Oregon football head coach Dan Lanning was refreshingly candid about the upcoming Rose Bowl. The game, known as “The Granddaddy of Them All,” will see the Ducks face off against the Ohio State Buckeyes again in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.
Oregon previously defeated their Big Ten opponent by just one point earlier this season.
While the No. 1 team in the nation faces a challenging path to its first national title, Lanning and his staff are maintaining their focused approach.
In a pre-Rose Bowl Zoom session with NBC Sports Lead College Football Reporter Nicole Auerbach, Lanning expressed his team’s mindset:
“Getting the opportunity to play great teams is what it’s all about.”
Oregon football is ready to confront the disrespect
It’s surprising to see the lack of respect that the No. 1 team in the country, Oregon, has received. In its first year in the Big Ten, Dan Lanning’s team went undefeated, defeating three teams in the College Football Playoff—each of which has made it to the quarterfinals. Despite this, Ohio State, which won against an overmatched Tennessee team at home, is favored over the Ducks.
It’s worth noting that Tennessee played without its top offensive player, Dylan Sampson, in their game against Ohio State. Yet, Oregon still faces disrespect after an outstanding regular season led by the best quarterback in the nation. Lanning embraces this kind of energy, as it fuels his team’s motivation heading into their most crucial game of the season.
Oregon will need to employ a similar strategy to the one that worked in October: stop the run, put pressure on quarterback Will Howard, and prevent Ohio State’s receivers from getting into space. However, as seen in the Big Ten Championship game against Penn State, Oregon can also win a high-scoring contest. With a balanced offense led by Dillon Gabriel, the Ducks can score on any defense.
This Oregon team excels in close games—something Ohio State has struggled with at times this season, as shown by their two losses, which came by a combined four points. Could the Rose Bowl mark the end of a remarkable season for Oregon? It’s possible. But after a week where every road team was thoroughly beaten, the narratives are getting out of hand. Dan Lanning is aware of this, and his program isn’t backing down.
Leave a Reply