Most would agree with Dan Lanning‘s ultimate goal for Oregon. The Ducks clinched to the No. 1 spot in the AP Poll rankings for the sixth straight week after last Saturday’s 16-13 win over Wisconsin. However, it’s their final upcoming rivalry game against Washington at Autzen Stadium that’s taking up all the attention right now. After all, they’re the final challengers to upset Oregon’s 11-0 record. And there’s history between the two teams. But Lanning’s goal is to top it all. 

GoDucks uploaded a YouTube video of Dan Lanning addressing the media on November 28 ahead of their home matchup against Washington. When he was asked if they have an edge over the Huskies this season, he diverted the question to reveal his ultimate goal for Oregon. He said, “I want to go win every game. Certainly this game means something to a lot of people in this organization. It means something to a lot of people from an alumni’s standpoint but it certainly means a lot to me.”

Washington is one of Dan Lanning’s unbeaten teams since he joined Oregon in 2022. He’s 0-3 against the Huskies after the Ducks’ last 34-31 fall in the 2023 Pac-12 Championship game. All the previous losses may have been close ones but the 38-year-old HC doesn’t see them as motivation. He said, “I don’t think that necessarily adds motivation. You go out there because you want to win the game, right? Regardless of the situation, we’ve been in some tight games this year. Hopefully that prepares us for future moments if we’re in tight games again.” 

Dan Lanning is aware of the hype that rivalry games carry, calling them “extremely special.” He said, “I think that’s one of the things that makes this fun: the excitement that surrounds the fans, the alumni, the people who have been a part of games like this for a long time.” The Border War or Cascade Clash, as fans call the Oregon vs Washington rivalry, will have its 117th meeting on November 30. Washington leads the all-time series record with 63-48-5 and also holds a 3-win streak over the Ducks. But for Oregon, it’s going to be “execution over emotion.” As Lanning added, “These games are going to have emotion; that’s the way these games are played. But that’s not what’s going to lead to success on the field.” Looks like that mindset earned them an undefeated season so far. But wait, there’s still a potential roadblock to their national championship hopes. 

Dan Lanning could face a tough playoff opponent 

Oregon already earned a spot in the Big Ten Championship game. They’re likely to face No. 2 Ohio State for the conference title showdown. But if they beat the Buckeyes and win the B1G Championship game, they’ll remain at No. 1 in the playoff rankings which means that Ryan Day’s program could fall to No. 5. 

If that’s the case, Oregon will get a first round bye along with the other top four teams. No. 5 OSU would face the No. 12 seed which is Boise State per ESPN analyst Rece Davis’ prediction. If they win, they’ll face the No. 4 seed BYU while No. 1 Oregon faces the winner of the No. 8 vs No. 9 game, which will be either Notre Dame or Alabama. But it would be the other way round if Ohio State managed to win the conference title, putting the Ducks against a tougher opponent than the No. 1 seed. As of now, it’s likely that more messy situations could creep up regarding the new 12-team playoff format so we’ll see how things play out in the coming weeks.