Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy Praises Oregon but Notes NIL Gap, Dan Lanning Fires Back Before Week 2 Clash

Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy and Oregon coach Dan Lanning added some spice to Saturday’s Week 2 matchup in Eugene with pointed comments about NIL spending and scheduling.

You’ve heard the phrase “money talks,” and that’s become true in college football over the last couple of years. Talking about money in college football, who has it and who doesn’t, can leave you open to criticism. Just ask Mike Gundy.

The OSU head coach spent part of his Monday game week news conference praising Oregon, talking about how talented the Ducks are, how well coached they are, that they spend a lot of money… Some people stopped listening right there, but Gundy went on with more good things to say about the Oregon organization.

Watching this unfold live from the press box at Boone Pickens Stadium, I didn’t sense the longtime Cowboy head coach was taking a shot at Oregon at all. If anything, it felt like a reminder of the ground OSU needs to make up to compete on the financial level with the top schools in the sport, Oregon being one of them.

Speaking on his weekly radio show, Gundy contrasted Oklahoma State’s approach with what he believes Oregon has invested in its roster.

“We spent around $7 million over the last three years, and I think Oregon spent close to $40 (million) last year alone,” Gundy said. “That was just one year. Now, I might be off a few million. What I’m saying is they’re spending a lot of money. There’s some schools that are doing that.”

Gundy described Oregon as one of college football’s wealthiest programs, backed by Nike co-founder Phil Knight, and even noted that keeping star quarterback Dante Moore would “cost a lot of money.” He also raised concerns about where the sport is headed, suggesting some coaches believe non-conference scheduling should reflect NIL budgets.

“What I hear, chatter from coaches around the country, is that non-conference scheduling… should be based on the financial situation for each school,” Gundy said. “Oregon is paying a lot, a lot of money for their team. So from a non-conference standpoint, there are coaches saying they should play teams that are spending the same amount of money.”

Oklahoma State and Oregon agreed to this home-and-home series back in 2018, long before NIL transformed the sport. Still, the comments landed on Lanning’s radar.

The Ducks’ head coach, Dan Lanning, responded to Gundy’s comments in a polite but pointed way. The whole thing seems overblown. Was Gundy sending a message wrapped in a bouquet of compliments? Maybe. Was Lanning perhaps searching for something in the comments to help give his team an edge when the Cowboys and Ducks meet on Saturday? He’s a coach. Coaches don’t pass up opportunities.

Asked about Gundy’s remarks, the Oregon coach didn’t dismiss them, instead, he leaned in.

“Like I said, I’ve got a ton of respect for Coach Gundy,” Lanning said. “Ultimately, how blessed are we being at a place that’s invested in winning? If you want to be a top-10 team in college football, you better be invested in winning and we spend to win. Some people save to have an excuse for why they don’t.”

Lanning also pointed to Oklahoma State’s Week 1 opponent, FCS program UT Martin, as proof that the Cowboys weren’t exactly scheduling within their own “NIL bracket.”

“I can’t speak on their situation, I have no idea what they got in their pockets over there,” Lanning added. “I’m sure UT Martin maybe didn’t have as much as them last week and they played, so we’ll let it play out.”

The tension adds intrigue to what was already a marquee early-season matchup. Oregon (1-0) is once again viewed as a College Football Playoff contender after an undefeated regular season and Big Ten championship a year ago. Oklahoma State (1-0), meanwhile, is coming off its worst season of the Gundy era, a 3-9 campaign in 2024, and enters the game as a heavy underdog.

Kickoff between No. 7 Oregon and Oklahoma State is set for Saturday on CBS.