You can’t stay a favorite forever! Dan Lanning guided Oregon to an extraordinary season in 2024, making them the only unbeaten team in the FBS this year. It was no surprise that they earned the No. 1 seed in the newly established 12-team playoff system. As one of the top four seeds, they enjoy an automatic bye in the first round and can avoid the associated pressure. However, despite this advantageous position, Dan Lanning has some concerns regarding the new CFP format.
Oregon is currently the FBS champion, but the new CFP setup has taken away their opportunity to host playoff games. In a discussion on GoJo and Golic on Instagram on December 21, Lanning expressed his wish for more home playoff games in the future. Citing examples from the NFL and FCS, he stated, “You know, the NFL’s been playing playoff games for a long time. So is FCS football. Right now in college football, we’re trying to make a lot of things, a lot of people happy and part of that is the bowl process. But it certainly makes sense to have playoff games at home until you get into that Championship game.”
“It certainly makes sense to have playoff games at home until you get into that Championship game.”
Oregon Head Coach @CoachDanLanning on fitting more home playoff games into the CFP pic.twitter.com/QxNPCpOMS1
— GoJo and Golic (@GoJoandGolic) December 20, 2024
Although Oregon is the top seed, they will not host the quarterfinals at home. The playoff format dictates that this weekend, teams seeded No. 5-8 (Texas, Penn State, Notre Dame, and Ohio State) will host the teams seeded No. 9-12 (Tennessee, Indiana, SMU, and Clemson). Importantly, the CFP governing body is responsible for organizing and producing these first-round playoff games, not the hosting teams.
According to Penn State head coach James Franklin, there are benefits to playing at home, but he believes the recruiting advantages may not be as significant as many think, aside from allowing talented players to watch the games. After a break this week, Dan Lanning’s Ducks will face the winner of the Ohio State-Tennessee matchup in the quarterfinals. This game will be part of the bowl games, requiring them to travel to Pasadena, California, for the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day. The question remains: can the Ducks withstand the competition?
Dan Lanning definitely brings a lot of energy and effective communication to the Oregon program! With a perfect 13-0 record and a recent victory over Penn State to claim the Big Ten title, the Ducks are in a great position heading into the playoffs. Their odds of +360 to win the national championship, tied with Texas, show they’re seen as serious contenders.
Facing contenders like Ohio State in the quarterfinals will certainly be a challenge, but if they can make it past that, a likely matchup against Texas in the semifinals will be another tough test. The road to the championship is never easy, but Lanning’s leadership could be the key that helps Oregon rise above the competition!
As for reaching their first national title appearance since 2014, it’s certainly within reach if they stay focused and prepared.
Leave a Reply