madison 34

Q. Tosh, you said earlier in the week that your guys' primary goal was to take away the opposing offense's identity. You've certainly done that a lot this season. Do you feel like there was any aspect of their ate that you guys took away successfully tonight?

TOSH LUPOI: Yeah. I think we went and played a really strong first half and got complacent and comfortable, so was very disappointed how we came out and had a three-and-out to start the drive of the second half. It was a good, successful stop and then we gave up a fake punt and gave up a touchdown in ensuing play and was really disappointed in our overall finish in the second half.

I think we had a play count of 98 plays. That's what I was just told. Obviously if the play count is accurate that high, then begot to do a much better job getting off the field and not allowing extended drives there, especially in the second half.

Q. Was there anything that JMU did specifically that you were really surprised by? Because it seemed the second half, especially, lots of explosion plays on their end.

TOSH LUPOI: No. I thought we had a great plan, executed that well in the first half, came out with a couple adjustments of our own that felt like gave us an effective chance and there's just no excuse for whether losing many one-on-ones that we felt like we could be in a better position to do so. We had a couple individuals lined up on the wrong side of the field at times, which is not going to be a very effective defense if that's the case.

It doesn't matter who's out there. It's one standard and like I said, really, really disappointing finish there. Difficult to enjoy and relish the moment that we should be right now for an awesome season and continuing on, but I'm just more so pumped to really dive in deep and improve and address it immediately where we went wrong there in the second half and gave up way too many points in explosives.

Q. Tosh, you spoke just now about how you're pumped up to attack the process all over again. Dan's talked about your work ethic and how you're one of the hardest worker he's ever been around. Just describe what you enjoy so much about the preparation and just diving into everything.

TOSH LUPOI: Yeah, I think that's really the most joy of it all, is that and to get positive results from the work that you put in. That's probably as soon as I leave from here, we'll be starting that process and turn on the second half and address every single play that we went wrong on and where we need to improve. Got a good feel, these days you got to watch the iPad. I know quite a few of them already, like one of them I just mentioned, where we have a day one install call and a young man is lined up on the wrong side of the field, so that's not going to work very well, so it starts with me. I got to make sure he's aligned on the right side of the field. We'll certainly get that corrected.

Q. When you're in the second half and you start to see things going down the wrong way, what's your message to the team to try and snap them out of it, get the momentum to stop going that way?

TOSH LUPOI: There's one standard. I was proud of our guys to have some great what we call put out the fire. Some reactionary defense to some adversity that we faced from other sides. I was proud to see the guys get some big-time stops, some red zone stops early on.

So we're going to take victory and defeat for the imposter that they are and we got a victory, very pleased for that. But this is an unacceptable personality in the second half by our defense. To answer your question, we operate to one standard. Quite frankly, there is some developmental guys out there on the field, obviously, in the second half and then we put out some -- we changed those guys out and went back to our ones and we gave up some really poor defensive plays with those guys about field as well.

It's operating to a standard. It's not getting lackadaisical, whatever the score was. I think we went into halftime at -- what was the score? 34-6. Like I said, we came out and started out the right way, got a three-and-out and then just it's unacceptable of the explosives we gave up and so got to put the guys in the right position and we got to go execute.

Q. You mentioned a couple times your excitement to attack the process of working on some of these things. Why are you confident this group will be receptive and join you in that enthusiasm to get better?

TOSH LUPOI: It's been an amazing group. The culture, everything. Everyone in these situations, this entire season, when we do get up on a team like we have, I think the guys have continued that. There's some moments that stuck out. I think it was the Minnesota game where some guys stuck to that standard that were out there in the game. I was really proud of them. So we're going to get the corrections immediately. I'm going to do that tonight. And then bring the guys in and address them immediately.

But like I said, I'm pissed off right now quite frankly. We went in the locker room after the game and I made that clear and Coach Lanning of course as well. When we got the -- it's a bittersweet feeling that we get to move on and very thankful for that, but if we played anywhere remotely close this next game the way we did in the second half, we're going to have a disappointed feeling after the game. We're going to address that and grow from it. So thankfully you get the ability to win and continue and still be able to make these corrections. We're thankful for that.

Q. Is there any one number that is infuriating you most, Tosh? Because there's a lot here that are season highs and most since last season. When it's three straight post-season games now of 500-plus yards and these kind of numbers, there will be naturally a lot of questions outside, and I'm sure there will be that many more inside. Is there one that's jumping out at you that's most --

TOSH LUPOI: You're referring to a statistic or...

Q. A statistic, any number, the 34 points, the 500 yards, anything, rushing, passing, anything?

TOSH LUPOI: No. All of them. Again, to have a dominating performance like we did in the first half and follow it up with that is just the overall most disappointing. I haven't watched the film yet so I will answer that after we watch the film and correct it.