Oregon coach Dan Lanning made it clear that winning alone was not enough.
In the immediate aftermath of Oregon’s 51-34 victory over James Madison Dukes on Saturday in the first round of the College Football Playoff, Lanning voiced his displeasure with the Ducks’ second-half performance.
“There’s a standard here,” Lanning said. “Our players know what championship football looks like — and the second half didn’t look like that.”
"Somewhat of a bittersweet game." - Dan Lanning after Oregon's win over James Madison in which the Ducks led 34-6 at halftime, but then gave up 28 points in the 2nd half #GoDucks #CFBPlayoff pic.twitter.com/QqwRG8czL3
— The Next Round (@NextRoundLive) December 21, 2025
The Ducks (12-1) surged to a 34-6 halftime lead at Autzen Stadium, but never delivered a decisive knockout. James Madison outscored Oregon 28-17 after the break, exposing defensive lapses and stalled momentum that left Lanning visibly frustrated despite the comfortable final margin.
Oregon advanced to face Texas Tech Red Raiders in the quarterfinals, but Lanning declined to describe his emotions following the win, offering only a terse response that underscored his dissatisfaction.
Quarterback Dante Moore threw for 313 yards and four touchdowns, but two interceptions led directly to 10 Dukes points. Moore said Lanning’s reaction was no surprise.
“He’s going to put that fire under us,” Moore said. “It’s needed.”
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