After the Oregon Ducks defeated the USC Trojans 42-27 Saturday, coach Dan Lanning didn’t hesitate to take a swipe at the scheduling practices of the SEC. He drew praise from FOX Sports' analyst Joel Klatt on Monday’s edition of his show.
Lanning's Ducks improved to 10-1 and likely locked up a spot in the College Football Playoff barring an upset at home. He noted the Big Ten’s nine conference game slate and contrasted it with what he described as “bye games” for other leagues.
“Maybe it is our fault, but all we’re worried about is playing the teams we play and doing the job we need to do,” Lanning said, adding, “We didn’t play Chattanooga State today, like some other places.”
Klatt applauded Lanning’s competitive mindset, especially before the Playoff. “If I had to buy stock in a young coach, I’d buy Dan Lanning stock.” He noted that while the Ducks themselves had a so-called “cupcake” opponent in their schedule, the real issue is the timing of easy games and how it affects perceptions of strength.
“If you really look at this, let’s also not throw stones in glass houses because Oregon did have Montana State on the schedule. So it’s not that we’re just not scheduling FCS opponents, cupcakes are littered across college football. Everybody plays cupcakes. So it’s not about pointing and saying ‘oh, you played on this team!’ Everybody plays that team. That cupcake. It’s more about the timing, and we all understand that. It’s true. There’s no doubt.”
Oregon’s two ranked wins earlier this season over Penn State Nittany Lions and Iowa Hawkeyes has not translated into major CFP buzz. However, Saturday’s statement victory was important. As the Ducks prepare to host Washington in their regular-season finale, the debate over scheduling and conference strength is only heating up. We'll see how the Playoff committee reacts as well.
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