In a game that will go down as one of the season's most dramatic, Oregon head coach Dan Lanning couldn’t help but express his pride and relief after his Ducks edged out a 32-31 victory over Ohio State.

"Anybody got a heart rate monitor?" Lanning quipped as he opened his postgame remarks with a laugh. "What an unbelievable atmosphere tonight, our fans. Man, they made such a difference. We're so proud of them." The coach was quick to credit his team’s resilience in a game defined by back-and-forth momentum. "We talked all week with our players about taking jabs. Taking jabs, it's not about throwing haymakers. It's about being accurate and precise with jabs," Lanning said. "The next play is the most important play. And I thought they really owned that tonight."

Lanning emphasized the importance of fundamentals, specifically winning the battle on the ground. "We talked about coming into this game, that we have to outrush our opponent. We have to out-physical our opponent. We outrushed Ohio State," Lanning stated, also praising his defense for giving the Buckeyes "some long fields." While crediting Ohio State head coach Ryan Day and his team, Lanning reminded everyone that this was only one chapter of the season. "Regardless of result, everything's still on the table for both teams," he said.

Lanning was particularly impressed with the performance of running back Jordan James, who he described as running with an edge. "Jordan, man, he runs like he's pissed off all the time," Lanning said with a smile. "Before the game started, he came with me and said, ‘Coach, I got you.’ And I know when he says that, he meant it. He took advantage of those opportunities he got today." Lanning also acknowledged the hard work of his offensive line and offensive coordinator, adding, "I’m going to try to find how many times we see 11 guys with their hats on somebody, giving us an opportunity to create a big run."

Lanning described the emotional rollercoaster of the game, noting the intensity that comes with close contests like this one. "It’s such an emotional game. It’s such an impactful game, and in moments like this where you want to be filled with complete joy, the relief is one of the biggest feelings you feel," Lanning admitted. "But it’s never about the team that just has great emotion. It’s about the team that executes."

Lanning also addressed the execution on Dylan Gabriel’s key touchdown run, which capitalized on putting Ohio State’s safeties in conflict. "Unbelievable decision there by Dylan," Lanning said. "He did an unbelievable job pulling the ball in that moment, and again, you’re going to see guys with bodies on bodies down the field, blocking their tail off for him."

On the game’s final offensive series, which resulted in a field goal that ultimately sealed the game, Lanning reiterated the team’s aggressive mindset. "We were trying to score a touchdown the whole time," he said. "But we knew it was an advantage to keep the clock running so they’d have to utilize their timeouts."

The Ducks were without key defensive player Jordan Burch, but Lanning praised the "next man up" mentality. "Jordan is certainly a loss for us. You don’t replace a Jordan," Lanning said. "But some guys showed up tonight."

Reflecting on the game’s momentum swings, Lanning likened it to a heavyweight fight. "We knew it could go every round," he said. "We played aggressive tonight. We played to win the game."

Lanning dismissed any need for external validation from winning a high-profile game like this. "I don’t care about anybody else’s opinion. We don’t need validation for anything else," he said. "But we do believe in validation of the process."

As Lanning wrapped up his comments, he acknowledged that while the victory was momentous, there was still work to be done. "The team we are today, October 12th, is not gonna be the same team we are in December."

Oregon’s victory over Ohio State sends a clear message to the college football landscape: the Ducks are here to compete on the national stage.