Oregon Ducks' Dan Lanning on win over Michigan Wolverines: 'Nobody flinched'

For the third time in history, college football's number one team traveled away to play the reigning national champions. In the first meeting between the two programs since 2007, the Oregon Ducks went 8-0 against the 5-3 Michigan Wolverines in the Big House. Oregon was put to the test in front of a crowd of 110,576 adoring fans desperate for a win.

The No. 1-ranked Ducks responded in stunning fashion with a 38-17 win over the Wolverines to improve their season mark to 9-0.

“We've got a good team that's getting better every week and I still see a lot of things we can improve on and I know we're excited to attack it. “Just our resilience. We had to struggle with some adversity right at the start of the game. So that no one even bats an eyelid or blinks and says, ‘Hey, the next game is the most important thing.’ I saw that consistently tonight,” coach Dan Lanning said after the game.

Coach Dan Lanning improved to 22-0 against unranked teams and tied coach Chip Kelly's record for the best start in program history at 31-5. Today, Lanning improved on those exceptional records, but it wasn't without adversity as the Ducks' mental and physical condition was under scrutiny from the start of the game. Every Oregon game this season has had an underlying theme, and today it was next man up.

“It’s the next man’s turn. I thought they performed really well, except for one drive where they had difficult field position. Drive the ball, I'm really proud of the performance so far,” coach Dan Lanning said during the halftime interview after the Ducks lost their leading wide receiver Tez Johnson to injury.

Who would rise? Who would lead a team that needs a helping hand in an adverse situation? The answer to this question was everyone. Quarterback Dillon Gabriel played as nimbly as ever in the second half, repeatedly converting on third downs, especially on the seven-minute drive that ended the game. Six different Oregon receivers are amplified and have multiple reception options.

Traeshon Holden was the wide receiver most up to the challenge with six total catches for 149 yards, including three explosive catches for 20 yards. An important aspect that often goes unnoticed is the blocking on the perimeter by receivers and tight ends. These two groups were exceptional in that regard, helping the Ducks to 178 rushing yards against Michigan's vaunted front seven.

Speaking of the running game, the offensive line leaned on the Wolverines' front and paved the way for running back Jordan James to a 117-yard rushing performance and also added a rushing touchdown. Noah Whittington added 36 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns. The visible pressure on the offensive line during the game-ending punctuation move was indicative of the new Oregon that the rest of the country is still getting used to.

The defense was swarming all evening. Despite a spirited effort from Michigan quarterback Davis Warren and a standout performance from future first-round pick tight end Colston Loveland, the Ducks' defense bent but never broke. The pass rush was especially noticeable in the second half, as Oregon's pass rush contributed to Loveland only having a single reception in the final 22 minutes of the game. The Ducks had seven tackles for loss between seven different players.

In every area the Ducks were tested, they responded. At every opportunity to give up, they rose. It wasn't their cleanest game, but teams with the same level of talent have failed under these circumstances before. Oregon is proving to be not that kind of team. This is not a group of front-runners; These are ball players through and through. Lanning has his team ready to play every week and the results show it.