Eleven wins, zero losses. Six of them at home, the rest on the road. The Oregon Ducks are undoubtedly one of the toughest teams in this NCAAF season, and after another victory, they’re closing in on a perfect regular-season record. Led by Dan Lanning, the Ducks know they won’t be an easy opponent for any team, and their head coach made that crystal clear.
Wisconsin, the latest victim, could do little despite the home advantage and was narrowly defeated 16-13 by the team led by Dillon Gabriel. As for Oregon, although they didn’t play their best game, they came out victorious once again and continue their strong march towards the final stretch of the tournament.
Only twice this season have the Ducks found themselves on the ropes in a game. The first was against Boise State, and the second was against Ohio State. However, the coach made it clear to the rest of the teams that his players know how to face adversity.
“We can handle critical moments,” HC Dan Lanning stated, per Jake Trotter of ESPN.com. “We can handle when it’s tough, and at some point, that experience is going to pay off for us. It certainly paid off for us tonight.”
Atticus Sappington #36 and Ross James #92 of the Oregon Ducks react after making a 24-yard field goal to take the lead in the fourth quarter against the Wisconsin Badgers of the Oregon Ducks at Camp Randall Stadium on November 16, 2024 in Madison, Wisconsin.
Only one game remains for what is currently one of the biggest title contenders in College Football. The game in question will be none other than against Washington, next Saturday, November 30, in Eugene.
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Lanning and his thoughts on the victory over Wisconsin
It wasn’t the best performance from the Ducks, that much is clear. And their coach knows it. A team that had been dominating all its opponents could only secure a narrow three-point victory in the final moments of the game. Lanning shared his thoughts on the performance in the post-game press conference.
“I don’t know about risk overthinking,” the HC stated. “We basically said, if we saw the look that we thought we liked, we would, we would run it and we didn’t, and we would take a delay of game and punt. We were in the look that we liked, and then they actually checked out of that, you know, the look that we liked. But our guys did a good job executing the scramble drill. Let’s credit to T Ferg, credit the offensive line and Dillon for taking advantage of that opportunity.”
Additionally, he specifically addressed the curious play involving QB Dillon Gabriel: “Yeah, I mean, we probably had a little good luck there, right?” Lanning said. “But we also had a play that guy makes a great catch and certain impressive play by Dillon and to keep it alive and find somebody down the field.”
Head coach Dan Lanning of the Oregon Ducks looks on during the first half against the Michigan Wolverines at Michigan Stadium on November 02, 2024 in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
The final stretch for the Ducks
The Oregon Ducks gave another clear display of their power, perhaps not through dominance this time, but by knowing how to push through and win a game that became challenging from the very start.
Washington looms on the near horizon for Dan Lanning’s squad, representing the final tough obstacle for the Ducks, who will aim to finish the regular season with no losses.
The playoffs are just around the corner, and Oregon knows it. The expectations are high, and their fans are more excited than ever about the possibility of a final championship.
