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Oregon Ducks is back in the College Football Playoff, but head coach Dan Lanning believes this year’s Ducks are entering the postseason with a noticeably different mindset than the group a season ago. That shift in approach, according to Lanning, could be the key as Oregon prepares for a quarterfinal showdown against Texas Tech Red Raiders in the Orange Bowl.
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During a recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Lanning explained that Oregon’s internal focus has evolved since last year’s playoff run, which ended with a 41-21 loss to Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. Rather than fixating on opponents and external narratives, the Ducks have emphasized consistency, routine, and self-evaluation throughout the season.
“I think, certainly a couple things changed. Ultimately we stopped worrying about the next opponent and we focused a little bit more on ourselves early on,” said Lanning, via ESPN College Football.
He noted that Oregon reintroduced a “mock game” into its preparation process this season, something the program did not do a year ago. The goal was to simulate game-week structure and maintain rhythm, even with schedule differences.
“We did the mock game this year to kind of maintain that routine for our players. That was something we didn’t do last year,” Lanning added.
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Lanning also acknowledged the importance of respecting high-level competition without becoming consumed by it. Reflecting on last year’s postseason loss, he pointed out that Oregon now balances confidence with realism.
“And again, it’s a little bit different because we’re playing a little bit earlier, but there’s some growth moments within that game and I think there’s also the respect and the ability to honor the fact that Ohio State was playing some really good football right there. Let’s focus on how we can play really good football,” said Lanning.
This season’s path to the CFP tested Oregon more than its undefeated 2024 run. The Ducks finished the regular season strong, with just one 20-30 loss handed to them by Curt Cignetti’s top-ranked Indiana Hoosiers.
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Narrow road wins before the playoff test forced the Oregon to handle pressure situations, which resulted in dispatching the James Madison Dukes 54-31 in the first round of CFP.
Now 12-1, Oregon enters the Orange Bowl as the No. 5 seed, facing No. 4 Texas Tech. Lanning has also been vocal about playoff structure, arguing that higher seeds deserve home games and more consistent scheduling. Still, his focus remains on execution.
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