"There's not a lot of clarity in college football right now": Dan Lanning makes cryptic comment before Rose Bowl showdown against Ohio State

Like many college football fans, Oregon head coach Dan Lanning would like to have more clarity on the state of college football. In his final press conference before the Rose Bowl, Lanning covered several notable topics.

With questions ranging from the expanded College Football Playoff to NIL regulations, there are plenty of changes around the sport. When asked about former Florida State basketball players suing coach Leonard Hamilton, Lanning had this to say.

“Growing up in the Midwest, you have to be a man of your word. What you say is what you have to do… I don’t think there is a lot of clarity in college football right now, I think everybody realizes that, and I think we’d all be in favor of having some clarity,” Dan Lanning said.

The Oregon head coach added that he didn’t know the situation so he wouldn't dive any deeper.

On Monday, six former Florida State players announced they sued Hamilton for unfulfilled NIL promises, including $250,000 each.

While it happened in a different sport and at another school, it is a reflection of the current landscape in college sports, and it’s something coaches will have to consider in the future. In college football, UNLV quarterback Matthew Sluka left the program after an NIL dispute earlier this season.

Dan Lanning and the Ducks are focused on Ohio State

While there were also questions about the current College Football Playoff model, Dan Lanning said the focus is on performing on the field. However, he also expects there to be modifications in years to come.

“I think college football is going to continue to see change. I think our job as coaches is to continue to adapt. Ultimately, what an awesome game this is, right? And what an opportunity this is. But I think the people that are gonna have to be able to assess that will assess it, but that’s not my concern,” Dan Lanning said.

Despite going undefeated and being ranked No. 1 going into the College Football Playoff, the Ducks will have to face No. 6 Ohio State in the quarterfinals at the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day.

Because the top-four conference champions earn an automatic bid into the quarterfinals, lower-ranked teams like No. 9 Boise State and No. 12 Arizona State are the No. 3 and No. 4 seeds, respectively.

The Ducks and the Buckeyes faced off against each other in October, with Oregon winning a close game, 32-31, at home. The Ducks went undefeated during the season, while Ohio State lost its season finale to the Michigan Wolverines.

This is the first year of an expanded 12-team playoff field so changes could be coming after the season.