Dan Lanning Addresses Bowl Game Opt Outs Across College Football

If the No. 5 Oregon Ducks didn't make it into the College Football Playoff, would a bowl game outside of a championship chase be beneficial to the program? Would honing in on January recruiting and transfer portal scouting, instead of risking current athletes injury status for a bowl appearance, be a better play in the long run?

College programs might be asking these types of questions after several notable teams like Notre Dame, Kansas State, and Iowa State announced their withdrawal from the post season after the playoff final rankings reveal on Sunday.

On Sunday afternoon when discussing Oregon's upcoming first round playoff game at Autzen Stadium against the No. 12 James Madison Dukes, coach Dan Lanning gave his opinion on bowing out of bowl games, and very intentionally stepped around addressing the current teams embroiled in controversy because of these decisions.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning, right, walks the field during warmups as the Oregon Ducks take on the Washington Huskies on Nov. 29, 2025, at Husky Stadium in Seattle, Washington. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

College Football Creating Their March Madness

"You know, the college football playoff itself takes away some excitement in some of these other bowl games. I think we're all seeing it now, today, where teams are dropping out right and left. It's great to be a team that's getting an opportunity to continue to play ball right now. And while these are unique matchups that, you know, these are fun, it's fun to be a part of something," Lanning said.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning yells at Oregon wide receiver Malik Benson after Benson was called for unsportsmanlike conduct as the Oregon Ducks host the USC Trojans on Nov. 22, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Recruiting Piece

For college programs facing a bowl game with no playoff impact, turning the focus to recruiting may be more beneficial.

While playoff teams are locked into the post season, a team without a bowl game may have better luck tracking down players in the NCAA Transfer Portal, which opens on Jan. 2 and lasts through Jan 16. Coaches apart of opt out teams may also get extra time for their high school recruiting, which is more pressure-filled than ever, which is another aspect Lanning touched on.

"I can't speak to anybody else's situation, but ours, you know, I would say it doesn't look the same as it's ever looked, especially when the portal opens in January as well," Lanning said. "You used to be able to use this time, and it's almost like another spring practice. You used to be able to get more high school seniors or guys who joined your team, and to be able to practice. A lot of that stuff's changed a little bit. So this is a unique time, you know, in that frame, and I certainly can't speak to anybody else's situation."

Oregon fans are illuminated in the late afternoon sun as the Oregon Ducks host the USC Trojans on Nov. 22, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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College Opt-Out Controversy

The most famous opt-out of the week is the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, which followed after the No. 10 Miami Hurricanes of the ACC Conference along with No. 11 Tulane and JMU all making the CFP over the Irish. In response, Notre Dame opted out of the Pop Tar Bowl against BYU, seemingly as a response to missing the CFP.

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— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) December 7, 2025

Notre Dame Athletic Director Pete Bevacqua commented on "The Dan Patrick Show" that the ACC Conference's campaign of comparing the Irish to the Hurricanes prior to the playoff selection leaves deeper scars for the future of post season play.

"We didn't appreciate the fact that we were singled out repeatedly and compared to Miami. Not by Miami; Miami has every right to do that. But it raised a lot of eyebrows here that the conference was taking shots at us," Bevacqua said.

Iowa State and Kansas State also opted out of bowl games this post season, and both got hit with $500,000 fines from the Big 12 Conference. Notre Dame will not face a financial penalty, as they are not a fully-fledged member of the ACC.

Though not addressed by Lanning, it will be interesting to see if going forward, programs and conferences will follow in the ACC's footsteps to campaign for certain teams for the best chance of winning it all.