Dan Lanning says Oregon-Texas Tech ought to have been in Lubbock after Ducks’ Orange Bowl win

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Oregon coach Dan Lanning was glad the Ducks bought to face Texas Tech in South Florida as a substitute of West Texas, even when it appeared a whole lot of Oregon followers determined to go on what might be the primary of three cross-country College Football Playoff video games for his or her group.

“The Orange Bowl, first off, was unbelievable and I really need to give kudos to the Orange Bowl because it was a great experience,” Lanning mentioned. “But it’s not the same experience anymore when you talk about playoffs. Our guys didn’t leave the hotel. They have the mindset we can celebrate when this thing is all over with, and they were really focused.”

The fifth-seeded Ducks (13-1) beat the fourth-seeded Red Raiders (12-2) 23-0 on Thursday in entrance of what was introduced as a near-capacity crowd at Hard Rock Stadium however was clearly nicely brief.

“The hospitality was unbelievable,” Lanning mentioned. “But we’re trying to serve two different purposes here. This is a playoff, and in my opinion, should’ve been played in Lubbock, Texas. I said that before. That’s not because we wanted to play in Lubbock. I’m certainly glad we didn’t. I’m glad we played in Miami. It was good prep for us.”

Oregon was the No. 1 seed in final yr’s 12-team CFP and misplaced within the quarterfinals on the Rose Bowl to Ohio State, which went on to win the nationwide title.

“Last year, very similar situation for us and I felt it should’ve been played in Eugene,” Lanning mentioned. “There’s a lot of people who do playoffs. Feel like the playoffs have looked a certain way for a long time. We’re trying to serve two purposes here, and the amount of time in between games. Obviously, it’s tough for teams. You know, we experienced it last year.”

Before the Orange Bowl, Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark mentioned taking part in extra on-campus CFP video games is an choice value inspecting, however whether or not it may be executed stays to be seen.

While the sport had an introduced attendance of 65,021, a couple of hundred wanting Hard Rock Stadium’s official capability (65,326), there have been loads of empty seats seen for the early New Year’s Day kickoff.

The first spherical of the CFP options 4 video games on campus earlier than the quarterfinals and semifinals are performed within the conventional New Year’s Six bowls.

The CFP administration committee, which is made up of the ten FBS convention commissioners and Notre Dame’s athletic director, is contemplating choices to develop the Playoff to as many as 16 groups, beginning subsequent yr.

Adding extra dwelling video games to the format doesn’t appear to be a short-term precedence.

“Well, we’ve got to examine that, too,” Yormark mentioned. “You know, operationally, can they do that? The first-round games have been fantastic in every respect, and I think it’s a differentiator for us. When you think about the NFL, the pageantry just being on campus, I think, is a difference maker for us. But again, the commissioners are going to have to think through: Can we do that beyond the first round?”

The quarterfinal journey for followers of the Ducks and Red Raiders was particularly troublesome, with Oregon having to cross the nation and Texas Tech coming from West Texas. The Ducks will make one other journey east for his or her semifinal on the Peach Bowl in Atlanta subsequent week. The nationwide title recreation is again in Hard Rock Stadium on Jan. 19.

As the No. 5 seed, Oregon opened the CFP with a house recreation in Eugene in opposition to James Madison. Texas Tech obtained a first-round bye as one of many prime 4 seeds.

“In my opinion, this game should be played at Texas Tech,” Oregon head coach Dan Lanning mentioned final week. “The higher-seeded team, there should be a home-field advantage for them.”

The CFP has not prolonged its agreements with the Orange, Rose, Sugar, Fiesta, Cotton and Peach bowls by means of the subsequent six-year take care of ESPN that kicks in beginning subsequent season, however it’s anticipated to take action.

“The New Year’s Six bowls have been fantastic, great partners, and they put on an incredible experience, as they have here in town with the Orange Bowl,” Yormark mentioned. “So we’ll see. Everything’s on the table, and hopefully we’ll be very thoughtful about it.”

Yormark and the opposite members of the administration committee are dealing with a Jan. 23 deadline to tell ESPN of the format for subsequent season. A 16-team format that provides 4 extra at-large spots to the present mannequin has help from the SEC, however the Big Ten wish to carry on the desk a 24-team format that would want not less than an additional yr to implement.

Yormark mentioned he would love regardless of the subsequent format is to be the format throughout the subsequent contract.

“One person’s opinion is, I think wherever we settle now is something that we should play out for the foreseeable future, because you need to get some rhythm behind it,” he mentioned.