ANN ARBOR, Mich. — In a hard-fought contest on Saturday, No. 1 Oregon defeated Michigan, 38-17, in front of a packed Michigan Stadium. Oregon’s steady composure and physicality, combined with a standout performance from Dillon Gabriel, helped the Ducks outlast the defending national champions.

"Proud of the way our guys performed today," Oregon head coach Dan Lanning said after the game. "I thought they came in, handled some adversity really early, and just really impressed with their composure throughout the game and the focus on the next play and the next opportunity."

The Ducks came prepared to take the crowd out of the game, and they succeeded. "We talked about eliminating the crowd in this game," Lanning said. "The Warriors are the ones that fight the battle, right, and they're the ones that control the atmosphere, not the spectators. So I thought our guys did an elite job at that."

Gabriel delivered another stellar outing, capturing national attention for his continued success. "I think everybody in the nation needed to recognize what kind of quarterback we got," Lanning said. "He's a really, really special player. He extended some plays, and I'm really proud of his performance tonight and proud of our entire team."

Lanning also acknowledged the contributions of the offensive line. "He’d be the first one to tell you that that offensive line did a great job tonight to give him those opportunities and take advantage of it," Lanning noted.

The Ducks had to adjust after Tez Johnson went down early with an apparent shoulder injury. "This guy's a winner in every piece of that word," Lanning said. "We always talk about opportunities, you know, next man up. And I'm glad the rest of the guys were able to step up and continue to go out there and have success in this game, right, knowing that Tez was down."

Johnson’s absence, however, didn't keep Oregon from executing their game plan. "We talked about trying to enhance our ability to be better in the third quarter and having some pieces that could help us out there," Lanning explained. "But ultimately, it was stuff that we didn’t get to in the first half that we felt like was available for us in the second half."

Oregon’s offensive strategy was carefully crafted to counter Michigan’s top-tier defense. "I thought the offensive staff did an unbelievable job of having a game plan for those guys," Lanning said. "Taking advantage about getting the ball out on the perimeter early, making them work sideline to sideline, always being cognizant of where they were at and trying to take them really out of the game."

The Ducks stayed true to their physical style in key moments, particularly late in the game. "We knew when your best was needed and a hard yard was needed, we're going to run it at them, and our guys did a good job of that," Lanning said.

Lanning highlighted a late scramble drill play that showcased the quarterback’s adaptability. "Man, this guy’s cool hand Luke, right? He's steady. I mean, even that last big pass there to Traeshon, that wasn't the initial play," Lanning said. "Those guys activated scramble drill, turned it into an explosive play."

Despite the win, Oregon’s third-quarter struggles continue to be an area of focus. "Yeah, there's a trend, right? And it’s something that we're certainly aware of in attacking," Lanning admitted. "We want to look at and improve on."

The Ducks’ defense was on high alert for Michigan's trick plays, one of which Oregon effectively shut down on fourth down. "They’ve had a lot of success this season on trick plays," Lanning noted. "But to be able to own his responsibility, we talk about farming your land, right? He did a great job of farming his land on that play and owning his responsibility there."

Lanning emphasized the importance of his quarterback's consistency, noting that his high performance levels each game are far from ordinary. "I think everybody in here needs to realize that's not ordinary," Lanning said. "We’re really blessed to have a special quarterback that is out there operating week in and week out doing a really good job."

Reflecting on the sense of unity within the team, Lanning expressed appreciation for his players and coaching staff. "I don’t know how many people get to go to work and genuinely get to say that they love everybody that they work with," he said. "I get to go into a locker room and I look around the room and I see guys that I love. I get to go to work and work with coaches that I absolutely love."

Oregon’s defense has been a powerful force this season, led by Coach Tosh Lupoi’s strategic play-calling. "You talk about a guy that’s picked his spots, right, of controlled aggression, like when to take advantage of opportunities," Lanning said of Lupoi. "We’ve got 11 guys playing the same call, and that’s shown up consistently this year."

When asked if the third-quarter issues were becoming a problem, Lanning answered confidently. "No, we won 38-17, so I’d say it’s not a problem," he said. "It’s something we want to address, though."

With the win, Oregon improves to 9-0, and Lanning believes that his team's resilience and unity will continue to drive them forward. "We’re continuing to get better," he said. "And, you know, the next opponent is the next opponent. That’s who we've got to play next."