Los Angeles Dan Lanning, the coach of the Ducks, ran valuable time off and won the last meeting between Oregon and Ohio State thanks to his astute grasp of the regulations. With the exception of a stumble against rival Michigan, the Buckeyes have won a string of games since the NCAA closed the Lanning loophole, forcing a much-anticipated rematch in the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day.
The two head coaches talked about their Rose Bowl matchup after eighth-seeded Ohio State (11-2) defeated Tennessee 42-17 in the College Football Playoffs’ opening round on Saturday. When the teams met for the first time in October, With seconds remaining, the Buckeyes were leading 32–31 when Oregon was called for having too many defenders on the field. The Buckeyes had four seconds remaining and were unable to score before the Ducks gave up five yards.
A look at all the players who are transferring in and out of UCLA and USC in the NCAA transfer portal ahead of the 2025 college football season. After the game and the controversy surrounding the penalty, the NCAA announced “after the two-minute timeout in either half, if the defense commits a substitution foul and 12 or more players are on the field and participate in a down, officials will penalize the defense for the foul and at the option of the offended team, reset the game clock back to the time displayed at the snap.
” Lanning said the top-seeded Ducks (13-0) expect to be tested during the Rose Bowl rematch. “That last game came down to the very final seconds, so not taking anything for granted and making sure that every single play counts and the next play is the most important,” he said. Three months later, Buckeyes coach Ryan Day and his team have focused on growth rather than the controversial final minute of the Oregon loss.
Now, his message for the rematch is clear: execute. “It’s about execution, about our preparation. It’s about how we go about our meetings, how we go about our walk-throughs, how we go about our practices,” Day said. “There’s a reference point as we move into this one. Our guys know what we’re up against.”
After their performance against the Volunteers, he remarked, the Buckeyes are feeling positive. “You feel the confidence in the locker room,” Day stated. “We will be more confident coming into the game since we already have a playoff victory under our belt. Additionally, we feel more confident when we know our opponent. Against Oregon, who is aiming for a flawless season and the school’s first-ever national championship, the Buckeyes will need that confidence.
With a potent offense headed by quarterback Dillon Gabriel, a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, and wide receivers Evan Stewart and Tez Johnson, the Ducks are well-positioned to accomplish that goal this season. Gabriel, who transferred after playing with the Ducks, has been the team’s leader in his debut season.
“I’ve been really impressed by Dillon’s poise,” Lanning said. “It doesn’t matter if there’s just a couple of seconds left on the clock or fourth and nine. … He’s able to stay cool as the backside of the pillow in big moments, and it’s certainly paid off for us.
” It will be crucial for the senior to display composure against a stout and athletic defense that has proven capable of stopping a mobile, dual-threat quarterback such as Gabriel. Lanning emphasized that Gabriel must take what the defense gives him in order to succeed. “It’s important for Dillon to be able to take what’s there,” Lanning said. “At times, he’s going to make those plays with his legs when they’re in coverage.
At times that means he’s going to have to throw the ball, but Dillon’s proven that throughout the year he can do both.” Oregon’s road to the national championship is less favorable than that of other teams in the CFP, as they have to face the winner of the Ohio State-Tennessee matchup.
However, Lanning embraced the challenge when the brackets were announced, knowing that advancing to the next round would require facing a tough opponent. “Super excited … getting the opportunity to play great teams, that’s what it’s about,” Lanning said. “In this part of the year, when you play great teams, it gives you some extra motivation. … The path to the end is tough, which is exciting.” The Ducks had extra time with the first-round bye, using it to game plan for every aspect of facing Ohio State. Lanning closely reviewed the previous matchup while also assessing how the Buckeyes have evolved since then.
“If you got the time, you look at it all,” Lanning said. “You look at the history of the team, the coordinators. This is unique because it gives you a little bit more time to evaluate the big picture. … Then the original matchup, what that looked like and what they’ve done since.”
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