Oregon Ducks Ready to Take On College Football Playoff Travel

Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning spoke with the media after the College Football Playoff field was announced this past weekend. He touched on the potential for three cross-country trips in three weeks, as well as juggling two coaching positions at once earlier in his career.

Nov 22, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks running back Noah Whittington (6) poses for a photo with head coach Dan Lanning before the game against the Southern California Trojans at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Coach Dan Lanning and the Oregon Ducks drew an ideal College Football Playoff first-round matchup, welcoming Sun Belt champions James Madison Dukes to Eugene.

The winner at Autzen Stadium in two weeks on Saturday, Dec. 20, will then get the Big 12 Conference champions, No. 4 Texas Tech Red Raiders, in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1, 2026, with a possible rematch against the Big Ten Conference champions, No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers, in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 9, 2026, after that.

The Ducks wouldn't have to run into the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes or the SEC champions, No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs, until the national championship on Jan. 19, 2026.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning celebrates postgame 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

Oregon's geographical path to the title game would go from Eugene, Oregon, to Miami, Florida, at Hard Rock Stadium, then Atlanta, Georgia, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and finally back to Miami. That's three potential cross-country trips in just three weeks.

Coach Dan Lanning touched on with the media just how well-traveled his group of guys has been in 2025 because of the layout of the Big Ten Conference, so what they have to look forward to on the possible College Football Playoff path shouldn't be anything new or worrisome.

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

“If anybody's prepared for it, it's us. We've done it a lot, and I think we travel really well. We'll try to keep the routine as simple as possible, much like the normal games that we've done in the past. But before we ever get to that point, we've got to take care of business here," Lanning stated.

The Ducks led the Big Ten in the most miles traveled during conference play at 8,128. That started in the Midwest in Evanston, Illinois, to University Park, Pennsylvania, back to the East Coast in Piscataway, New Jersey, and once again to the Midwest in Iowa City, Iowa. The regular season finale in the Pacific Northwest was just a quick trip up to Seattle, Washington.

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Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi directs his players during warmups before the Spring Game at Autzen in Eugene April 26, 2025 | Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Lanning on Juggling Two Coaching Positions at Once

With Oregon defensive coordinator Tosh Lupoi accepting the head coaching job with the California Golden Bears and offensive coordinator Will Stein with the Kentucky Wildcats, the pair of intellectual football minds is going to have a lot on their plate in the next month or so.

This is something that Lanning is quite familiar with dealing with earlier in his still young coaching career.

“It's a tough position to be in, but it's one that's really rewarding. The hard part is just not being able to be boots on the ground there and being here and focusing on what's going on here. Because the reality is, you have to be able to do a job here, and you have to be present for that job,” Lanning said.

New Kentucky Wildcat head coach Will Stein makes remarks as he is introduced at Kentucky on Wednesday, December 3, 2025 | Michael Clevenger/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

“So, the hard part is doing that knowing that you're not going to be able to be somewhere else. You've got to have people you trust there. But there'll be a lot of conversations between now and the end of the thing for those guys to be able to make sure they maximize that opportunity.”

Lanning was the defensive coordinator for Georgia during their 2022 national championship run while preparing for the start of his tenure with the Ducks. He also won the College Football Playoff with the Alabama Crimson Tide in 2015 as a graduate assistant.