That is a classic shot fired by Oregon head coach Dan Lanning at the scheduling practices of the SEC, specifically taking aim at the traditional late-season “cupcake” games many top SEC teams play right before their major rivalry matchups.
Here is a breakdown of the context and why Lanning chose that particular phrase:
🎯 The “Chattanooga State” Context
The Actual Opponent: Lanning’s comment is a direct reference to a common FCS (Football Championship Subdivision) opponent that an SEC school—often Alabama—will play in late November to serve as a relative “bye week” before their rivalry game (e.g., the Iron Bowl). While there is no “Chattanooga State,” the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC Mocs) is the FCS team he’s referencing. Alabama did, in fact, play Chattanooga on November 18, 2023, winning 66-10.
The Scheduling Argument: Lanning’s Oregon Ducks secured a tough 42-27 win over a ranked USC team on a Saturday late in the season. He is contrasting the challenge of facing a conference rival with playoff aspirations late in the year (as the Big Ten, which Oregon joined, typically does) versus the practice of SEC teams getting a rest/tune-up game against a significantly lower-tier opponent like Chattanooga.
The Core Complaint: The core of the complaint is that these late-season scheduling decisions give SEC playoff contenders a competitive advantage by allowing their starters to rest, get healthy, and start preparing early for their rivalry game or conference championship, while teams in other conferences (like the former Pac-12 and current Big Ten) have to battle ranked opponents week after week.
🎙️ Lanning’s Full Message
Lanning’s full quote, delivered with a smile, was a clear defense of his own team’s resume and strength of schedule as the College Football Playoff picture tightens.
“We didn’t play Chattanooga State today, like some other places, right? We competed…. It’s tough playing nine conference games. It’s tough playing in this league and we got to take advantage of playing a good team today and attacking that.”
His comment suggests that the Big Ten’s requirement to play nine conference games, forcing them to face a high-quality opponent like USC in Week 12, proves the superior strength of the Ducks’ schedule compared to those who padded their records with late-season mismatches.
This quote instantly became a major talking point in the ongoing debate about conference scheduling equity in the College Football Playoff era.
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