After Ohio State’s dominant 41-21 Rose Bowl victory over Oregon, showcasing their sheer talent and sending Jeremiah Smith to national stardom, Oregon coach Dan Lanning’s post-game comments shocked everyone. The Buckeyes blitzed the Ducks from the start, leading 34-8 at halftime, and Lanning had no answers on either side of the ball. But instead of crediting Ohio State for their sheer dominance, Lanning delivered a head-scratching, tone-deaf response.
Following the crushing loss, Lanning took a cheap shot at Ohio State’s loss to Michigan, saying, “It wasn’t our day, and it wasn’t their day against Michigan.” Seriously? After getting blown out by 20 points in the College Football Playoff, Lanning chose to deflect with an irrelevant jab at Ohio State’s previous loss instead of acknowledging they just got outplayed.
Lanning’s response revealed a coach who couldn’t admit that Ohio State was simply the better team. It’s clear that Oregon had the home-field advantage in the first matchup, but in this game, Ohio State proved they were the stronger team in every way.
Oregon needs to accept their defeat and move on. This was a humiliating performance, and Lanning’s response was a missed opportunity to show respect and leadership. The Ducks have a lot to fix if they want to bounce back next season.
