The Oregon Ducks are headed to the College Football Playoff regardless of what happens in Saturday’s Big Ten Championship Game. And while most other teams sweat over seeding or, if you’re a three-loss SEC team, fight to get in, head coach Dan Lanning has a simple message for a stress-free December: win.

Lanning joined John Canzano’s show to talk about the playoffs, the SEC’s inflated sense of self-importance and ESPN’s willingness to encourage it. Canzano brought up in the interview how ESPN has pushed for the inclusion of SEC teams even after losing three games, sometimes to mediocre teams. Lanning wasn’t surprised.

“You pay the bills, right? I mean, doesn’t the SEC pay its bills? I mean, who do they have a contract with? That’s how it works, let’s not pretend it doesn’t work any other way,” Lanning said.

“But you know, there’s a secret behind all this, John. Just win. Just win! They can’t turn you away if you just win. You can’t complain when you just win. You know, if you lose three games, it’s a shame on you. Correct? If you lose two, you’ll be ashamed.

EUGENE, Ore. – Head coach Dan Lanning and wide receiver Tez Johnson #15 of the Oregon Ducks lead the team out of the tunnel before their game against the Michigan State Spartans at Autzen Stadium on October 4, 2024. (Photo by Tom Hauck/Getty Images)

SEC teams could listen to Dan Lanning’s message

While Lanning wasn’t referring to a specific coach or team in the SEC, his comments could certainly apply to ESPN’s inclusion of Alabama or to Lane Kiffin’s campaign for Ole Miss.

Ole Miss lost to a miserable 4-8 Kentucky team and then to a mediocre 7-5 Florida team. If you win these two games, Ole Miss will have no problem making the playoffs. Instead, Kiffin has spent the last few weeks making irrelevant comparisons to years past and ignoring his team’s embarrassing four non-conference games.

A strength of the record rankings is Oregon at No. 1, while Ole Miss is at No. 22 and Alabama is at No. 17. That won’t stop ESPN, though, because as Lanning points out, the SEC is paying the bills.

If Alabama is eliminated from the playoffs, as it probably should be, the lawsuits will be endless. Maybe, as Lanning says, Alabama shouldn’t have just scored three points in a crushing loss to a bad Oklahoma team back then.