Dan Lanning Confronts Oregon Ducks’ Costly Penalties, Crucial Facemask Call

Oregon fans searching for a bright spot the morning after the Ducks’ upset loss to unranked Oklahoma State may want to avoid the internet. The Ducks fell to 1-1 after losing to a Cowboys program that had not beaten an FBS opponent in 21 games, and Oregon’s No. 6 AP Top 25 Poll ranking is certain to tumble.

What went so wrong for the Ducks in Stillwater? Not much went right, but one particularly uncharacteristic problem has plagued Oregon through its first two games: penalties.

Sep 5, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) touches “The O” on his way to the locker room before a game against the Boise State Broncos at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Ducks coach Dan Lanning’s teams have typically ranked among the most disciplined in the country but that cannot be said about this Oregon team through two games. The Ducks averaged around five penalties per game in each of the last two seasons, but that number has jumped to 8.5 through the first two games of 2026.

The defeat marked Lanning’s first loss to an unranked opponent and Oregon’s first against an unranked team since 2021. Here is a closer look at the Ducks’ costly penalties and what Lanning said about the problem after the loss.

Dan Lanning On Costly Penalties: 'Hard To Explain'

After the Ducks committed 10 penalties in a narrow season-opening win over Boise State, Lanning acknowledged execution and discipline needed to improve.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning leads the Ducks onto the field as the Oregon Ducks face the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Sept. 12, 2026, at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

However many of the same issues followed Oregon to Stillwater... and this time, the Ducks did not escape with a victory. In multiple short-yardage situations, penalties pushed the Ducks back and erased any momentum they had.

Oregon committed seven penalties for 66 yards in its stunning 39-31 loss to Oklahoma State. The total was not outrageous on its own, but several flags arrived at critical moments, leaving fans scratching their heads are preparedness and discipline.

“Yeah, it's hard to explain. We have to go back and watch the film to see exactly where the lapses are. Again, when you play a team that's explosive like that, and we knew they were going to go fast and create one-on-ones, we have to go see who was executing and who wasn't," Lanning said.

“We'll go back and watch that film and find the guys who are able to do that at a high level for us. In some ways, I thought we were better from a penalty standpoint. It's a loud environment. The goal is to take the environment out of it. We didn't take the environment out of it because of the way we played the game. And that created some of the penalties that existed," Lanning said.

Sep 12, 2026; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oregon Ducks wide receiver Evan Stewart (7) celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown during the fourth quarter against the Oklahoma State Cowboys at Boone Pickens Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Crucial Face Mask Penalty

Arguably the biggest penalty came after Oregon had taken its first lead of the game.

The Ducks led 31-30 after a 38-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Dante Moore to receiver Evan Stewart early in the fourth quarter. Optimism crept in that the Ducks might be able to sneak out of Stillwater with a very-ugly win.

Oklahoma State responded by driving to Oregon’s 45-yard line, where the Cowboys faced fourth-and-4. Quarterback Drew Mestemaker’s pass fell incomplete and the Ducks would have got the ball back with a one-point lead. Instead, Ducks sophomore Brandon Finney was penalized 15 yards for a facemask.

The automatic first down kept Oklahoma State’s drive alive and six plays later, Mestemaker rushed for a 10-yard touchdown, flying through the air into the end zone in what might make a top-10 SportsCenter play, to put Oklahoma back in front, which ultimately sealed their win.

Oklahoma State's Drew Mestemaker (17) rushes as Oregon's Ify Obidegwu (7) defends in the first half of the college football game between the Oklahoma State Cowboys and the Oregon Ducks at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Okla., Saturday, Sept., 12, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The facemask penalty caused some controversy as there was not a review and the broadcast did not show any replays. It was not clear to Ducks fans that the call was anything but a "make up call" from a previous facemask penalty that may have been missed. Lanning brought that call up as one that cost the Ducks in a big way.

“I know we had a facemask on the fourth down,” Lanning said. “I’m sure if they called it, I’m sure it was right. But there are moments in there where it’s like, man, there were some real opportunities to get off the field or stay on the field that really cost us.”

Oregon also committed two delay-of-game penalties on the next possession, bringing to light the lack of clean operation that troubled the Ducks in Oklahoma.

The penalties were hardly Oregon’s only issue, but 17 penalties in two nonconference games is hard to overlook as a troubling trend. The Ducks were outgained 554-281, converted 0-3 on fourth-down attempts and allowed Oklahoma State to control possession for nearly 37 minutes.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning, center left, and Oklahoma State head coach Eric Morris approach to shake hands as the Oregon Ducks face the Oklahoma State Cowboys on Sept. 12, 2026, at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, Oklahoma. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

In an eight-point defeat, the flags put a magnifying glass on every other mistake in the upset. For the second straight week, Lanning was left answering questions about Oregon’s discipline. The difference this time was that the Ducks did not have a victory to soften the concern. Instead, "Shout!" played over the speakers in Boone Pickens Stadium as Cowboys fans stormed the field.

It is a long season that is far from over but now, Oregon faces urgency to reset before Big Ten Conference play begins. With a short week of preparation, the Ducks host Portland State at Autzen Stadium at 7:30 p.m. PT on Friday, Sept. 18.

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