"This is a game you dream of": Dan Lanning relishes the opportunity of leading Oregon to the Rose Bowl 

After earning the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff final ranking, Dan Lanning and Oregon are going to the Rose Bowl. The Ducks have received a bye in the first round as a conference champion before commencing their playoff campaign on New Year's Day.

In his press conference session on Sunday afternoon, Lanning expressed his excitement at playing in the Rose Bowl. Nicknamed the “Granddaddy of Them All,” the Rose Bowl is the oldest postseason bowl game in college football, offering participants a sense of pride.

"Being on this side of the country, this is a game you dream of the opportunity to coach in," Lanning said. "This is one of the ones that I haven't gotten to do yet. It's certainly a thrill for me ... I'm extremely ecstatic that our team gets to be a part of such a historic game, the Granddaddy of Them All."

Dan Lanning refused to comment on a preferred playoff path

Oregon will face the winner of the first-round game between Tennessee and Ohio State in the Rose Bowl. This looks like a tougher path to the national title than that of Penn State, which will play SMU in the first round and Boise State if it defeats the Mustangs.

Dan Lanning was asked if holding the No. 1 seed truly offers the optimal path to a national title. However, he firmly rejected the suggestion that Oregon might have been better positioned without the top seed emphasizing his unwavering confidence in the advantages it provides.

“What an opportunity for us," Lanning said. "I'm excited to get the opportunity to compete in the Rose Bowl. Regardless, the end-all goal, you're going to get to play some unbelievable teams in that process. I'm excited that we get to go play against great competition. That's what playoff moments are about.”

Dan Lanning to make good use of the first-round bye

With a bye in the first round of the playoffs, Oregon has a better time to prepare to challenge for the national title. Dan Lanning made it known that his team will take good advantage of the time off to get ready for the playoffs

"We'll almost utilize the coming weeks as a bye week from that standpoint of evaluating our strengths and creating an awareness of where we're at and figuring out what our weaknesses are and where we can improve," Lanning said.

Lanning also highlighted the primary advantage of the first-round bye in his press conference on Sunday. It offers over three weeks of rest and recovery following a physically demanding regular season, providing his players valuable time to heal and recharge.