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Oregon-Michigan gets testy with war of words between coaches
Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Oregon-Michigan matchup gets testy with Kyle Whittingham, Dan Lanning war of words

By Eric Smithling  |  Last updated Nov 11, 2026 6:15 PM ET
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Get your popcorn ready. The coaches are fighting.

On Wednesday, the upcoming Week 11 game between the College Football Playoff No. 16 Oregon Ducks (6-3, 4-2 in Big Ten) and Michigan Wolverines (5-4, 2-4 in Big Ten) received an extra jolt when Oregon coach Dan Lanning was asked to respond to comments made a day earlier by Michigan coach Kyle Whittingham.

The veteran coach offered backhanded praise to Lanning, hailing him for doing a "great job recruiting" while adding, "It doesn't hurt that you have $50M+ at your disposal to, in essence, outbid everybody."

Lanning fired back, saying, "I get it. They're spending more of their money right now on their coaches they're letting go.

"They've signed a couple guys we weren't able to compete with," Lanning continued, "and maybe a lot of that money is tied up for them."

Kyle Whittingham, Dan Lanning exchange barbs ahead of Michigan-Oregon Week 11 showdown

The war of words between Whittingham and Lanning adds some heat to what would have otherwise been a tepid game between two of the country's most disappointing teams. Michigan has one of the country's worst offenses, averaging 19.6 points per game, which is on pace to be its lowest-scoring season this century.

Oregon, meanwhile, opened as the Associated Press preseason No. 2 but lost a stunner at Oklahoma State earlier this season and is without starting quarterback Dante Moore, who suffered a season-ending concussion in late September. It recently re-entered the AP poll after spending Weeks 7-9 unranked.

The back-and-forth between Whittingham and Lanning, while petty, isn't without its merits. Both coaches have a solid argument.

According to research by The Athletic from September 2026, Oregon's estimated 2026 college football budget of $48-54M is the second-highest in the Big Ten, trailing Ohio State ($49-54M).

"In college football personnel circles," The Athletic's Sam Khan Jr. wrote, "Oregon's selective but impactful use of the transfer portal is the envy of programs with similar budgets."

Lanning's points are fair, too. 

While Michigan avoided a $13.89M buyout for former coach Sherrone Moore after he was fired with cause, the university spent over $12M as part of an investigation into the culture inside the athletics department, the Detroit Free Press reported in June.

On Sunday, Whittingham fired offensive coordinator Jason Beck following a 15-6 home loss to Michigan State, with CBS Sports noting the former staff member is owed a $10.2M buyout.

Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood is also earning $3M per year as part of a deal signed ahead of his freshman season, but he was benched at halftime of a comeback victory over Penn State on Oct. 17 and hasn't thrown a pass since.

Saturday's game in Eugene won't be decided by which coach had the better pre-game soundbite, but the exchange between Whittingham and Lanning was exactly what the clash needed. By the end of Week 11, one will have the last laugh.

Eric Smithling
X Muck Rack

Eric Smithling is a writer based in New Orleans, LA, whose byline also appears on Athlon Sports. He has been with Yardbarker since September 2022, primarily covering the NFL and college football, but also the NBA, WNBA, men’s and women’s college basketball, NHL, tennis and golf. He holds a film studies degree from the University of New Orleans. You can find him on X and Threads at @ericsmithling and at Bluesky at @ericsmithling.bsky.social.

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