EUGENE, Ore. — Oregon head coach Dan Lanning could hardly contain his excitement after the Ducks' 49-21 win over Washington on Saturday night. The victory was especially sweet for Oregon's 31 seniors, who were recognized before the game. "They worked so hard, and some of them have been here since the day we got here," Lanning said. "For them to be able to enjoy a moment like that after hard work really excites me, and certainly excites our team."

Lanning praised Oregon's defense, which recorded 10 sacks and tied a school record in the process. "We didn't think we'd have that many opportunities to actually rush the passer," Lanning said. "We talked about taking advantage of the moments we did get, and I think once the score became kind of one-sided, that created more opportunities for us."

Senior night was also a special moment for Tez Johnson, who returned to the field after an injury. "The minute he was down, he was ready to be back out there," Lanning said. "I was glad that he was able to get back out there and help his team."

Lanning's defense also performed well against Washington's rushing attack. "We talked about being in position to out-rush our opponent," Lanning said. "Jonah's a really good player. He's had some great runs all season, but we were able to keep him bottled up."

When asked about the significance of the 12-0 record, Lanning kept it simple: "Season's not over yet."

He added, "We've said it several times, but being able to play our best ball at the end of the season when it matters most, I think you saw that. You saw glimpses of that from our team tonight. College football is hard, right? It's tough to be consistent and resilient and win some tight games. I think that really shows some of the character of our team."

Lanning acknowledged that past losses to Washington were a motivating factor for the Ducks this season. "I go to bed every night thinking about them," Lanning admitted. "So it's nice to be able to think about a win, too."

Reflecting on what makes this year's team special, Lanning pointed to the connection among players. "This is by far our most connected team that we have," Lanning said. "It's obviously a talented team, but I think it's unique to be able to get talent to play together. The way that our guys play unselfishly, to celebrate other teammates' success, I think that you see that consistently with these guys."

The win over Washington was particularly meaningful after recent losses in the rivalry. When asked what his thoughts were on such a lopsided victory, Lanning responded succinctly: "How can we get better."

Quarterback Dante Moore got the start over Austin Novosad, a decision Lanning explained was strategic to preserve Moore's redshirt. "Dante had four games that we're able to utilize there and still reserve his redshirt," Lanning said. "Austin's done a great job competing for us all year."

The challenge of building sustained success in college football is something Lanning is well aware of. "There's a ton of challenges right now in the world of college football," he said. "It starts in that locker room, and you have guys that are bought in, believe in what we're doing. You continue to focus on talent acquisition and development, you focus on getting better every single day."

Lanning also spoke about the impact of Tez Johnson's return, calling him an explosive player. "Anytime he's out there on the field, he can create explosive plays," Lanning said. "He maintained his energy and enthusiasm even when he wasn't out there on the field for us."

Lanning was proud of players like Dillon Gabriel and Bryce Boettcher, who have made significant contributions to the Ducks' success this season. "Two different circumstances to find their way on the field for the Ducks and for them to maximize every opportunity they've had," Lanning said.

Matayo Uiagalelei was another standout for Oregon, recording over 10 sacks this season. "The guy plays with relentless effort," Lanning said. "Matayo is showing that killer instinct right now and become one of the hardest guys in college football to block."

Despite the team's success, Lanning emphasized the importance of staying focused. "I always feel like you can stop and celebrate whenever the season is done," he said. "In our world, you don't get the opportunity to be satisfied, right? And everyone right now is gonna be patting us on the back. Who cares? Right? Like, didn't matter before. It doesn't matter now."

Lanning had high praise for Bryce Boettcher, calling him the "definition of consistency." He added, "He plays the game the right way. The physicality that's necessary at his position, the enthusiasm that he carries onto the field."

The Ducks scored three touchdowns in a little over three minutes in the second quarter, which Lanning credited to the team's ability to stay on schedule. "We figured out when we were able to start in rhythm early, you know, we get positive yards in the first play of each series," Lanning said. "It's really hard to defend us when it's second and two and second and three."

Looking ahead to facing Penn State, Lanning acknowledged their strengths. "They're really tough to defend. They create a lot of different formations. I think they do a great job of utilizing their personnel," Lanning said.

When asked if his team was peaking at the right time, Lanning expressed confidence. "I do feel like this is our most complete game," he said. "Ultimately, this is a lot more like March Madness now than it was two years ago. So it's about playing consistent football at the end of the season."

Finally, Lanning was asked if he ever gets nervous when a player does a backflip at the end of a game. "I didn't see the back flip, but I'll make sure I address it with him," Lanning said with a smile. "I would have done one with him if I knew he was doing it."