Ducks Digest

Oklahoma State's Mike Gundy Clarifies Oregon Ducks Comments After Dan Lanning's Response

As the Oregon Ducks inch closer to their second home game of the season against the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the off-field drama continues. Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy clarified his comments about the Ducks' NIL budget after Ducks coach Dan Lanning responded.
Ally Osborne|
Aug 28, 2025; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys coach Mike Gundy takes the field prior to the game against the Tennessee Martin Skyhawks at Boone Pickens Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images
Aug 28, 2025; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys coach Mike Gundy takes the field prior to the game against the Tennessee Martin Skyhawks at Boone Pickens Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images

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The drama continues leading up to the No. 6 nationally ranked Oregon Ducks' upcoming home game against the Oklahoma State Cowboys as Cowboys' coach Mike Gundy clarified his comments about the Ducks on Thursday.

Gundy, who previously discussed the Ducks' NIL spending and his thoughts on playing teams with wide arrays of booster funding, stated he was being "complimentary" to the Oregon program on SiriusXM College Sports Radio.

“A little bit of that was was taken out of context,” Gundy said. “The truth of the matter is, I was being very complimentary of Oregon and their commitment. The other things that had been said that day were that they made a huge commitment to facilities, as we know. They’ve made a huge commitment to their staff, they’ve made a huge commitment to their surrounding staff and then, they’ve made a huge NIL commitment."

Oklahoma State Head coach Mike Gundy walks on the field before an NCAA football game between Oklahoma State (OSU) and UT Mart
Oklahoma State Head coach Mike Gundy walks on the field before an NCAA football game between Oklahoma State (OSU) and UT Martin in Stillwater, Okla., on Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025. | NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Gundy Also Agrees with Dan Lanning's Response

During his original remarks, Gundy declared that the Ducks were spending $40 million annually on their football team, compared to the Cowboys' $7 million annual NIL budget, and that teams should potentially play against opponents based on spending. Oregon coach Dan Lanning responded to Gundy's comments during his weekly pregame press conference.

“I got a ton of respect for coach Gundy. You know, ultimately, how blessed are we to be in a place that's invested in winning? If you want to be a top 10 team in college football, you'd better be invested in winning. And we spend to win. Some people save to have an excuse for why they don’t, right?" Lanning said.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning leads his team during the entry walk as the Oregon Ducks host the Montana State Bobcats on Aug.
Oregon head coach Dan Lanning leads his team during the entry walk as the Oregon Ducks host the Montana State Bobcats on Aug. 30, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Gundy Cites "Donor Fatigue" as Issue Impacting NIL Spending

In this recent radio appearance, Gundy agreed with Lanning's statements, while also hitting on a touchpoint of "donor fatigue," as Gundy claims the Cowboys are doing "everything they can" to raise NIL money to compete with programs possessing deeper pockets.

"Continuing to ask for more money is extremely difficult," Gundy said. "But the truth of the matter is this – and what Dan said is exactly right. Everything he said is true in the fact that it’s a different time and it’s a tremendous strain on universities and donors.”

“And it’s not easy. It’s difficult. Can you imagine being an athletic director and trying to spread out $21 million that you didn’t have last year and make it equal to the other sports, and then also pump enough money in football so those teams can stay alive and have some success?” Gundy added.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning leads his team onto the field as the Oregon Ducks host the Montana State Bobcats on Aug. 30, 20
Oregon head coach Dan Lanning leads his team onto the field as the Oregon Ducks host the Montana State Bobcats on Aug. 30, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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The Online Response Leads to a Heated Match-Up

Though Gundy's recent comments seem to put a bow on this pregame feud, online discourse surrounding Gundy and Lanning's statements make for some interesting ammunition going into game two for the Ducks.

Below are some responses we've collected addressing Gundy and Lanning's comments:

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Ally Osborne
ALLY OSBORNE

A reporter for Oregon Ducks on SI, Ally Osborne is a born and raised Oregonian. She graduated from the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communications in 2021 after interning for the Oregon Sports Network with experience working on live sporting broadcasts for ESPN, FOX Sports, the PAC 12 Network, and Runnerspace. Osborne continued her career in Bend, Oregon as a broadcast reporter in 2021 for Central Oregon Daily News while writing for Oregon Ducks on SI. Since then, Osborne is entering her third season reporting for the publication and is frequently the on-site reporter for home games at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. She is currently the host of lifestyle shows "Everyday Northwest" and "Tower Talk Live" for KOIN 6 News in Portland, Oregon. Osborne also works as a sports reporter for KOIN 6's "Game On" sports department. In her free time, Osborne is an avid graphic designer, making art commissions for athletes across her home state. Osborne's designs have even become tattoos for a few Duck athletes.

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