Oregon’s Dan Lanning Says Loss to Washington Is ’100% on Me’ After Failed Fourth-Down Call

Faced with a fourth down and three from the Washington 47-yard line with 2:11 to go in the game, Dan Lanning and No. 8 Oregon had a decision to make.

Oregon could go for it, with a first down conversion effectively icing the game and securing a road upset of No. 7 Washington. If the conversion failed, the Huskies would be set up at midfield with their Heisman Trophy candidate quarterback Michael Penix Jr. having plenty of time, and good field position, to set up a game-winning touchdown drive.

The Ducks could also punt and make Penix and the Huskies drive the length of the field to try to win the game on their home field.

Lanning and the Ducks went for it. Ducks quarterback Bo Nix was flushed out to his left before throwing an incomplete pass that sent the crowd at Husky Stadium into a frenzy.

Oregon quarterback Bo Nix threw an incomplete pass on a highly controversial fourth down attempt that set up a loss to rival Washington.

Steven Bisig/USA TODAY Sports

It took Penix two passes to give Washington the lead for good. Penix hit Ja’Lynn Polk for 35 yards to the Oregon 18, then found wideout Rome Odunze for an 18-yard strike in the left corner of the end zone to give Washington a 36–33 win. 

Oregon would go on to make things interesting behind the arm of Nix, driving down the field before kicker Camden Lewis missed a 43-yard field goal as time expired that would have sent the game into overtime. 

Lanning’s gamble with two minutes to go came back to bite the Ducks. It was a high risk, high reward decision that ultimately didn’t pay off. Lanning made a similar call to go for it on fourth and goal before halftime instead of kicking a short field goal. Those three points left on the board proved pivotal in the outcome.

Lanning took ownership of his decision making when asked about it after the game.

“I think this game is 100% on me,” Lanning said.

The debate regarding Lanning’s game management aggressiveness was the topic du jour on social media in the wake of the Ducks’ three-point loss on the road. Here are some of the best reactions on social media in the wake of the Oregon defeat.