Dan Lanning spent four years at the University of Georgia as an integral part of Kirby Smart's coaching staff.
He was promoted from outside linebackers coach to defensive coordinator and watched Smart transform UGA from a nuisance threat in the SEC East to an Alabama-style juggernaut.
His formative years in Athens gave Lanning a blueprint for victory and great victory.
He had an athletic record of 27-5 straight up (SU) and 19-12-1 against the spread (ATS) at the University of Oregon, and while he had a good first half, he beat the top five and did well in the second half. Can it be accommodated? First opponent in your career?
He'll get another shot on Saturday when the No. 3 Ducks (+3.5) take on No. 2 Ohio State in Eugene.
Oregon has the overall talent to compete for a national title.
They also have a certain roster composition (line play) to compete with conference rivals like Ohio State.
When the Ducks sprint in front of 54,000 adoring fans on Saturday afternoon, they will have the No. 6 roster in the nation from a recruiting standpoint, just three spots below Ohio State. will be located.
They used NIL war chests to retain key players while winning key recruiting battles at the high school level and portal.
But the headlines this offseason came when they pulled QB Dillon Gabriel through the portal.
Gabriel's 16,314 career passing yards put him within striking distance of the career passing yards record (19,217) currently held by Houston's Case Keenum.
So from a purely “Jimmy and Joe” perspective, I don't think Oregon will lose to Ohio State on Saturday.
From a betting perspective, the home Ducks are up and down in 2024, so you get a discount.
They have won with great special teams and defense, and have benefited from solid quarterback play.
The problem is they haven't played at a championship level in all three phases of the same game.
He was saved by two return touchdowns against Boise State.
In the game against Idaho, the defense tightened up in the second half of the opening game and prevented a comeback.
And their offense had 546 yards and 49 points against Oregon State.
Can they put it all together for the first time against a SU 21-1 team that has been a road title favorite since 2019?
There are two reasons why I believe the Ducks can win. A sleepy start and a no-fly zone secondary.
The Buckeyes played on food in recent weeks against Marshall and Iowa.
They tied the Thundering Herd in the second quarter and held a 7-0 lead against Iowa in the third quarter last week.
In the end, they won both games, but they can't afford to dig themselves into a hole at Autzen Stadium.
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If Ohio State finds a seven or 10 point lead over Oregon State early on, offensive coordinator Chip Kelly will have no choice but to go to Air Force, which will play directly into Oregon State's hands.
The Ducks had the fifth-highest coverage grade by Pro Football Focus, second-highest in havoc, and did a great job of getting off the field on third downs (25th).
Ohio State's Will Howard has also struggled with being asked to carry the load on offense.
He's thrown the ball 30 or more times six times over the past year and a half, averaging two turnover-worthy plays per game.
His record in those games is 2-4 (all losses came at Kansas State).
Oregon has a high ceiling in all three phases and a raucous home crowd could tip the scales in the Ducks' favor in a close game.
Recommendation: Oregon Moneyline (+140, Caesars).
Why trust New York Post Betting?
Mike Calabrese is a handicapper for the New York Post, focusing on college sports. His betting advice often centers around situational spots such as travel, breaks, and elevation changes.
