Dan Lanning's worst loss at Oregon comes on biggest stage to Indiana

Dan Lanning's worst loss at Oregon comes on biggest stage to Indiana originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The biggest stage of Dan Lanning’s tenure delivered the harshest reminder that progress and payoff are not the same.

Oregon’s 56-22 loss to Indiana Hoosiers in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Friday night stands as the most damaging defeat of Lanning’s career, not strictly by margin, but by meaning. The Ducks were one win from a national championship appearance. However, they were overwhelmed from the opening snap.

By the numbers, it was not the most one-sided loss Lanning has endured. His debut as Oregon’s coach came in a 49-3 drubbing against Georgia. That game could be dismissed as a harsh introduction for a first-year coach still rolling out systems and culture. This one offered no such explanation.

Indiana put the game on ice early in a "Duck Hunt" 

Indiana never allowed Oregon to settle in. On the Ducks’ first play, quarterback Dante Moore threw a pass that was intercepted and returned for a touchdown, setting the tone for a night that unraveled quickly. The Hoosiers led 35-7 at halftime and controlled every phase.

More: Cheapest tickets for CFP national championship in Miami hit jaw-dropping levels

The loss marked just the eighth defeat of Lanning’s tenure, but Indiana is responsible for two of them. An alarming figure given Oregon’s rise under his leadership. The Ducks have recruited at an elite level, landing 10 five-star prospects during Lanning’s time. Indiana has none. Yet the gap on the field in Atlanta was undeniable.

Fernando Mendoza was nearly flawless, completing 17 of 20 passes for five touchdowns as Indiana’s offense exposed Oregon’s defense repeatedly. Moore, meanwhile, appeared rattled throughout, struggling against relentless pressure and a secondary that capitalized on mistakes.

More:Fernando Mendoza's family ties to Mario Cristobal run deep with Miami homecoming

Oregon’s problems were compounded by injuries. The Ducks were without two of their top running backs and managed just nine rushing yards on 17 carries in the first half. The lack of balance left the offense predictable and vulnerable.

Lanning and Oregon can't seem to find a way to advance

For all the momentum Oregon has built, this loss reinforces the lingering absence of a defining achievement. The Ducks have reached rare air in the modern era but remain without a national title to validate it.

Indiana, unbeaten at 15-0, advances to face the Miami Hurricanes in the national championship game. For Lanning and Oregon, the offseason begins with a familiar question. Not how close they are, but why the final step remains elusive in the Playoff era. 

More college football news: 

• Dan Lanning rips College Football Playoff, calls for major changes
• Demond Williams bombshell could have resulted in Lane Kiffin being fired by LSU
• Deion Sanders buyout, contract details as Colorado Buffaloes coach
• Top 2026 NFL Draft prospect suffers broken rib in CFP quarterfinal loss
• Ohio State's Ryan Day faces backlash after Cotton Bowl