Why Oregon’s Dan Lanning calls CFP win over JMU ‘bittersweet’

Dan Lanning’s Oregon Ducks officially punched its ticket to the College Football Playoff quarterfinals on Saturday night, but the Ducks’ dominant 51-34 win over James Madison Dukes came with a dose of frustration from head coach Dan Lanning.

For much of the night, Oregon looked every bit like a national title contender. The Ducks raced out to a commanding 34-6 halftime lead at Autzen Stadium, overwhelming JMU with explosive offense and sharp execution.

Behind quarterback Dante Moore, Oregon appeared in complete control early, reinforcing expectations that the Ducks would cruise through the opening round. However, the second half told a different story — and that’s where Lanning’s concerns emerged.

Speaking during his postgame press conference, Lanning didn’t sugarcoat Oregon’s performance, even after securing the strong CFP win under his leadership.

“It was somewhat of a bittersweet game,” said Lanning in his opening statement. “I thought we played a really good first half in some ways, but we gave up a couple of explosive plays defensively. In the second half, I didn’t think we played anywhere close to our standard. Credit to JMU for figuring some things out at halftime, and not credit to us for not being able to sustain and play the way we need to down the stretch. I think our team realizes this is a growth moment for us and an opportunity to continue to improve and get better, but we’re going to have to play better football to reach our goals when it’s all said and done.”

Lanning’s frustration stemmed from Oregon’s inability to close the game cleanly. After halftime, James Madison outscored the Ducks 28-17, racking up 509 total yards without committing a turnover.

While the outcome was never seriously in doubt, Oregon’s defense allowed more points and yardage than it had all season, something the coaching staff clearly didn’t overlook.

Offensively, Moore was excellent, completing 19 of 27 passes for 313 yards and four touchdowns while adding a rushing score. His performance anchored Oregon’s early dominance, but defensive lapses prevented the Ducks from fully putting the game away.

As Oregon prepares to face fourth-seeded Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl, Lanning’s message to the locker room is very clear. The Ducks are advancing, but improvement is non-negotiable.

With a tougher opponent ahead and championship aspirations very much alive, Oregon will need to pair its explosive offense with sustained execution if it hopes to keep its long CFP run going.

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