Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy and Oregon coach Dan Lanning have added some extra hullabaloo to the Week 2 matchup between the Cowboys and Ducks on Aug. 6.
While speaking on his radio show Aug. 1, Gundy mentioned that Oklahoma State invested “around $7 million” in its college football team over the past three years, before pointing out how much the Ducks have spent on their roster in recent seasons.
And Lanning, also known for being outspoken, didn’t hold back in his response later that evening.
GettyFRISCO, TEXAS – JULY 09: Head coach Mike Gundy of the Oklahoma State Cowboys speaks with the media during the Big 12 Media Days at The Ford Center at The Star on July 09, 2025 in Frisco, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Mike Gundy Said Oregon Spends Nearly Six Times as Much as Oklahoma State
Gundy said he wanted to point out the funding discrepancy between the two universities.
“I think Oregon spent close to $40 (million) last year alone,” he said. “So, that was just one year. Now, I might be off a few million.”
Gundy went on to suggest that “there’s coaches” who believe teams with significant resources should only face opponents with comparable backing, adding that “it’ll cost (Oregon) a lot of money to keep” quarterback Dante Moore.
“Over the last three to five years, they’ve elevated themselves. They have a lot of resources,” Gundy said. “They’ve got them stacked out there pretty good right now.”
Dan Lanning Says Gundy Didn’t Have an Issue With Playing UT-Martin
Lanning addressed the remarks during his weekly evening news conference on Aug. 1.
“If you want to be a top-10 team in college football, you better be invested in winning. We spend to win,” Lanning said. “Some people save to have an excuse for why they don’t. … I can’t speak on their situation; I have no idea what they got in their pockets over there.”
Lanning said that he has “a lot of respect” for Gundy, commending his ability to guide Oklahoma State to consistent winning seasons throughout his 20-year tenure in Stillwater, but noted some apparent hypocrisy from Gundy.
“I’m sure UT-Martin maybe didn’t have as much as (Oklahoma State) last week, and they played,” Lanning added. “So, we’ll let it play out.”
Kirby Smart Addressed Oregon’s Spending Last Year
According to ESPN, at last year’s SEC media days, Georgia coach Kirby Smart pointed to Oregon’s resources, joking that he wished he could tap into “some of that NIL money” that Nike founder and Oregon alum Phil Knight “has been sharing with Dan Lanning.”
Lanning was Georgia’s defensive coordinator from 2019 to 2021. He responded to Smart at last year’s Big Ten media days.
“I think it’s impressive that guys like Kirby have been signing the No. 1 class in the nation without any NIL money this entire time,” Lanning said. “Obviously, Coach Smart took a little shot at us. But if you want to be a top-10 team in college football, you better have great support. We have that.”
Oregon Looks to Return to Playoff, While Oklahoma State Looks to Build
Last season, Oregon finished the regular season unbeaten, captured the Big Ten championship, and then fell to Ohio State in the College Football Playoff. Oklahoma State started the season 3-0, but they lost their final nine games against Big 12 opponents.
The two teams arranged their home-and-home series back in 2018, before NIL payments were legalized in college sports. Oklahoma State travels to Eugene on Aug. 6 and Oregon is set to visit Oklahoma State next year.
Both teams enter the game at 1-0, with the Ducks ranked No. 7 and projected to contend for a College Football Playoff berth. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. EDT.
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