In just his 4th year at the helm, the former national champion DC, Dan Lanning, has guided his team to an 8-1 record. With that, his squad moved one step closer to the CFP after their hard-fought 18-16 win over Iowa. While that kept Oregon’s postseason dreams alive, the road was rough. The Hawkeyes brought one of the nation’s best defenses with 243.1 YPG, and Mother Nature wasn’t doing the Ducks any favors either. Despite that, Lanning’s squad managed a win, and that incited the HC to express his emotion.

In the postgame press conference, Oregon HC admitted, “‘I was pretty nervous’ before Sappington’s last field goal. Shouldn’t have down to that. Can’t recreate in practice, ice in the veins.” Yes, that last-second FG sealed the deal for Oregon. With 3 seconds left, Atticus Sappington kicked a 39-yard FG that shattered the Hawkeyes’ CFP dream, and they dropped to a 6-3 overall record.

Dan Lanning: “I was pretty nervous” before Sappington’s FG. Shouldn’t have down to that. Can’t recreate in practice, ice in veins.

— James Crepea (@JamesCrepea) November 9, 2025

Despite both having their defensive prowess, Oregon controlled this game offensively, outgaining Iowa 373 yards to 239. In that offensive fireworks, Dante Moore led a decisive 54-yard drive that set up Sappington’s third FG. Besides, Moore’s 24-yard connection with Malik Benson and five completions for 47 yards on the drive highlighted his poise under pressure.

Not only the QB, but also the RBs played a crucial role in that win. While Dierre Hill Jr. broke free for a 19-yard TD, Noah Whittington bulldozed for 118 yards on the ground. Defensively, they added a critical safety after the Hawkeyes’ punter Rhys Dakin mishandled a snap. Now with that win, while Oregon carried the nation’s longest regular-season road-winning run at 10 games, Iowa put them in a tough battle.

Perhaps that’s why Lanning made the Big Ten remark on social media. “I guess that’s what they call Big Ten football. What an unbelievable game,” said Lanning. Yes, like the Ducks, Iowa showed its offensive fireworks, but late in the game. In the second quarter, Mark Gronowski connected with D.J. Vonnahme for a 3-yard TD, while Drew Stevens drilled a 58-yard field goal in the fourth.

Although Gronowski’s 3-yard TD run gave the Hawkeyes their first lead at 16-15, his conversion pass was incomplete. Moreover, with 5 penalties, they lost 57 yards. Now this ‘one’s gain, another’s pain’ situation gave Dan Lanning’s Oregon one more reason for a smile.

Dan Lanning’s RB seems to earn MVP

The Ducks RB Noah Whittington was one of the driving forces behind Oregon’s win over Iowa. With the absence of key skill players like Kenyon Sadiq and Dakorien Moore, Whittington completed 17 carries, powering the Ducks through freezing rain. His dominance on the ground stood out facing the nation’s 12th-ranked rush defense, and his impact was felt early.

Late in the first half, Whittington picked up 2 crucial first downs on back-to-back carries, and he finished the half with 87 yards. It marked the fourth game this season that he led the Ducks in rushing, and with such a stunning display in the win over the Hawks, Whittington is the deserving MVP. Probably, that’s why Dan Lanning didn’t hold back from praising his team’s resilience to CBS’ Jenny Dell.

After the win, Lanning stated, “Our resilience, next guy up, unbelievable team. They had no quit, our team had no quit. It’s kind of like whoever had it last is going to have a chance. We had a chance tonight.” Now while they turn their sights to Minnesota, their focus will climb even higher in the CFP rankings.