The Oregon Ducks rolled into the Rose Bowl with swagger, dreams, and a 13-0 record. But man, the Ohio State Buckeyes sent those dreams crashing harder than a poorly executed TikTok trend. A 41-21 blowout in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals? Not exactly how Dan Lanning and his squad wanted to kick off 2025. Yet, in the low-key aftermath of the chaos, Lanning served up a cold slice of shade pie.

Look, Oregon’s dream season ended in flames after Ohio State steamrolled them 41-21 in the Rose Bowl. But Dan Lanning wasn’t about to let Ryan Day enjoy the win without catching some shade. Post-game, Lanning dropped a not-so-subtle Michigan jab, saying, “It wasn’t our day today, just like it wasn’t their day against Michigan.” Ouch. Was it frustration boiling over or a slick way of keeping Oregon hopeful? Either way, Lanning let it fly. Ohio State got their W, but Michigan’s ghost probably still lives rent free in Day’s head. Oregon fans might be down, but their coach sure isn’t out of the fight, even with a L.

Okay, let’s talk about Ryan Day’s kryptonite for the 100th time for SEO purposes, aka the Michigan Wolverines, who has been living rent-free in his head since he took over at Ohio State in 2019. Dude is 1-4 against Michigan, including a brutal Week 14 loss this season where Sherrone Moore’s Wolverines served up a 13-10 defensive masterclass. And don’t forget that L not only ended Ohio State’s shot at the Big 10 crown but also set social media on fire with memes of Day looking like he aged 10 years in 10 minutes. Lanning’s comment wasn’t just a jab—it was a full-on alley-oop dunk. Or maybe he was just optimistic about the loss? Maybe or Maybe not.

But here’s the twist: while Ohio State licked its wounds and somehow still made the College Football Playoff, Oregon’s dreams of a national championship ended with that Rose Bowl collapse. And yet, Lanning’s shade managed to shift the spotlight. Was it petty? Maybe. Was it calculated? Absolutely. Either way, the Buckeyes are now gearing up to face Texas in the Cotton Bowl, while the Ducks are low-key left to ponder on the lake.

Dan Lanning and Ducks’ disappointment following Rose Bowl

As scarlet and gray confetti rained down at the Rose Bowl, the Ducks were staring at the wreckage of what was supposed to be their Cinderella moment. Coach Dan Lanning didn’t storm off the field; he stayed, hugging each player, sharing a quiet word, and taking it all in. Later, in press-conference he admitted, “There’s disappointment, But I talked to the team about life in that locker room and how grateful I am for the opportunity to coach this team.” It was classy, but the pain was real.

Tez Johnson, Oregon’s go-to-wide-out guy along with Traeshon Holden, couldn’t literally hide his emotions. After the L, he walked over to the fans, shaking hands and expressing his gratitude. Later, in the locker room, Tez broke down, “I feel like I failed. I just love the fans, man. To play here, I got my dream to come true.” Ain’t gonna lie, that was raw emotion. The sport of football has high-ups and hell-downs. end of the day, you gotta live through it all.

Man, the Ducks picked the absolute worst time to play their sloppiest game of the season. They couldn’t run the ball to save their lives—racking up a depressing minus-23 rushing yards—and their defense? Straight-up trash today. Ohio State’s offense was cooking, averaging a wild 8.8 yards per play, like they were playing Madden on rookie mode. By halftime, it was 34-8, and any thoughts of a comeback were about as realistic as Blockbuster making a comeback tour. If we being real now; The game was over before Dan Lanning’s Ducks hit for half-time.

In the locker room post-game, the vibe was heavy. Players were either rushing to leave or hugging everyone in sight, holding onto what little solace they could find. Lanning took the loss on his shoulders, telling the media, “It’s not about getting knocked down; it’s about getting back up and what you do next.” A poetic end to a night that was anything but.