SEATTLE — Dan Lanning regularly takes in the scene following road wins, getting to salute jubilant Oregon fans, whether they’re high in the upper deck in Happy Valley or lining the sidelines at the Rose Bowl, Big House or Reser Stadium.
The Ducks are undefeated on the road since joining the Big Ten and while Lanning has yet to coach at the Horseshoe or Memorial Stadium in either Lincoln or Bloomington, the one site that carries an asterisk of sorts on his record was here on Montlake, where Oregon’s first of two losses to Washington in 2023 came when the border rivals were in the Pac-12.
That’s what made Lanning’s 120-plus yard victory lap along the South sideline of Husky Stadium following No. 6 Oregon’s 26-14 win over Washington on Saturday more significant. Add in the College Football Playoff berth the Ducks (11-1, 8-1 Big Ten) effectively locked down in the process and Lanning’s reveling hand-in-hand with as many of those dressed in green and yellow among the 72,376 in attendance was an exercise in exorcism.
Of the first three losses he suffered in the rivalry, each featuring critical fourth-down decisions and failures. Of missed field goals. Of overmatched secondaries against vaunted receiving corps.
“I told the players before the game, I said, ‘History is great, but what’s more fun is writing history,’” Lanning said. “We got to write some history today, which is awesome. They showed up. Everybody had each other’s back. Certainly this is a big game. It’s a big rivalry; one of the best that I’ve been a part of. It was fun to go out there and take care of business today.”
Oregon won its second straight over Washington in wire-to-wire fashion, though things were more competitive on the scoreboard than how dominant UO was at times. The Ducks converted a pair of fourth downs during the second quarter that extended scoring drives and Atticus Sappington kicked four field goals to extend leads throughout the day.
Dante Moore went 20 of 29 for 286 yards with one touchdown and had seven carries for 11 yards with a score. After a slow start Moore completed 17 of 20, then capped the afternoon by connecting with Malik Benson in stride for a 64-yard touchdown that likely secured the opportunity for Oregon to host a first round playoff game on Dec. 19 or 20 at Autzen Stadium.
It was the latest hero moment for Benson, the transfer from Florida State by way of Alabama and junior college who has made critical catches for the Ducks all season. Benson etched his name into the rivalry’s lore with five catches for a career-high 102 yards and the game-sealing score.
Center Iapani Laloulu talked to the fifth-year senior this week about the significance of the rivalry and its history, especially for the players who were part of the teams in the losses in 2022 and 2023.
“I didn’t really know that this was a big rivalry like that,” Benson said. “I got well educated. To know what this game means to Oregon fans, I’m glad that I could put my stamp on it and my team could put our stamp on it.”
Four of Oregon’s drives ended with Sappington field goals, including a career-long 51-yarder for the senior who has made everyone forget about his misses earlier this season with clutch kicks at Iowa and again here, where Camden Lewis’ miss in 2023 is still haunting.
It was these kinds of individual performances, and a collective defensive effort to keep Demond Williams Jr. from breaking long runs, that Oregon needed to solidify its spot in the 12-team postseason field.
In the seven weeks since losing to Indiana at home, Oregon operated without a margin for error and came out unscathed in the loss column, even as injuries mounted.
The Ducks validated their resume throughout November and now get to rest and recover while awaiting their playoff matchup.
“It’s always felt the same way: you win — it’s up to you,” Lanning said. “It’s good, being in charge, being in control of your destiny. If you don’t win, you have no excuses. There’s nobody here complaining about what the situation is, go win. Ultimately, the team that gets the opportunity to play in the playoffs, that’s the way it’s supposed to work. The team that earned it and went out there and played and won games. That’s what you have to do to get there. It’s not supposed to be easy. It’s supposed to be hard. The whole season matters.”
As the clock hit zero, Moore, Benson, Jeremiah McClellan (three catches for 78 yards), Jordon Davison (nine carries for 24 yards) and Jamari Johnson (three catches for 60 yards) were among a group of offensive players who celebrated in the East end zone with The Duck. They then followed in Lanning’s wake and embraced many fans on their way to the locker room.
Moore, who has been forthright about the mental lows he felt as a freshman starter at UCLA in 2023, gave his gloves to a young boy in the front row. The psychological high of the moment was to be shared.
“This is very emotional at the end of the game, how much this win meant for the team and to the state of Oregon; playing for the PNW,” Moore said. “It was a great, competitive game. Playing on the road — Bryce (Boettcher) kept bringing up the situation that happened two years ago. I felt like he had so much emotion that I used it as fuel to make sure I’m pushing myself everyday, to make sure the offense is pushing ourselves.”