How Oregon Won The Biggest Game in Autzen Stadium History
By SPENCER McLAUGHLIN
Contributor, 750 The Game
The first Big 10 iteration of Oregon/Ohio State lived up to the hype and somehow went to another galaxy of chaos. 7 lead changes in the second half. An (accidental?) onside kick was the only “turnover” of the game. A veteran quarterback running out the clock to put himself into a “surrender cobra” amidst a record crowd at Autzen Stadium.
Ducks vs Buckeyes delivered in every way, and Dan Lanning got his most signature win to date as the Oregon head coach.
Did you see the videos of him after the game? They confirm what you should have already thought, that Lanning loves Oregon and wants to take this “progrum” to the promised land. He was as fired up as I’ve ever seen him, and I don’t think he was doing it just to make fans excited–though that’s certainly a byproduct.
Lanning was the biggest winner from Saturday night on an individual level along with Dillon Gabriel, who put his name back into the Heisman Trophy conversation. In his third season at the helm, Lanning beat Ryan Day with both teams ranked inside the top 5. The recruiting efforts of Dan Lanning and his staff showed up in this game in a big way–more on that later.
Ryan Day has been the head coach at Ohio State since 2019, and I think he’s really good with an exceptional team that just might see Oregon again in the Big 10 Championship Game this December. Day has been a head coach 3 years longer than Lanning, who took over in Eugene in 2022. Sure, Mario Cristobal left the cupboards pretty well stocked when he left for Miami. Which program did Ryan Day inherit again?
The statement sent to the country, the conference, and the many recruits who were in attendance for Saturday’s magnificent spectacle of college football. Lanning quipped after his postgame presser that if anyone sees any good players to tell them that “they should come play for [Oregon]”.
I imagine some of them will, and the Autzen faithful deserve plenty of credit for that.
Dan Lanning has had some notable recruiting victories in his relatively short tenure in Eugene, and Josh Conerly Jr. was the first 5-star he landed as Oregon’s head man. Conerly and one time Rhode Island transfer Ajani Cornelius led an offensive line that did not allow a single sack of QB Dillon Gabriel. They did that (again) against an Ohio State defensive line viewed as one of the best in the country with multiple NFL-caliber players.
The blend of high school talent that has been developed, perfectly-fitting transfers, and notable veteran returners like TE Terrance Ferguson have given Oregon its best roster to date in the Dan Lanning era.
Saturday was a very clear message that Oregon is ready to compete–now–and that they’re not going anywhere. Don’t be surprised if some recruits choose the Ducks as part of the fallout of Saturday night’s big win.
Dillon Gabriel was fantastic, as was offensive coordinator Will Stein. Oregon outran Ohio State, even though it wasn’t easy. That’s where Gabriel’s Heisman-style performance came into play. He connected with WR Tez Johnson for a 48-yard touchdown en route to a 75-yard day. Evan Stewart showcased his total talent against a much-touted Ohio State secondary.
The defense wasn’t perfect but came through when it was needed most, after getting robbed of an interception because of a lack of review in the first quarter. That Oregon overcame that to win a game in which they went 0/2 on consecutive extra point attempts, missed a field goal, and overlooked a wide open touchdown on 4th and goal is impressive.
If they meet Ohio State again they’ll need to be cleaner to win, especially since it wouldn’t be played in front of over 60,000 screaming Oregon fans. For now, Duck fans should ride the emotional wave of arguably the biggest win in Autzen Stadium’s illustrious history.
Spencer McLaughlin is an Oregon Ducks football contributor to 750 The Game. He also hosts the “Locked On Oregon Ducks” and “Locked On College Football” podcasts and has work featured throughout the season here.