Oregon's Dan Lanning Draws Wild Comparison for UCLA Football

As the Bruins enjoy their bye week this Saturday, the rest of the UCLA fanbase is already amped up for their biggest matchup of the campaign after the break.

Oregon looms large for the Bruins, and this game could truly be an inflection point for UCLA. A win could be the catalyst for the momentum UCLA needs to build a winning run against the rest of their schedule, and a loss creates uncertainty, since we have not seen how this team responds to defeat.

Sep 26, 2026; College Park, Maryland, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Bob Chesney watches his team play against the Maryland Terrapins in the first half at SECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Heading into the matchup, few probably would've expected it to be a ranked contest, and even fewer may have expected Oregon to look as beatable as they do at this point in the season.

Dan Lanning Gives Praise to UCLA

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning praised UCLA in his latest press conference, saying the Bruins remind him of something special.

Sep 26, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning watches game play against the USC Trojans during the first quarter at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

"We're about to play a UCLA team that reminds me a lot of Indiana from last year...," Lanning said. "...Let's just be honest. We're not remotely close to what we need to be. We're not remotely close."

Lanning was blunt about the state of his team. Oregon’s season has been somewhat disappointing so far, and UCLA could also be a pivotal game for this team to get back on track. Stacking back-to-back ranked wins could be the momentum boost the Ducks need to revitalize their season.

Dec 20, 2025; Eugene, OR, USA; James Madison Dukes head coach Bob Chesney and Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning greet one another after the game at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Lanning and Bob Chesney have had some experience against each other, believe it or not. Chesney’s James Madison team met Oregon in the first round of the College Football Playoff last season, and you have to wonder if that will come into play at all this upcoming week.

Lanning's Thoughts

When Lanning was asked how this UCLA team resembles the James Madison team he faced, he was very complimentary of the Bruins roster, especially Wayne Knight.

Sep 12, 2026; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA running back Wayne Knight (3) looks on after completing a touchdown during the second half against San Diego State at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“They got some players that can play ball, right? I mean, their running back's as good as anyone that we'll go against this year. They have a lot of players that came with them, and again, I draw some comparisons to Indiana. A lot of guys that traveled with their coach to the next stop, an extremely well-coached team.”

“They have a lot of continuity from that standpoint. They're running the ball as well as anybody in college football, you know….They got good quarterback play, and the defense, they're aggressive, man. They attack. They've got a lot of different looks, but they certainly present some challenges.”

Sep 5, 2026; Berkeley, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head coach Bob Chesney during the first quarter against the California Golden Bears at California Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Lanning’s high praise for the Bruins should give UCLA fans a boatload of confidence heading into this matchup. It will easily be the toughest test that UCLA has faced so far this season, but Chesney will no doubt have his guys ready to fight in Week 6.

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