Dan Lanning Uses ‘Gasoline on Fire’ Analogy for Week 2 Blowout as Autzen Stadium Rattles Mike Gundy

Dan Lanning‘s team came out strong and didn’t let up. Following a 59-13 victory over Montana State in Week 1, the Ducks put on a show at Autzen Stadium, crushing Oklahoma State 69-3. They didn’t just win; they dominated, improving to 2-0 and making history. As OptaSTATS pointed out, Oregon’s 66-point margin was the largest against a non-conference Power Four team since Ohio State beat Pittsburgh 72-0 in 1996. Dante Moore and the Ducks not only piled up yards and touchdowns, but they also silenced Mike Gundy’s pregame remarks, making a bold statement to everyone.

Week 2 of college football had an entertaining pregame exchange between Lanning and Gundy. It all started when the latter started the discussion by talking about his players’ road performance, especially quarterback Zane Flores. “Zane traveled with us some in conference,” Gundy said. “We took him on several games, and I think we even took him to Texas a few years—was he here that year? I think we took him as a true freshman to Texas. He’s been in it. Now he’s not been the guy out there playing. I feel like he’ll be fine in the stadiums that he’ll be competing in this year. I don’t know that that’ll affect him a lot. The maturity of getting experience and going and playing would be more of a factor, in my opinion. But we’ll see; everybody’s different.”

Mike Gundy’s comment might seem directed to his QB, but it’s clear that he was trying to point out that Oregon’s stadium and program are “too much” for a young QB. But Coach Lanning and his team made sure that they fired back with a perfect reply, and their 69-point win proves it. “I told our team right before the game that it never requires extra motivation for an opportunity to go out and kick a–, but it never hurts when somebody pours gasoline on the fire. So I felt like these guys wanted the chance to prove who they are. And you know, I got a lot of respect for Coach Gundy, but probably in his press conference, he’s probably saying, ‘See, I told you so,’ right?” Lanning said.

But Mike Gundy’s comments didn’t just make headlines; they riled up the crowd. He publicly lamented Oklahoma State’s financial limitations compared to schools like Oregon, even suggesting some coaches felt Oregon should only play teams with comparable resources. The Ducks’ fans took notice. Moments before kickoff, Oregon displayed his quote on the Autzen Stadium Jumbotron, igniting the crowd and pumping them up before the game. The Ducks fed off that energy.

By the third quarter, they were up 41-3, with Dante Moore throwing for almost 250 yards and four touchdowns, while Flores struggled to reach 50 passing yards. Oklahoma State aimed to prove doubters wrong, but Oregon dominated. Whether Lanning eased up or kept the pressure on, the Ducks thrived in the charged atmosphere. Fueled by Gundy’s words, Autzen’s crowd gave Oregon a significant advantage, reflected in the score.

Well, can we blame them? Oregon took Mike Gundy’s remark as a direct hit on Phil Knight and Dan Lanning, as Ducks insider James Crepea hits X with Dante Moore’s words: “It hit close to home. We know every week there’s going to be trash talking. … It was a lot fire going into this game. Says Lanning said there were going to keep their foot on the neck and try to break the scoreboard.” No wonder they did exactly the same. And the best part even Mike Gundy couldn’t help but clear out his earlier stance.

Mike Gundy gets real on Dan Lanning’s jab

With Dillon Gabriel now with the Cleveland Browns, quarterback Dante Moore stepped up to lead the Oregon offense. He threw for almost 250 yards and four touchdowns, proving that the Ducks’ already strong offense has gotten even better. Explosive plays from running back Noah Whittington and freshman wide receiver Dakorien Moore, including long touchdown runs and catches, kept Oklahoma State on its heels.

Even with the loss, Gundy mentioned the Ducks’ talent and speed and also noted the differing resources. And also addressed his earlier remarks on Oregon’s NIL spending, and said, “The first thing is, when I made that comment, I was complimenting Oregon for what they had done. The second thing is, as I said later in the week, we’ve made commitments also.”

Then Gundy swiftly turned his attention to his team’s performance, prioritizing progress over excuses. “We have to be better and fundamentally sound and execute,” he said. “That’s really what it comes down to. And then, as I said, sometimes you’re goona play people that have the ability to run away from you.” That honesty shed light on the challenges Oklahoma State has this season.

That makes sense, as Zane Flores, making his first career start due to Hauss Hejny’s injury, barely passed 50 yards, and their defense appeared even weaker than last year. The huge score difference highlighted the gap between the Ducks’ offensive strength and Oklahoma State’s continuing problems, which explains why Mike Gundy has faced increased criticism after his controversial remarks about his team’s financial disadvantages compared to programs like Oregon.