In the seconds following the biggest win of his life, Dan Lanning didn’t look relieved or overjoyed. He didn’t look surprised or overwhelmed.

No, the head coach of the Oregon Ducks, the hottest commodity of this past offseason, looked mad. Better yet, he seemed like he was ready to put on some pads and tackle someone.

Indeed, the 38-year-old appeared more linebacker than a program architect in this brief snapshot, and who can blame him? As the fans in Eugene rushed the field following Oregon’s wild, weird and thrilling 32-31 win over Ohio State, Lanning couldn’t help but look the part.

His eyes were full of fire, and he wore a mischievous frown that implied there was something more to prove. The smiles came eventually, but it took a minute.

Regardless of what his face was telling us, which was plenty, the results speak for themselves.

In only his third year as a head coach, Lanning has become one of the greatest forces college football has to offer. As Nick Saban adjusts to his new job as an analyst and Jim Harbaugh settles back into life in the NFL, one could argue that Lanning, with his fire and seemingly endless stream of bold calls, trick plays and fearless guidance, is quickly becoming the face of the sport.

All those traits were on display Saturday night. From an onside kick—well, more like a stinger kickoff that hit a Buckeye defender squarely in the chest before landing in an Oregon player’s hands—to a proper stream of odd formations and trick plays, Lanning left little out there.

Oregon’s offense finished with 496 yards of offense against one of the nation’s best defenses. The Ducks committed no turnovers and had only three penalties. In a one-point game that featured a bevy of lead chances and key moments, those things matter. And for Lanning and Oregon, now in a superb position to catapult forward into bigger games and moments, they certainly did.

For the Ducks, everything is on the table. The remaining schedule is as follows: at Purdue, Illinois, at Michigan, Maryland, at Wisconsin and Washington. It’s not a supremely easy path, although only one of those programs was ranked in the AP Poll this week.

To put it bluntly: expect to see this team, now the proud owners of the best win to date, in the College Football Playoff.

For Lanning, we’re still in the infancy of what could be a special career. The former defensive coordinator under Kirby Smart at Oregon, Lanning has been a head coach for less than three years.

During that time, he’s produced an overall record of 28-5. Three of those losses came in his first season.

He’s been superb on the recruiting trail while also showcasing his ability to master the transfer portal. Lanning didn’t just land one QB this past offseason. He landed two.

Dillon Gabriel, who threw for 341 yards and scored three touchdowns on Saturday, was one. Dante Moore, the likely QB of the future for the Ducks and a former 5-star recruit was another.

To win big in this current climate, the ability to acquire talent through all avenues is necessary. Lanning’s success, youth, personality and attitude are unlike anything any coach can offer.

Sure, there are more decorated coaches. His former boss with multiple national championships, for one. But at a time when the crown is seemingly ripe for the taking, Lanning strongly announced himself on Saturday.

He did so in a completely authentic way. His team was confident and prepared to follow his trademark bold blueprint. In a wild game that will carry significant meaning through the rest of the year, he couldn’t have asked for anything more.

The next step for Lanning is, well, the next step. Oregon must now make the College Football Playoff, something it fell just short of last season, and make the kind of noise it did on Saturday. Given what we just witnessed, even this isn’t enough.

This performance, however, changes everything. The sky is now the limit. And while the many variables that make a season will undoubtedly influence the Ducks along the way, there is a constant in it all.

The team’s head coach will be ready. He’ll bring with him a deep roster and a gambler’s mentality, ready to make a bold call when necessary.

Then, once the outcome has been decided, he’ll look less like the sudden face of college football and more like a linebacker sizing up his next collision.