Dan Lanning Gets Real About Officiating Error in Oregon Ducks Loss to UCLA

Several moments are going viral from the unranked Oregon Ducks loss to the No. 12 UCLA Bruins, and one of them is a call that could've potentially been the difference between a win and a loss for the now 3-2 program.

Oct 10, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Oregon Ducks head coach Dan Lanning watches the offenses during the second half in a game against the UCLA Bruins at Autzen Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The now-unranked Oregon Ducks are still putting the pieces together from their shocking 17-15 loss against the No. 12 UCLA Bruins, and several postgame topics are going viral.

As headlines fly about play-calling, breaking down what went wrong, and conversation about defensive lineman Bear Alexander's punch to UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava's helmet, another big topic is a potential mistake made by the Big Ten officiating crew, which may have further contributed to the Ducks' loss.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning walks the field before the game as the Oregon Ducks host the UCLA Bruins on Oct. 10, 2026, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Dan Lanning Comments on Big Ten Officiating Mistake

"That's not the reason we lost the game. I'm not going to use that as an excuse for us. But obviously, it was wrong, and they addressed it," Lanning said regarding the mistake

The issue comes after back-up and fifth-year senior Brock Thomas threw an up-the-middle pass to senior wide receiver Evan Stewart, who hauled the ball from the UCLA 42-yard line to the endzone for an Oregon touchdown. With 02:16 remainining on the clock, the Ducks came together for a two-point conversion attempt to close the two-point gap between themselves and the Bruins.

B1G stop for the @UCLAFootball defense 😤

Watch on CBS pic.twitter.com/4D5uXBUyic

— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) October 10, 2026

During the first conversion attempt on a rush from Thomas, a face mask penalty was called on UCLA's senior linebacker Sammy Omosigho, which meant the ball needed to be placed on the half-yard line for the conversion attempt due to Thomas making it to the 1-yard line after the ball being snapped (on the first attempt) from the 3-yard line.

Oct 10, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; UCLA Bruins linebacker Scott Taylor (20) tackles Oregon Ducks running back Jordon Davison (0) during the second half at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

What The Big Ten Said About The Officiating Mistake

The conference released a statement following the 17-15 victory for UCLA, which put the Ducks into unranked territory for the first time since the 2022 season and gave the Bruins their first win at Autzen Stadium since 2004.

"Following the first attempt that resulted in a personal foul penalty for a facemark on the UCLA defense, the ball was spotted for the second attempt half-the-distance to the goal from the original line of scrimmage of the first attempt. Per rule, the ball should have been spotted half-the-distance to the goal from the end of the run of the first attempt," the conference's statement on Sunday said.

A statement from the Big Ten on the UCLA-Oregon Football game. pic.twitter.com/lLHzgt2oAy

— Big Ten Conference (@bigten) October 11, 2026

When it comes to how the conference is addressing the mistake, the answer seems to point at further education.

"The Big Ten has been in contact with its officiating team from Saturday's game regarding the error and will continue to emphasize consistent application of the playing rules," the statement said.

Oct 10, 2026; Eugene, Oregon, USA; UCLA Bruins defensive lineman Tyson Ford (95) tackles Oregon Ducks quarterback Brock Thomas (12) on a two-point conversion attempt during the second half at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Wrong Call Is Not The Defining Issue

Though that mistake on the referees is a big blemish on this game, its also more than fair to look at things from Lanning's perspective, especially since there's not much the Big Ten can do beyond acknowledging the mistake.

For the Ducks, putting up 73 total rushing yards, the poor decision making from junior quarterback Dylan Raiola, the abysmal pocket collapses due to poor offensive line play (especially on the offensive tackles), and turning the ball over a whopping seven times stacked up to make it so the entire game relied on a two-point conversion.

For a team with such high expectations entering the 2026 regular season, arguing about referee mistakes feels minimal compared to the glaring issues Lanning and his Ducks must address moving forward.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram for the latest news.