Oregon Ducks' Dan Lanning Has 6-Word Preview for Ohio State Clash

The Oregon Ducks did their job on Friday night and got through their first Big Ten home game against the Michigan State Spartans, winning 31-10 in a blowout game that was far more lopsided than the score would suggest.

Now, assuming that the Ohio State Buckeyes can take care of business against the Iowa Hawkeyes on Saturday afternoon, we will get one of the most highly-anticipated matchups of the regular season in a few days.

The Buckeyes travel to Eugene to face the undefeated Ducks, giving us a top-10 showdown between two championship contenders. Before the season started, this game was circled on the calendar not just for both Oregon and Ohio State, but for the college football nation as a whole. The fanfare and hype is sure to be off the charts.

Oregon coach Dan Lanning says that he and his team feel good about dealing with that noise, just as they have so far this year. Lanning gave this explanation for how they manage the outside attention, with a six-word key to success:

"I always talk about 'playing the game, not the occasion,'" Lanning said on Fox Big Noon Kickoff Saturday morning.

While the occasion is going to be massive, with the winner of this matchup setting themselves on an inside track to get to the Big Ten Championship Game and secure a spot in the College Football Playoff, the game is still the game.

Offense, defense, and special teams, just as in any other game. The talent will be better on both sides of the ball than we see in a typical matchup, but the same things remain important, and the same factors will decide this one.

Ohio State is an early -3 favorite over Oregon on the road, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. The kick is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC on Saturday, October 12.

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