Tag: dan lanning

Four Big Ten teams, Wisconsin’s upcoming opponent lead Week 11 College Football Playoff rankings

Four Big Ten teams, Wisconsin’s upcoming opponent lead Week 11 College Football Playoff rankings

Four Big Ten teams land in the top five of the latest College Football Playoff rankings after Week 11 of the 2024 season.

The Oregon Ducks (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten) lead the way at No. 1, followed by Ohio State (8-1, 5-1 Big Ten) at No. 2, Penn State (8-1, 5-1 Big Ten) at No. 4 and Indiana (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten) at No. 5.

The Ducks, who are currently favored to capture the Big Ten title, will grab the No. 1 seed in the projected bracket based on those rankings. Ohio State is down at No. 5 as the top at-large team, while Penn State and Indiana are at No. 6 and No. 7, respectively.

The updated 12-team bracket gives first-round byes to the four highest-ranked conference champions. The No. 5 seed plays No. 12, No. 6 plays No. 11, and so on — all first-round games on the campus of the higher-ranked team.

Once the field is cut to eight teams, the participants populate top bowl matchups including the Rose Bowl, Sugar Bowl and Cotton Bowl.

Wisconsin is obviously far from contention with a 5-4 record through nine games. The Badgers have lost to several projected playoff participants — No. 10 Alabama and No. 4 Penn State. Most significantly, the team hosts No. 1 Oregon at Camp Randall Stadium on Saturday.

The Badgers will be looking for their first win over an AP (and CFP) No. 1-ranked team since they defeated No. 1 Ohio State in 2010. A win would shake-up the national landscape with little time remaining before the conclusion of the regular season.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

Oregon Ducks named semifinalist for Joe Moore Award

After a rough start, the Oregon Ducks offensive line has gelled into one of the best in the nation and are up for the Joe Moore Award.

After the first two games, no one this would be possible.

For the third-straight season, the Oregon Ducks offensive line is up for the Joe Moore Award. This honor recognizes elite O-line units for their unparalleled toughness, effort, teamwork, consistency, technique, and ability to finish.

In the first two games, the Ducks offensive line had a tough time protecting quarterback Dillon Gabriel or opening up holes for the tailbacks on a consistent basis or just gelling as a unit.

But once Iapani Laloulu was moved to the center position and A’lique Terry found the rotation of players upfront that fit the best, everything fell into place. Oregon is tied for third in the Big Ten with 10 total sacks allowed this season, but the Ducks have given up just three total sacks over their last eight games. They have allowed zero sacks six times, and has racked up 127 total knockdowns this season including 102 over the last seven contests.

All of a sudden, Gabriel was sitting in the pocket with little to no pressure and the duo of Jordan James and Noah Whittington were running wild.

Among those also in the semifinals for this award are Alabama, Army, Indiana, Iowa, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Tennessee, Texas, and Tulane.

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Jordan Burch earns Ducks Wire Player of the Game with dominant Week 11 showing

Oregon Ducks DE Jordan Burch’s fantastic performance from start to finish against Maryland earns him the Ducks Wire Player of the Game.

The Oregon Ducks are 10-0 after beating Maryland 39-18 on Saturday evening. This wasn’t the simplest win the Ducks have come by this season, and considering their opponent, perhaps it should’ve been. Oregon struggled with execution throughout the game, but overall, they maintained control from start to finish.

One player who didn’t struggle with execution was Ducks defensive end Jordan Burch. Burch has been Oregon’s best defensive player all season, despite missing three weeks in October. Against Maryland, Burch finished with three tackles, a TFL, two pass breakups, a forced fumble, and a 36-yard run (yes, run), earning him the Ducks Wire Player of the Game.

Burch’s forced fumble came early in the second quarter, and it was the play that finally gave Oregon control of the game. On a third down in Oregon territory, Burch fully extended himself to jar the ball out of Billy Edwards’ hand as he brought his arm back to pass. Ducks DB Brandon Johnson picked up the fumble and returned it 62 yards for the score, putting Oregon up 13-3.

Burch’s other highlight play was his long rush, which came on a fake punt at the start of the second half. Oregon’s offense had stalled once again in its own territory, and Oregon head coach Dan Lanning opted for a fake punt call. Burch’s number was called, and he took the ball 36 yards down the field, re-sparking the Ducks’ offense.

Oregon’s defensive unit stepped up in Burch’s absence so that there was no noticeable shift, but his impact when he is on the field is clear. Oregon has a high ceiling this year, and so much of its success — and potential for success — lies on the shoulders of Jordan Burch.

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Dan Lanning called a timeout so Oregon could watch Michigan fans empty out the stadium

Oregon’s Dan Lanning was inspired by Coach K for this idea.

Oregon Ducks football coach Dan Lanning had a plan heading into Saturday’s game against the Michigan Wolverines.

As the undefeated Ducks prepared to face off against the defending national champions earlier in the week, Lanning told his players about something he wanted to do when they played in Ann Arbor at Michigan Stadium.

In a “Ducks vs. Them” recap video of the victory, fans saw Lanning call a timeout in the fourth quarter so that he could remind them about this idea.

In that video, Lanning is seen telling his players that he told them about “this moment” on Monday. Then, it cut directly to some behind-the-scene footage of a team meeting a few days prior.

During this session, Lanning showed a video of legendary former Duke men’s basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski discussing road victories and what it feels like to watch home fans silenced and leaving early.

Krzyzewski discussed how he would call timeouts to have his players just look into the stands and watch them go home because those are the moments that the student athletes will always remember. Here is more from Lanning:

“I already told you in the beginning of the week. I’m going to remind you at some point in this game. I’m going to tell you to look up at the stands at some point in this game. And you’re going to start to see them empty out. We’ve made the decision before we even stepped on the field.”

When the recap flashed back to the actual game, you could see players wondering where the Michigan fans went. It clearly inspired the roster and everyone seemed excited

This was such a cool idea perfectly executed by the Oregon coach, who currently leads a team ranked No. 1 in the nation.

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Wisconsin upcoming opponent ranked No. 1 in first College Football Playoff rankings release

Wisconsin upcoming opponent ranked No. 1 in first College Football Playoff rankings release

The Wisconsin Badgers (5-4, 3-3 Big Ten) are currently in line to host the No. 1 team in the country in Week 12 on Nov. 16.

That team is the Oregon Ducks (9-0, 6-0 Big Ten). Not only did they remain No. 1 in the AP Poll for the third consecutive week after a decisive win over Michigan, but the team was also the No. 1 seed in the season’s first College Football Playoff rankings release.

Related: Every Big Ten team’s bowl projection following Week 10

Those rankings now reflect the updated 12-team model, with auto-bids for the five highest-ranked conference champions and seven more at-large selections. In that expanded format, seeds 1-4 get first-round byes, while the rest of the field plays first-round games at the campus of the higher-ranked team.

Here is a full look at the first projected bracket, led by Wisconsin’s upcoming opponent:

Oregon is one of four Big Ten teams in the top 12 of the first rankings, joining Ohio State (No. 5 seed), Penn State (No. 7 seed) and Indiana (No. 8 seed).

The Ducks host a struggling Maryland team in Week 11 before traveling to Wisconsin for the Week 12 matchup. The team isn’t expected to have any trouble improving to 10-0 and maintaining its No. 1 ranking — it’s playing the best football of any team in the sport currently, with three recent wins by a combined margin of 85 points.

Wisconsin is idle in Week 11 before hosting the No. 1-ranked Ducks. All likely signs point to a 10-0, No. 1-ranked Oregon team facing the 5-4 Badgers.

Wisconsin has had several AP top-five home matchups in 2024. Week 12 vs. Oregon projects to be the biggest of them all, and should give Wisconsin its first chance at a win over the No. 1 team since it defeated then-No. 1 Ohio State in 2010.

Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes, and opinion.

Oregon honors late Duck, Viking Khyree Jackson with unique challenge

The Oregon Ducks have an annual tribute to remember their fallen teammates, including Khyree Jackson.

Minnesota Vikings cornerback and 2024 fourth-round pick Khyree Jackson tragically passed away in July. He was 24 years old and was involved in an auto accident.

Jackson was a star defender for Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks. Lanning and Oregon have made it a tradition to remember their fallen brothers by doing a unique task.

Since the passing of former Oregon tight end Spencer Webb, who tragically fell and died in a hiking accident in 2022, Lanning has been taking his team to Spencer Bute, which has an elevation of more than 2,000 feet and a trail of more than a mile and a half.

Every member of the Oregon team hikes to the top of the mountain to remember their fallen brothers. Coach Lanning tells his team to remember those that can’t be here with them today and on their way down he wants his team to think about what they can do to help somebody in need.

Dan Lanning dives into Tez Johnson, Marcus Harper injuries

Oregon coach Dan Lanning says both Tez Johnson and Marcus Harper II are expected to return this season.

The Oregon Ducks football team has done a good job at avoiding major injuries this season, but during the Michigan game, it looked as though their luck had run out.

Wide receiver Tez Johnson and offensive lineman Marcus Harper II both went down with what looked like season-ending ailments. But according to Oregon coach Dan Lanning in his weekly press conference, he expressed some optimism concerning both players.

“Tez will be down, certainly right now in the near future,” Lanning said. “But I do anticipate us getting Tez back here soon. Same with Marcus. I think neither one of those injuries are as bad as maybe they appeared on the field. I think we’ll have those guys back. I don’t know when that looks like right now, but we’ll do what we always do, take care of the players and what’s in the best interest of them. Both of those guys are fighting to get back as soon as we can have them.”

That’s welcome news for the Ducks. Johnson suffered what looked like either a shoulder or collarbone injury early in the game as a Michigan defender fell on him awkwardly. As for Harper, he suffered a left knee injury and needed help off the field.

Thankfully for Oregon, depth is not a problem at either position and the Ducks could withstand an ailment or two at those spots. With Johnson out, Traeshon Holden stepped up and had a monster game with six catches and 149 yards.

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Oregon vs. Michigan: Top photos from Ducks’ dominant win in The Big House

Some of the top photos from the Oregon Ducks 38-17 win over the Michigan Wolverines in Week 10.

It was said this would be the Oregon Ducks toughest road test of the season. A trip to The Big House in Michigan can be a house of horrors for some teams.

Oregon turned it into a fun house as the Ducks cruised past the defending champions 38-17 in front of over 110,000 fans, the largest crowd Oregon has ever played in front of.

As usual, the Ducks blasted the opponent in the first half and then cruised to an easy victory in the second half. It was 28-10 at halftime in Ann Arbor and Oregon had the game completely under control.

Even after the Wolverines scored on their first possession of the third quarter, the Ducks didn’t panic. They just buckled down on defense and held Michigan off the scoreboard for the rest of the game.

Here are the best pictures from Oregon’s win at Michigan where the Ducks moved to 9-0 overall and control their own destiny towards the Big Ten title game in Indianapolis.

Oregon’s Tez Johnson posts concerning update following Week 10 injury

Oregon Ducks wide receiver Tez Johnson posted a concerning injury update to his Instagram page on Sunday morning that has fans worried.

Despite Oregon’s big win in The Big House over the Michigan Wolverines on Saturday afternoon, Duck fans were concerned with only one thing after the 38-17 victory: the status of star wide receiver Tez Johnson.

Since the Ducks’ WR1 went to the locker room with an apparent shoulder injury on the first drive of the game and returned in street clothes with a sling on his right arm, there have been worries Johnson could miss extensive time.

While the CBS broadcast speculated the injury could be a broken collarbone or a separated shoulder, it seems likely Johnson will miss time, potentially even into the postseason.

That idea was supported on Sunday morning when Johnson took to social media and posted a concerning update to his Instagram story. The wordless post contained a picture of him on the ground with a broken-heart emoji, so it’s hard to imagine that means good news.

After the game, head coach Dan Lanning was unable to provide any updates, so we will not know anything more until Monday night when he has his weekly press conference. Even then, it’s unlikely we will know for sure how long Johnson will be out.

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If you care to look on the bright side for the Ducks, this is a position where they can likely sustain an injury and still have significant production. With Evan Stewart, Traeshon Holden and Justius Lowe proving productive this year, Oregon’s passing game should remain strong with quarterback Dillon Gabriel playing at a Heisman level.

On top of that, the Ducks’ remaining regular-season schedule — Maryland, at Wisconsin, and Washington — doesn’t present any major challenges. After that, though, a likely Big Ten championship game and potential College Football Playoff run would be tougher without Johnson on the field.

We wait to learn more about the injury diagnosis, and the recovery timeline in the next 48 hours.

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Column: Dan Lanning’s culture to face stress test as injuries complicate championship aspirations

With injuries to WR Tez Johnson and RG Marcus Harper, the Oregon Ducks will be stress-tested as their championship dreams forge ahead.

The Oregon Ducks left Ann Arbor, Michigan, on Saturday afternoon with a 21-point win, a 9-0 record and a guarantee that Sunday would kick off their third consecutive week as the No. 1 team in the nation.

Dan Lanning’s team became the first since 2015’s Michigan State Spartans to beat both the Michigan Wolverines and Ohio State Buckeyes in the same season. It took them all of 10 weeks to establish themselves as the clear king of the Big Ten Conference in 2024.

You’d think the vibes among the fan base were high, right?

Wrong. All anyone could concern themselves with after the 38-17 victory was a looming negative that has plagued many seasons in Eugene.

Injuries.

We’ve seen championship aspirations knocked sideways in years past, most famously in 2007 with Dennis Dixon tearing his ACL in the desert. Each of the last two years, Oregon has had an injury or two derail its season late. Bo Nix’s ankle sprain led to a loss against Washington, and a slew of injuries to Jordan Burch, Troy Franklin, and Khyree Jackson ended the Ducks’ College Football Playoff hopes in Las Vegas.

So familiar feelings rose to the surface on this crisp, November Saturday in Ann Arbor when star wide receiver Tez Johnson jogged off the field on the first drive of the game, favoring his right shoulder. He made a pit stop at the blue medical tent before heading to the locker room. He later emerged in street clothes with a sling on his right arm.

The CBS broadcast team speculated it was a separated shoulder or a fractured collarbone. Either way, the conversation began about whether it would be a two-game absence for Oregon’s leading pass-catcher — a player on pace to break his own Oregon record for most receptions in a season — or something longer that could spill into the postseason. I’m told to expect the latter.

The situation worsened for the Ducks later in the game when starting right guard Marcus Harper went down with an apparent knee injury. He headed to the medical tent and emerged with the knee wrapped in ice.

Laments of being a cursed program started to ring out on social media almost immediately. The familiar feelings of broken championship dreams resurfaced. I heard them and understood them. This time around, I met them with a different feeling.

This time around, Lanning’s culture may provide enough cushion to keep those dreams alive.

Remember a few weeks ago when Oregon overcame every curse, jinx and mistake known to a Duck to beat the Ohio State Buckeyes at home? I wrote then that it felt as if a new era of Oregon football was beginning, and trauma-ridden fans who went into each big game expecting the worst might need a change of disposition.

Why can’t that be the case here, as well?

Should Tez Johnson miss the next five weeks and be unavailable for a Big Ten Championship game appearance, it will hurt. Should his career at Oregon be over, it would be devastating. Johnson leads the team with 64 catches for 649 yards and 8 touchdowns. You don’t just make up for that overnight.

Oregon has the depth to ease the burden, though. The Ducks have an Evan Stewart, Traeshon Holden, Justius Lowe, Terrance Ferguson and Kenyon Sadiq up their sleeve. Hell, we might even find out in the coming weeks that they have a Jeremiah McClellan and Jurrion Dickey hiding up there as well.

They have a culture that has prepared them to weather storms like this. It’s something they’ve been preparing for since the summer months.

“You say at the beginning of every season, ‘I don’t know if people realize what this guy’s role might become,'” Lanning said earlier this year. “Still, we’ve had a lot of guys’ roles that have grown because of availability, but they were also ready for those moments when they came.”

In other words, next man up.

It’s a cliche that gets passed around the football world like a runny nose at daycare, but a mentality that has been revered in Lanning’s program. Injuries happen in college football every day. You can protect against them, but never eradicate them.

So while losing Tez and Marcus for any amount of time is difficult and will stress test this team, I’m not as worried about Oregon’s future as I may have been in years past.

Like we said after that program-altering win over Ohio State: Something about this team feels different. Maybe that something is enough to keep these championship hopes alive a little longer.

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