Dan Lanning takes blame for Oregon’s Rose Bowl loss to Ohio State [Video]

In an instant, Oregon’s dream of a perfect season vanished.

Throughout the lead-up to the Rose Bowl, Oregon coach Dan Lanning emphasized preparation at every opportunity. Yet, in the heavyweight rematch, his team took the punch to the mouth and never recovered, suffering a lopsided 41-21 loss.

“They clicked tonight, and we didn’t,” Lanning said. “I didn’t get our team prepared.”

“Clicking” on offense may be an understatement. The Buckeyes looked unstoppable.

Ohio State’s high-powered offense scored quickly and often, racking up 34 points by halftime. Oregon, on the other hand, struggled to sustain drives, scoring only once before the half and failing to get much going against Ohio State’s stifling defense.

It was a showcase of the Buckeyes’ talent. The Ducks’ talent helped them earn the No. 1 seed as the only undefeated team in the country, including an October victory over Ohio State. But in the biggest game of their season, “We didn’t have the ability to stop them,” Lanning …