Oregon's Dan Lanning rips College Football Playoff, calls for major changes

Jeff Hauser

•
Oregon's Dan Lanning rips College Football Playoff, calls for major changes image

Oregon coach Dan Lanning offered his take on the College Football Playoff structure this week. He called for changes to scheduling and site selection as the Ducks prepare for a quarterfinal matchup against Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl.

Oregon has reached the CFP in each of the past two seasons and will face the Red Raiders on New Year’s Eve at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. The Ducks also played Saturday, while Texas Tech has been idle since the Big 12 Championship, creating a disparity of more than three weeks between games for one team and barely over a week for the other.

Lanning dismissed the idea that the difference creates a competitive advantage and instead focused on what he views as systemic issues within the playoff format. He said the long gaps between games disrupt preparation and rhythm and argued that postseason matchups should mirror the regular season. 

“In my opinion, this game should be played at Texas Tech,” Lanning said. “They’re the higher seeded team. The next playoff game should be the next Saturday, then the next Saturday, then a championship game.”

Lanning’s proposal would further diminish the role of traditional bowl games, which have been largely absorbed into the Playoff framework. Bowls such as the Orange, Rose and Sugar once stood as standalone postseason rewards but now function primarily as CFP venues.

Home site games for higher seeds would align the CFP more closely with professional playoff models, a shift that would likely spark debate among administrators and schools. 

For now, Lanning acknowledged Oregon must operate within the existing system. After a quarterfinal exit last season despite earning the No. 1 seed, the Ducks hope better preparation can overcome what he described as a postseason process “without much rhythm.”

More college football news: 

Senior Editor