Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA T
Jun 2, 2026 4:12 PM
Despite a dominant record and elite recruiting, a third-place Big Ten ranking highlights the championship hurdle Dan Lanning must clear to outshine conference rivals Ryan Day and Curt Cignetti.
Oregon head coach Dan Lanning has done a lot of winning during his first four years in Eugene, but he has yet to enter elite status after disappointing ends to the seasons in 2024 and 2025.
Lanning has gone 48-8 at Oregon, his first stint as a head coach. During the Ducks' first two seasons in the Big Ten, the team has not just one game during conference play, coming to Indiana and head coach Curt Cignetti in the regular season last year.
The Ducks won the Big Ten in 2024, with Lanning earning a win over then-head coach at Penn State, James Franklin. However, Oregon was blown out in the College Football Playoff in 2024 by Ohio State and head coach Ryan Day and Indiana in 2025.
It's no surprise then that Steven Lassan of Athlon Sports ranks Lanning the No. 3 coach in the Big Ten behind Day and Cignetti, noting the program has trended in the right direction in recent years.
"With quarterback Dante Moore and a handful of key defenders passing on the NFL to return for another season in Eugene, Oregon could be the next first-time champion in college football in ‘26," Lassan wrote. "Lanning quickly emerged as one of the best coaches in the nation after arriving in Eugene prior to ‘22.
"The Ducks are 48-8 under Lanning and have posted four straight double-digit win totals. Additionally, the program won two playoff games last season before falling to Indiana in the semifinal. Lanning is one of college football’s elite recruiters and should have Oregon consistently in the mix to win a national title in upcoming seasons."
The No. 3 ranking is well deserved but should be a motivational factor for Lanning during the upcoming season. Both coaches ahead of him have won national championships in the last two seasons. They creamed Oregon on the way to winning the title.
Lanning has proven to be a great recruiter, but he has not gotten the best of his players against stiff competition in the playoffs. That's something Lanning needs to change if he wants to become one of the best coaches in the sport.
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