Dan Lanning takes the blame for Oregon’s Rose Bowl loss to Ohio State

Dan Lanning takes the blame for Oregon’s Rose Bowl loss to Ohio State

In an instant, Oregon’s dream of a perfect season was shattered.

Leading up to the Rose Bowl, Oregon coach Dan Lanning emphasized preparation at every opportunity. But in the heavyweight rematch, his team took the hit in the face and couldn’t recover, suffering a one-sided 41-21 defeat.

“It clicked tonight, but it didn’t for us,” Lanning said. “I didn’t prepare our team.”

“Clicking offense” might be an understatement. The Buckeyes seemed unstoppable.

Ohio State’s potent offense scored quickly and often, amassing 34 points by halftime. Oregon, on the other hand, struggled to sustain its offense, scoring just a single goal before halftime and couldn’t get much going against Ohio State’s stifling defense.

It was a showcase of the Buckeyes’ talent. The Ducks’ talent helped them finish at No. 1 as the only undefeated team in the country, including an October win over Ohio State. But in the biggest game of their season, “we didn’t have the opportunity to stop them,” Lanning said.

What was frustrating for Lanning and his team was that the Ducks struggled to reach the level they had achieved all season.

Could it have been the nearly month-long gap between the Big Ten Championship and the Rose Bowl? Lanning dismissed that as an excuse, saying, “I thought our guys prepared well. Obviously they had a better plan than us.”

Highlights from Ohio State University’s 41-21 victory over Oregon in the Rose Bowl on Wednesday.

Did Ohio State’s Ryan Day overtake Lanning, who was hailed as a master strategist after his team beat the Buckeyes 32-31 in October?

“Coach Day and his staff have done an incredible job,” Lanning said. “We have to find ways to better prepare ourselves as a coaching staff for these moments.”

Or maybe Ohio State was just much better and proved it.

“When you play a great team like Ohio State, you can’t run at full speed,” Lanning said.

Lanning said his team never gave up in trying to mount a comeback.

“When we walked on the field, I didn’t feel for a second that our guys were discouraged,” he said.

This was particularly true for quarterback Dillon Gabriel. Despite the seemingly insurmountable deficit and eight sacks, he popped right back up looking for answers.

Just before halftime, Gabriel led the Ducks with a 75-yard scoring drive, which he capped off with a touchdown pass. He opened the second half with another 75-yard scoring drive.

Ultimately, he was overtaken by Will Howard, who ended Gabriel’s best chance of winning a national championship.

“Dillon did an incredible job there at the end of the half and provided a spark for our team,” Lanning said. “It was this guy who busted his dick.”

Time was running out on the senior quarterback’s collegiate career – a brief conclusion to a journey that took him across the country to Central Florida and Oklahoma before becoming a Heisman Trophy finalist after joining Oregon in the conference’s first season had led to a Big Ten title.

Pasadena, Calif., January 1, 2025 – Ohio St. receiver Jeremiah Smith points out Oregon safety Kobe Savage.

Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith points out Oregon safety Kobe Savage after scoring a touchdown in the Rose Bowl on Wednesday.

(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

The Ducks missed out on winning their first football championship and missed their best chance to overcome that hurdle since 2015, a season that also ended with a loss to Ohio State in the title game.

Will this loss serve as fuel to propel them forward and build on the program’s success to win that elusive title? For Lanning and his crew, the wounds are still too fresh for now.

“We’re probably not there yet,” Lanning said. “There is disappointment. …Adversity happens in life. And we will have the chance in life to keep attacking and moving forward.”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *