Dan Lanning makes stance clear on changes needed to College Football Playoff

Dan Lanning pushes for faster, weekly CFP rhythm with home-field games

Oregon Ducks coach Dan Lanning spoke out on what he believes the College Football Playoff must change. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Joel Klatt and Dan Lanning did not mince words about the sport’s postseason calendar. On Thursday’s episode of The Joel Klatt Show, the FOX Sports analyst invited the Oregon head coach to outline what he believes the College Football Playoff must fix next.

Klatt framed the exchange by noting their shared view that the season should finish earlier and the national title should land near Jan. 1. Lanning answered with a clear, detailed blueprint for a tighter playoff cadence and a cleaner divide between bowls and the bracket.

The conversation arrived as leaders across the sport weigh format tweaks and timing in the 12-team era. Lanning’s message cut through procedural noise and focused on a weekly rhythm fans and players can count on.

Dan Lanning’s Weekly Playoff Plan And Home-Field Priority

Lanning said the postseason should move week to week, without long pauses that sap momentum or create split priorities. “You know, Saturdays to me are sacred. They belong to college football,” he said, arguing that other playoff structures keep consistent cadence and that the CFP should mirror that approach.

“Every other great situation in sports that has playoffs has some consistency within those playoffs. You do not need 22, 25, 28 day windows of no playing,” Lanning said.

Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning believes the College Football Playoff must implement | James Lang-Imagn Images

“We should play the championship games in our conferences, and the next Saturday there should be a playoff game.”

He also pushed for on-campus games to reward seeding and amplify competitive stakes. “Playoff games, in my mind, should be at home for higher seeded teams, just like they are in the NFL, just like they are in FCS football,” Lanning said. “And then they should be played every weekend until the season is done.”

That cadence, he argued, requires shedding the tug of war between bowls and the playoff. “Without these long, extended periods of time in between where we are trying to satisfy bowl games and satisfy the playoff,” he said. “There are two worlds that cannot really exist in the same place, in my mind.” Klatt agreed, calling the current compromise unsustainable and encouraging decision-makers to act.

Other Coaches Add Perspective To Playoff Debate

Lanning is far from the only voice calling for change. Across the sport, several high-profile coaches have weighed in with their own concerns about the new playoff era.

Penn State coach James Franklin emphasized the need for uniformity. Speaking alongside Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman, Franklin said every team should face the same structure. “I think everybody should be in a conference. I think everybody should play a conference championship game, or nobody should play a conference championship game. I think everybody should play the same number of conference games,” Franklin said. He argued that inconsistency in scheduling creates challenges for the selection committee and undermines the credibility of the process.

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day and Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin have also gone on record discussing their College Football Playoff opinions. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ohio State coach Ryan Day focused on the player experience. After guiding his team through multiple CFP trips, he said the accommodations and structure surrounding the games should improve. “The national championship is not run by a bowl. The other ones are, but even the ones that are run by a bowl, as you guys remember, there used to be events. There was a lot that came with that. Now that’s no longer the case. It’s just like being on a road game except you’re there a day earlier,” Day said. He called for better food, conditions, and mementos to ensure the postseason is memorable for players, not just another grind.

Both perspectives highlight different pain points — Franklin stressing fairness and consistency in the system, Day emphasizing the need to take care of players. When combined with Lanning’s focus on calendar efficiency, the calls underscore how the sport is wrestling with the balance between tradition and the new playoff structure.

Oregon will face Oregon State on Saturday in the in-state rivalry game.